Your First Look at DISD's 2011-'12 Budget, Which Cuts $90 Million and Reinstates Full-Day Pre-K (On Most Campuses, Anyway)

As promised earlier today, on the other side you will find the entirety of the Dallas Independent School District's proposed budget for the 2011-'12 school year, which was just released. And though it's still rife with cuts ("Staff has been reduced by 1,679 employees in this budget. These reductions have already occurred but we may have issues transferring staff into budgeted positions"), it's far from the worst-case scenario presented when Michael Hinojosa first began discussing having to make close to $300 million in cuts thanks to the state's shortfall.

And while no budget's been formalized down in Austin, district CFO Alan King is now looking at a budget short but $90 million -- from $1,251,386,750 this year to $1,160,776,750 next. Only two weeks ago we were told to expect closer to $120 million in cuts.

As noted this morning, full-on cuts to Montessori, academy and vanguard teachers that were proposed only two weeks ago have been scaled back. And the district is also adding back police and security officers are the behest of trustees; there will be one on every middle-school campus. High schools will also get to keep their study-hall aides and parking lot attendants and school monitors. But most important: Earlier threats to demolish full-day pre-K have been tabled ... at most schools, at least. According to King's budget, full-day pre-K will remain "at all locations except C.A. Tatum Jr., Stonewall Jackson, Lakewood, Jack Lowe Sr., Frank Guzick Elementary Schools."

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