When your job is on the line

I just posted this to our state library/tech Ning:

Hi folks,

I hate to sound like the voice of gloom and doom, but I am very worried about the economic news over the past week. With the state of Minnesota expecting a record budget deficit of over 5 billion dollars, it looks highly, highly unlikely that schools will receive any funding increases for next year, if not during the next biennium. And since inflation (health insurance, heating, SpEd services, etc,) continues to rise, budget cuts are in store for most districts.

OK, people, NOW is the time to start strategizing the ways to minimize the impact of budget reductions on your library/tech programs. Once administration makes its recommendations to the school board, it will be waaaaay too late to do much.

I've listed some ideas about what you can do in the document "When Your Job is on the Line".

Don't rely on MEMO or AASL to save your program! This is something only you can do.

Share any strategies you have for minimizing the impact of budget cuts here.

Doug

With 41 of the 50 U.S. states* projecting budget deficits for next year and with the entire world suffering economic woes, I thought this might be of use to more than just us Gophers.

Blue Skunk readers, what will you be doing to survive the budget axe?

* Our neighbors in North Dakota have a surplus. Now how did that happen?

Comments

[Charlie A. Roy]

As an administrator in general it is my philosophy to make cuts by spreading them out throughout the school instead of heaping the most suffering in one area. This allows me to be universally hated by all while at the same time minimizing the impact the cuts have on the quality of education my students will receive.

[Doug Johnson]

Sent via email. Posted here with permission - Doug

>>One thing I recommend is to get out of the library and become an active part
>> of the teaching team. This year ( my first with an aide) I have started
>> teaching middle schoolers ICT skills two periods a day, so the administration
>> sees that as active teaching, not just reading and buying books. Also this
>> frees up a subject area teacher for those two periods so we can offer
>> additional HS electives without adding staff. So staff cuts move way down the
>> list of budget cuts. This works well in our small MS/HS combination.
>>
>> John Grainger
>> Librarian
>> Hinsdale High School
>> Hinsdale NH 03451

[Rob Darrow]

Hi Doug - Great post...we just had this conversation in my district two weeks ago. We came up with a list of ideas about how to build relationships with the people we most influence...written here: http://robdarrow.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/when-your-job-is-on-the-line/

[Doug Johnson]

Send to LM_Net. Posted her with permission:

Ohio has been there for a long time. So just to get some real
conversation started....my thoughts (small though they are) is that
collaborationconcept is not working. We have put all our apples into the
collaboration basket. It is too abstract a concept for state/federal
legislatures to grasp. My suggestion is to begin emphasizing the teaching
aspect. Students should be required to have x number of minutes learning
library, information, 21st century skills k-12. These skills would be
required to be taught by certified library media specialist. The fact is
if the profession is to survive in schools the love affair with
collaboration needs to be rethought. With NCLB and the economy only those
who provide face to face instruction in essential curricular areas are
going to be left. Ths is where our lobbying efforts should be focused. I
think, no, I know I teach esential curriculum to students I just wish the
State of Ohio felt the same way. Instead LMS in Ohio are being replaced
with educational aides and clerks who are teaching the curriculum a
certified LMS should be teaching.
Becky Vasilakis
District Library Media Specialist
Amanda Clearcreek SD

and she adds...

...please don't get me wrong. I believe that collaboration is still
an important piece of what I do. All of my lesson plans are dovetailed to
what is going on in the classroom for each grade level.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Charlie,

The downside to this, of course, is that you weaken all programs instead of killing some and keeping the rest strong and effective. Both selective and across the board cuts are painful.

Thanks for the comment,

Doug

Hi Rob,

Thanks for following up on this on your blog.

I’d think California librarians would be somewhat numbed to cuts by now!

Oh, if you aren’t reading fellow California school library blogger, Grocery Store feet, you should. He has a take on the budget cuts too:

http://grocerystorefeet.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/busted-flat-in-baton-rouge/

All the best and thanks for the link!

Doug