How We Have Cut Expenses

The St. Johns County School District has taken the following steps to cut expenses:

• Eliminated over 300 jobs
• Saved more than $7.2 million in energy costs
• Cut school supply budgets by 25%
• Cut department budgets by 30%
• Cut vendor contracts by 15%
• Shifted school start times saving $4 million
• Eliminated all but mandated bus transportation
• Deferred capital projects
• Transitioned from constructing new schools to expansions
• Eliminated one custodian per school
• Left vacant district positions unfilled
• Reduced equipment dollars to schools
• Reduced school-based maintenance dollars

Energy Conservation Program

• $7.2 million reduction in energy consumption since July 2008
• $3.7 million cost avoidance for 2009

New Construction

• Hard bid process
• Best value for the money with accurate construction documents

Direct Purchase

• Administer and purchase 20-30% of contract value in materials
• 6% savings in material costs

Change Order Rates

• Savings from Owner Direct Purchase Program exceed additive costs of change orders
• Average change order rate of -1% to 1% over last 5 years