The Wright City R-II School Board at its December meeting unanimously approved a formalized process for reducing expenses within the school district. School administrators are now proceeding with plans to outline cost-cutting estimates at the school's Feb. 23 town hall meeting. "We have developed a very long list of ideas for cost savings from a lot of different perspectives throughout the community and every idea advanced is being considered," said Superintendent Dr. Chris Gaines. He introduced the budget reduction process in November as a comprehensive planning tool for identifying, analyzing and recommending areas where spending can be reduced or eliminated without compromising key education standards. The board voted at its Dec. 21 meeting to approve the process, paving the way for school officials to set the program in motion and present its initial recommendations early in the year. The process is designed to bring a rigorous and objective approach to cost reduction, Gaines said previously. All ideas for spending cuts are screened and then measured against criteria that protect education quality and health and safety standards while making sure no state regulations or federal and state laws are violated. The backdrop for the process is an urgency to cut nonessential costs in a struggling economy and in anticipation of losses in school funding as the state seeks to balance its budget, Gaines said. Ideas that pass initial vetting are given a numerical score from 1 to 10 as a means of prioritizing each one according to its potential savings impact. The higher the score, the better the opportunity for making a difference in savings. A thorough problem analysis stage is designed to probe pros and cons of each potential reduction. The school board must approve all proposed spending reductions.