COVINGTON — The Covington Independent School District is expected to have a nearly $2.1 million budget shortfall for the 2002-03 school year, but officials said Wednesday the quality of instruction will not be affected.

        “There's no one you can point the finger at,” district Budget Director Rod Fisk said. “We've underestimated what our revenues are. The state has done that.

        “It just means we have to make sacrifices we haven't had to make in recent history.”

Moreland

        Superintendent Jack Moreland said the tentative budget to be presented to the school board at its meeting tonight would total about $38 million. The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. at board offices, 25 E. Seventh St.

        The budget includes an estimated increased expense of nearly $1.1 million — the amount of Gov. Paul Patton's proposed 2.7 percent increase in teacher salaries plus normal district raises for certified and noncertified employees. It also absorbs a loss of more than $1 million in federal funding.

        In addition, Mr. Moreland said the district is being asked to pick up the health insurance costs of 99 employees funded by federal programs, which he said would cost about $310,000.

        Mr. Moreland said the final budget would not be ready until April, after the General Assembly has adjourned.

        With an enrollment of about 4,400 in grades K-12, Covington Independent is Northern Kentucky's largest district, although enrollment decreased by about 100 from last year.

        Though officials did not know the exact amount of the shortfall earlier this year, Mr. Moreland said he knew something would happen.

        “I froze the budgets back in August,” Mr. Moreland said. “This did not take us by surprise. I've asked all our directors to come up with plans (by Feb. 15) to save money.”

        Mr. Fisk said those cuts could come in three main forms:

        • Fewer new hires of noncertified personnel. Mr. Fisk said when an employee leaves, that person's duties could be distributed among the remaining workers.

        • Spending less on supplies. For example, if a teacher asks for a case of paper, he may have to share it with two other requests for similar materials.

        • Tightening controls on maintenance and transportation costs. Mr. Fisk said that could mean keeping vehicles for a longer time.

        Mr. Fisk said one thing that won't change is student-teacher ratios, which he said are well under state requirements.

        For grades K-5, Covington's ratio is 24-to-1, compared to the state limit of 29-to-1.

        In grades 6-7, 8 and 9-12, the ratios are 21-to-1, 19-to-1 and 17-to-1, respectively. The state limit is 31-to-1 at all three levels.

        Mr. Fisk expects some attrition among teachers but said parents should not worry.

        “We're going to change everything short of changing the instruction,” Mr. Fisk said. “We won't change student-teacher ratios.”

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