| Like many Minnesota school districts and schools, Saint Paul Public Schools and Horace Mann School face significant financial challenges in large part due to State finances. Although Governor Tim Pawlenty’s budget proposal did not take funds from schools, the accounting shifts and other one-time solutions will only prolong the inevitable financial difficulties facing the public school system. That coupled with declining enrollment in Saint Paul and increasing energy and other costs leaves us with a $25 million deficit for next year and approximately $10 million more for each of the next four years.
We thank everyone who took the time to share their priorities and ideas for making our budget cuts. We also thank everyone who gave feedback on our School Comprehensive Improvement Plan (SCIP), the guiding document for our current and future efforts. You can give this feedback either by attending a Site Council meeting or giving online feedback in March. Principal Jim Litwin will take the suggestions into consideration as he drafts a 2009-2010 budget and SCIP. He plans to deliver the budget and SCIP to the Site Council on Wednesday, April 8. The Site Council will approve the final budget and SCIP on Wednesday, April 22.
| 
