Mesa Public Schools Cuts outlines

With little fanfare or public input, the Mesa Public Schools is posed to pass a budget on July 8th that contains about $13 million in cuts. The school has about 1,500 fewer enrolled than in the past, and the result is fewer dollars. The cuts, mostly around the fringes, are common sense and do not impact the overall student in the classroom. They should also probably take a closer look at their administrative costs.

There are several programs that can hopefully be retained through grants or donations, because they are the types of programs that has made MPS one of the best districts in the state:

• The Mesa Youth Placement, which helps students with job skills such as resume writing and interview skills, will seek grants, and if not found, will be eliminated.

• The Technitorium and Imagitoriums, mobile art programs, will be closed by 2011.

• Science and other field trip district funds will be eliminated.