Cash-strapped district outsources custodial work

Facing a deficit now pegged at $5.1 million, the Nampa School District is looking to plug the hole by outsourcing services.

The first to go was custodial services. The district will move the services, and 83 employees, under the umbrella of a private company.

The custodial employees will receive comparable pay, the Idaho Statesman’s Bill Roberts reported Wednesday. The district expects to save money through reduced benefits costs.

Next up: the Nampa School Board will meet May 7 to consider the outsourcing of nutritional services. According to the Statesman, the district is also looking at administrative cuts, eliminating 40 to 50 certified jobs, and reducing stipends for teachers who head extracurricular programs.

Since voters approved a $4.3 million levy on March 12, the district has announced plans to close Sunny Ridge Elementary School, and the Nampa Education Association has sued the district, saying its members were pressured into taking unpaid furlough days.

 

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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