The Lawrence school district's budget committee Tuesday agreed to ask the school board for feedback on a half-dozen ideas for stripping $2.1 million in spending next year.
If all were adopted, the equivalent of 40 full-time jobs would be trimmed from the district's payroll.
"We need to know whether to pursue it or drop it," said Kathy Johnson, the district's finance director. "If the board doesn't want to look at it, we won't spend more time on it."
Here's the hit list:
l Amend staffing formulas in elementary schools to increase class sizes, cutting 15 jobs and saving $635,000.
l Change staffing allotments for secondary schools, shedding a dozen jobs and $517,000 in payroll.
l Reduce free bus transportation to the minimum required by state law for a savings of $434,000 and start a pay-to-ride program for students living under the 2.5-mile threshold, with the monetary impact uncertain.
l Limit high school students to a maximum of six courses each semester (some voluntarily take seven) to cut five jobs and save $222,000.
l Eliminate all-day kindergarten, which would remove five teachers' jobs and cut costs by $212,000.
l Require all high school faculty to teach five sections of courses each semester (some teach four) to eliminate two jobs and reduce costs by $97,000.
Johnson said she would outline details of these scenarios for the school board Jan. 28 during a meeting at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive.
The board, at Supt. Randy Weseman's urging, has asked the committee to come up with budget-cutting options.
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