Wichita school officials are looking at closing some buildings in order to head off budget deficits in the next few years.

The Board of Education heard recommendations Monday from Chief Financial Officer Susan Willis about steps to deal with a $42 million deficit for the 2024-25 school year.  She said administrative solutions would deal with eliminating non-school positions through attrition, along with a five percent cut in non-school program budgets.  That will trim $9 million from the deficit.

The next phase would involve cuts of $16 million through closing buildings. Willis asked the board to move ahead with a limited building reduction option to address some of the 2025 budget deficit and help staffing challenges until work is completed on a facility master plan for the district.

Another option was to cut the equivalent of 230 teaching positions, but Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld told reporters Tuesday that the focus will be on people before places.  He said no current employee is expected to lose their job.   He said the district will be looking at reducing the number of buildings, but nothing has been decided yet.   Bielefeld said there will be a number of factors that will go into a building closure plan.   He said a plan will be developed and presented to the school board at its February 12th meeting, and the plan will be finalized by spring break.

The district has been facing challenges with declining enrollment, staffing, deferred maintenance and the end of federal pandemic relief funds.

Bielefeld said there are plans to get public input, with a survey that will be going out to the community and plans for community listening sessions.