TPS Holds 2nd Budget Redesign Meeting

Parents are learning new details about the financial crisis facing Tulsa Public Schools.

The second community meeting this week happened at Memorial High School.

Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist went through a budget redesign presentation. The district is recommending a $13-14 million cut from district office services, $2-3 million from school closures and $3 million from changes to the elementary staffing plan.

TPS asked families to write their questions on index cards, which were read at the end of the meeting. Families asked everything from why the elementary schools were closing and not high schools or middle schools to the Superintendent's salary.

"The Superintendent before me, made the same and the Superintendent after me probably made more because that is what people who run organizations of this size make," said Gist.

"Obviously emotionally, people get caught up in the school closures and consolidations but with the vast majority, 75 percent of the budget reductions, coming at the district office level I think we have seen that every single team within the district has made some tough decisions," said TPS Parents Brian Hall.

There are two more meetings this week: tomorrow at 5:30 at East Central and Thursday at 5:30 at Webster High School.

To read the district’s entire power point, click here.