Note: more information and discussion below the fold.

Superintendent Todd Roberts presented his plan to close next year's projected $7.5 million budget deficit to the Ann Arbor school board last Wednesday night. According to press reports, the plan relies on eliminating 58 staff positions through attrition, including 34 middle and high school teacher positions. Also slated for cutting were 73 food service workers, who would lose their positions with the district as food service was entirely privatized. Dr. Roberts estimated that this move would net $400,000 in annual savings. (The food service workers would transfer to the winning bidder, Chartwells, with similar pay and benefits, according to district officials.)

A further $200,000 in annual savings is expected from shifting substitute teacher scheduling to the intermediate school district, which has a contract with a private company to allocate substitutes to schools. These moves are in addition to the buy-out offer for teachers with many years of service; the district hopes 55 teachers will accept the offer.

As of this writing, I don't have firm figures on how much comes from savings and how much comes from hoped-for revenues. Nevertheless, there will be more to come for 2008-09. What do you think of the proposals so far?