It's sad to hear that the Conifer HS Drama Department is on the chopping block. Declining enrollment projections are a challenge because district funding from the state is determined largely by enrollment; negotiated pay and benefit increases are a challenge because 86% of the budget is payroll-related - what is the best financial and educational course to chart? The district continuously asks for input, but we need to do a better job as citizens - they need and appreciate our involved and informed guidance and direction.
The "informed" part is a challenge - district financial reporting hardly resembles a household or even a business budget, but it's not rocket science, it's still accounting. So are we knowledgeable enough to communicate our community priorities effectively? For instance, do you know that only $.47 of every general fund dollar goes to direct classroom instruction in neighborhood and district-wide schools? That in no way implies the other $.53 are non-essential - schools need to be cleaned and maintained, there is a need for principals and assistants, and instructional coaches, and programming for special education, low-income, and ESL students, but maybe there are better ways, which better reflect our choices.
The Strategic Planning Advisory Committee and the Financial and Capital Oversight Committees also play a very important role in advising the district, but, the point is, responsible, involved citizenship may require really knowing the numbers and presenting the board alternatives to eliminating community-valued programming. We've made a start at
TransparencyInEducation.org, and hope others become involved in whatever capacity they can.
Section 1 of the Colorado Bill of Rights spells it out:
Vestment of political power. All political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government, of right, originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. WE are responsible for the education of our children, these are our schools funded by our money, and it is wholly our responsibility to direct our leaders.