Driver’s Ed to be considered for elimination
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March 22, 2010 • Ramsey Statz
Filed under Local, News, Top Stories
With the district trying to cut costs in preparation for an upcoming budget referendum, one of the largest expenditures on the chopping block is the driver’s education program at FAHS.
The new budget, which will need to address an $811,941 deficit in the district, is the catalyst for the district to take steps that would have been necessary sooner were the district in worse financial shape.
“For the past several years we have continued to offer Driver Education to our students. We have been the only school district in the near-by region who has been fiscally able to do this,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Fitzpatrick said.
Many schools in the area who do not offer driver’s education as a part of the curriculum employ the services of CESA #2. CESA #2 is a private third-party that provides Department of Public Instruction (DPI) approved driver’s education courses. If the district does cut driver’s education from the curriculum, it is likely that Fort would join Jefferson, Milton, Edgerton, and many other area schools in working through CESA #2.
Learning to drive via CESA #2 has its drawbacks, the biggest of which is cost. It costs $400 to take a driver’s education course through CESA #2 as opposed to the current cost of just $200 directly through FAHS.
Eliminating the annual cost of providing driver’s education would take a large chunk out of that budget deficit. In 2008-2009, the most recent year for which final statistics are available, $115,027 was expended by the program and $38,490 was brought in through fee revenue, making for an annual cost of $76,537.
On the flip side of this, of course, is the fact that students wishing to learn to drive will have to undoubtedly pay more to do so, regardless of the third party that they choose. With the current state of the economy, this could potentially lead to some students not getting their permit because they cannot afford to.
Fitzpatrick also stated that the decision to consider cutting driver’s education was not one that was sprung on Calverin Flach, current driver’s education instructor, but that he was notified early in the process.
“I spoke with Mr. Flach early this fall sharing with him that Driver’s Education would likely be considered for a budget reduction this spring. I felt that it was only fair that I inform him early on, rather than in late March or April when the Board got into budget deliberations,” Fitzpatrick said.
As for Flach, he plans to retire regardless of the result of school board budget deliberations.
“Mr. Flach did notify me of his intentions to retire and the Board approved his retirement in February. I did share with Mr. Flach that if the Board of Education decided to continue Driver Education, I would recommend that his retirement be rescinded and that he would continue as our instructor. Mr. Flach indicated that he and his wife have decided to pursue other options regardless of the Board’s decision on the Driver Education program”, Fitzpatrick said.
Flach reflected positively on his years spent teaching students to drive at FAHS.
“The twelve years that I have been in this district was just a pure joy and honor to have worked with the students and their families…I can say truly that I am going to miss the students and I am going to miss their families,” Flach said.
School board budget deliberations are expected to begin sometime during the Spring with a citizens’ task force assisting. School board spokesperson and President Scott Johnson was unavailable for comment on the situation.
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