What is our community saying so far? 

As we plan for the next school year's budget, we engaged our community to understand the most important factors Ferguson-Florissant needs to consider in order to support all students.

More than 1,209 ideas were shared by students, staff, and community members. Here are the top ten (10) key themes we heard from the Cost-Reduction Survey and Staff Input Gallery Walk, along with how they align with our priorities. Click on each of them to reveal more information.

• The Board should actively oversee the budget rather than blindly approving financial decisions.

• Increase transparency regarding financial reports, budget decisions, and spending allocations.

• Please increase transparency on District spending.

• Identify wasteful or redundant expenses that should be cut without impacting students.

• Reduce or repurpose administrative positions that do not directly impact student core academic learning.

• Consolidate leadership roles and make sure administrators are more visible in schools.

• Eliminate district-funded items such as catering and travel stipends.

• Administrative cuts should happen before core academic classroom-level cuts to prioritize student learning.

• We need stricter financial oversight policies to prevent future budget shortfalls.

• We need to develop long-term financial strategies (5, 10, and 20-year plans) for sustainable budgeting.

• Eliminate wasteful contracts and consulting services that do not provide measurable benefits.

• Increase teacher salaries to remain competitive with neighboring districts and retain quality educators.

• We should prioritize cost-of-living adjustments and pay raises for staff.

• Stop using outside staffing agencies by improving wages and benefits for the full-time employees who already work for FFSD.

• Keep class sizes reasonable to avoid overwhelming teachers and harming student learning.

• Consolidate underutilized schools (e.g., merging STEAM Middle and High into one location).

• We should consider moving administrative offices into existing school buildings instead of maintaining a separate central office to cut operational costs.

• Reconfigure school grade structures (e.g., return to K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 models) to reduce staffing and transportation costs.

• Adjust extracurricular and activity offerings based on student enrollment and demand.

• Merge programs or specialty programs (e.g., Innovation, Restoration) into existing schools.

• Stop frequent curriculum changes, use existing materials, and include teachers as a resource for building curriculum.

• Eliminate underutilized programs (e.g., 7 Mindsets, TutorMe, Thought Exchange).

• Review unnecessary purchases (e.g., Yondr pouches, Chromebooks, Let’s Talk).

• Use in-house experts for professional development instead of hiring expensive keynote speakers and consultants. Use teachers!

• Can we implement a four-day school week to reduce transportation, utilities, and food service costs?

• Consolidate bus routes to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce spending.

• Eliminate district-funded transportation for non-essential travel, such as PD days and administrative events.

• Change school start times to maximize bus transportation and reduce costs.

• Partner with local businesses and organizations for funding, sponsorships, and resource donations.

• Rent out district buildings to generate additional revenue.

• Encourage alumni and community donations to bring in additional revenue.

• We should apply for grants and alternative funding sources to increase revenue for the District.

• Preserve academic programs like AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment that attract and retain students.

• Maintain after-school programs to keep students engaged and invested in education.

• Reduce coaching and activity stipends rather than eliminating programs entirely.

• Charge families a reasonable participation fee for extracurriculars and athletics to offset costs.

• The District should maintain access to activities, athletics, and enrichment programs rather than cutting opportunities.

• Cost-cutting decisions should focus on students and staff, not just financial recovery.

• Engage staff, parents, and the community in financial discussions.

• Rebuild trust by demonstrating financial responsibility and valuing teachers' and staff contributions.

• Increase transparency about financial decisions and allow students, staff, and families to provide meaningful input.