OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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Blue Valley is the next school district to announce major changes to try to balance its budget.
The district outlined last week what's coming for next year, with a goal of saving $17 million. Blue Valley started making cuts before this school year.
So far, the district has reduced health benefits for part-time employees, closed buildings in the summer, reduced administrative staff, and is only filling essential positions.
For months, I've been looking into the problems facing school districts and how they're affecting families. I sat down with Blue Valley Superintendent Gillian Chapman as she laid out the next round of cuts.
When I spoke with Chapman, I brought her questions from viewers about cutting from the administrative office before students. She says they already have.
"The first place everyone says—is get rid of the administrators. That's really the first place we started," Chapman said.
I asked whether that is still on the table for the future.
"Even if we said, 'Every administrator is going to go,' our teachers simply could not continue to teach and take care of all the things," Chapman said.
By next fall, there will be reductions in activities and athletics, particularly in middle school offerings. The district will also remove low-enrollment classes, end the Chinese immersion program, and cut social work staff in half.
Chapman recognized this will negatively impact Blue Valley families. I asked how she balances the need to close the gap against the cost to students, families, and staff.
"When you're talking about 17 million dollars in reductions, there is no way that our students are not going to have fewer opportunities," Chapman said. "We're going to continue to look for efficiencies where we can that make sense without negatively and continually negatively impacting our students.”
Chapman has called on the Kansas Legislature to meet the special education funding obligation. She has also asked that when the current education finance formula sunsets in 2027, lawmakers put a new formula in place that is equitable for all students.
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