TPS Superintendent Makes Recommendations On What To Cut

People packed the room to hear Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist outline the potential cuts board members will consider.

"We don't want any of these choices,” said Dr. Gist

The announcement comes after TPS received more than 18,000 completed budget surveys. 

People were asked to rank what they thought should be cut. The top three responses included reducing district office services, consolidating athletic teams, and eliminating middle school athletics altogether.

"We need to think very carefully about how do we allocate the sports, who gets what teams, what impact does that have on high schools,” said one board member.

Shortening the school year was on the list for 75 percent of the 18,000 surveys filled out, and Gist is recommending two district-wide furlough days to save nearly $2 million.

"This will be a negotiation that we will undertake with our unions,” Gist stated.

Also being recommended is reducing the district office, consolidating middle school sports, as well as eliminating high school sports with low participation to save $4.2 million.

If all the recommended cuts are adopted by the board, the district will reduce its budget for next year by $12.4 million.

Mayor G.T. Bynum who spoke to the board said that will hurt Tulsa.

"It has tremendous long-term repercussions on our community when we are not viewed as a place that values education and funds it accordingly," said Bynum.

The school district is sending information to parents this week and will hold informational meetings this month to let people know how the changes would impact them. 

The school board is expected to vote on what to cut in May.