School districts are closing in on the final days to approve their fiscal year 2010-11 budgets, and many continue to struggle under the heavy burden of trimming more than six percent out of them due to massive reductions at the state level.

And while many southern Colorado school districts are taking drastic steps such as switching to a four-day school week, charging parents for student transportation, and cutting back on teachers compensation; School District 11 has been able to avoid many of the same choices while trimming $13 million out of their budget.

This was possible for several reasons, one of which was a blessing in disguise. Last year D-11 closed nine schools, not for financial issues but as a way to streamline their instructional goals. Had they not made the move then, this years budget slashing process could have been much worse. "It would have been awful, but we saved $3 million, and that gave us a $3 million head start," Glenn Gustafson, Chief Financial Officer for D-11.

The head start combined with communication with parents and staff kept the whole process transparent. District officials were pleased at how positive and smooth it went. In the end it translated into big savings of more than just dollars and cents. "We protected both jobs and compensation for people. That's very important, we have an urgent student achievement mission. We have to get 100 percent of our kids to proficiency and by keeping staff motivated, that will help us with that," says Gustafson.

Next year, D-11 will operate on a $364 million budget. And while most of their programs were able to dodge the bullet, the victory will be short lived. With projections of greater cuts to education on the horizon, the following fiscal year may be a very different story. For now, furlough days, teacher position cuts, closing schools, and more are all back on the table for the following fiscal years budget.