Cutting the Campus Budget: 10

Suggestions for Improving the Bottom

Line

By Dana Burney and Tanya

Donaghey EDAD 5400 Spring
2015

Budgeting: Improving the Bottom

Line without Cutting Programming
Maintaining our excellent programming and
our staff is our primary goal.
Strategic budgeting entails retaining the
items selected by curriculum leaders and
Professional Learning Communities and not
relying on the least expensive options.
(Brimley et al., pp. 281-282)
In collaboration with our department heads
(simulated), we have compiled a list of 10
items to cut costs or collect revenue.

1. Reducing the Cost of Photocopies

While Building Study Skills
We have asked the department heads to work
together to reduce their photocopies by 33 percent.
Leasing copiers and paying for paper and toner is a
large expense in our budget.
Our high school students need to learn how to use
programs such as Wiki and Blackboard to prepare
for college so we will accomplish both goals by
building online resources for our classes.

Suggestions for Reducing

Photocopies
Post notes online and students can fill in the blanks or items in
their own spiral notebook (Lets end the costly practice of
providing fill-in-the blank notes)
Make class sets of readings/articles and students learn a
valuable strategy of writing the theses, conclusion, and main
examples from the readings in their spiral notebooks. Post
readings/articles in the class wiki or blackboard.
(Tell Me About How Youre Doing More with Less, 2011, p. 94)

Reduce paper consumption by photocopying front/back by

planning ahead by unit. For example: Algebra 2 notes on the
current unit on the front and problem set on back of same page

2. Going Paperless on
Campus
We have a campus wikispace where
all faculty meeting notices will be
posted
Lesson plans, meeting report sheets,
and all forms will be posted in the
appropriate folder
Submit receipts and financial
information in the appropriate folder
(Tell Me About How Youre Doing
More with Less, 2011, p. 95)

3. Reducing the Cost of Office Supplies

Savings $21,826
Require all students in English
classes (all students are enrolled in
English):
1 ream of copy paper
1 box of paper clips
1 pad of regular sized sticky notes
Package of 10 manila regular folders
With 4411 students less 671 (15%)
economically disadvantaged: Savings
$21,826

4. Reduce Utility
Consumption
Unplug all electrical in each
classroom each day (microwaves,
pencil sharpeners, overhead
projectors)
Shut down all computers and unplug
every Friday
(Cole, 2011)

5. Reduce Lawn
Maintenance
Mow lawn and edge every 10 days
instead of weekly
Savings Cost of 6 workers X $9.90
hour ($9 per hour plus cost of
employment taxes) X 8 hours =
$475.20 per month X 5 months
Savings $2376 per year

6. Field Trips $7200

Social Studies/ Science Field Trips Various Classes
Grades 10-12th $2 per student X 1600 students over
the course of the year (Holocaust museum/Science
place)
Savings $3200
Senior Six Flags Trip $5 per student for cost of
transportation 800 students X $5 (reduced number
due to economically disadvantaged)
Savings $4000
(Principal Melinda Schwartz suggestions)

7. Reduce Stipends to Teachers

$11,500
Assign teachers to after school duties
that are currently being paid as stipends
5 after school stipends X $2000 per
year Savings $10,000
Reduce Department Head Stipends by
$150 each per year.
Savings $1500 (Estimated 10 department heads per budget)
(Chris Mayfield budget suggestions)

8.Reduce Staff Development Cost

$28,350
Reduce out of district staff
development for one year
Average Cost $945 per teacher X 30 teachers
(10% of teachers who would normally attend)

Savings $28,350
(Wendy Craft)

9. Adjust the Thermostat in School 2

Degrees
Electricity cost 12 cents per hour on average
According to Allen ISD, utilities were $15,000 in 20122013 (Allen ISD Annual Financial Report, 2014, p. 66)
Raising the thermostat is estimated to save 1% per
degree so if Allen High School reduces costs to 2%, the
savings will seem minor but enough to be used for
another school initiative. (Energy.gov)

Estimated Savings: $300

10. Freeze Library Purchases

$10,000
Reduce budget $10,000
Limit new books, electronic books or
new subscriptions for the library for
the school year/ Reduce budget
$10,000
Savings $10,000

Fee for Athletes Savings

$19,125
Charge each athlete a $15 fee to
participate/transportation fee
Savings: $19125
(Calculation: approximately
1500 athletes (Allen ISD Audit
2012-2013) grades 10-12th grade
less 15% economically
disadvantaged)
(Larry, 2014)

Calculations on School Supply

Savings
Folders, paper, paper clips, post its all used about
this amount per year per student
4411 students 671 Economically disadvantaged
=3740 students
1 ream of paper each 3740 reams saves
$11,220/year
Paper clips .52 per box X 3740 students saves $1978
Post its .90 each X 3740 saves $1979
Manila folders save 1.40 per each 10 savings $5236
All prices from Staples best bulk rate (Staples.com)

Bibliography
Allen Independent School District Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended June 30, 2013. As retrieved:
http://www.allenisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001197/Centricity/Domain/23/audit%20reports/2013-06-30%20Allen%20F
inal.pdf
Brimley, Jr., Vern, Verstegen, D, and Garfield, R. (2012) Financing Education in a Climate of Change. New
Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Cole, Jean. (2011, March 20) Schools Decide How To Trim $1.3M. The News Courier. Athens, Alabama.
Available: LexisNexis.
Craft, Wendy (2015, April 9) Principal Sloan Creek Intermediate
about campus budget ideas.

School. Interview with Tanya Donaghey

Energy.gov available: http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/thermostats

Larry, Greg. (2014, June 3) BOE Considering Whopping Budget Cuts. Cumberland Times-News.
Cumberland, Maryland. Available: LexisNexis.
Mayfield, Chris (2015, April 9) Principal Lovejoy High School. Interview with Tanya Donaghey about campus
budget ideas.
Schwartz, Melinda (2015, April 10) Principal Puster Elementary School. Interview with Tanya Donaghey
about budget ideas.