Decisions loom on teacher pay, expanding kindergarten
In budget reviews, school board weighs options to close shortfall
by Kali Schumitz | STAFF WRITER
The Fairfax County School Board is weighing program expansion versus teacher pay raises or saving for future needs as it decides how to close a $3.5 million gap in the $2.2 billion fiscal 2012 school budget.
Superintendent Jack Dale is recommending giving a smaller raise to schools staff than he proposed earlier this year -- a 1 percent cost-of-living increase as opposed to the 2 percent raise that had been planned. He also proposed expanding full-day kindergarten to all 36 schools that now have half-day kindergarten starting next school year, rather than spreading out the expansion during multiple years.
But doing those things will cost $3.5 million more than the school is receiving in funding. The school system asked for a $48.8 million increase in county funding, but did not receive it.
Dale's preference for closing the gap is to use reserve funding that would otherwise be set aside for fiscal 2013.
"The downside of doing that is the $3.5 million is an ongoing expense, and this is one-time money," he said.
School Board members also could opt to roll out full-day kindergarten during the course of two school years -- 16 schools next school year and 20 in the 2013-14 school year. The third option Dale presented is to give employees a 1 percent bonus, instead of a 1 percent salary increase.
At a work session Monday, School Board members did not seem inclined to go back on their earlier promise to give employees a raise this year, and several said they supported the use of reserve funds to balance the books.
Some board members would like to see funds shifted to other priorities, such as summer school programs to help students who are failing classes.
"I am troubled by our ability to find the money in our budget for some programs and not others," said board member Tina Hone (At large), who advocates spending less on expanding full-day kindergarten and more on restoring extended learning options for students.
The schools that have half-day kindergarten programs are all high-achieving schools in wealthier areas of the county, Hone said.
Expanding full-day kindergarten to all 36 schools next year will cost about $8 million.
Other board members said that the expanded curriculum demands for kindergartners make it impetrative that the expansion be completed as soon as possible.
"We have been shortchanging those 36 schools," said Ilryong Moon (At large).
School Board members are met with stakeholder groups this week to get feedback on the budget options. Public hearings are scheduled for 6 p.m. May 17 and 18 at Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road in Falls Church. The School Board is expected to adopt a final budget May 26.
kschumitz@fairfaxtimes.com
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
FCPS dropout rate
Response to Questions on the FY 2012 Budget
Request By: Board of Supervisors
Question: What is the FCPS dropout rate and how is it calculated?
Response: The following response was prepared by the Fairfax County Public Schools:
In recent years, FCPS has moved toward reporting a more complete picture of our students by using the Virginia on-time graduation rate as our benchmark (the report includes the percentage of students categorized as dropout). An on-time graduate for 2010 is a student who entered ninth grade for the first time in school year 2006-2007 and earned one of the diplomas recognized by the Virginia Board of Education in four years.
FCPS on-time graduation rate of 91.2 percent for the class of 2010 exceeds the state average of 85.5 percent and is an increase from the prior year. The table below provides more detailed data.
(click on link for table data)
Request By: Board of Supervisors
Question: What is the FCPS dropout rate and how is it calculated?
Response: The following response was prepared by the Fairfax County Public Schools:
In recent years, FCPS has moved toward reporting a more complete picture of our students by using the Virginia on-time graduation rate as our benchmark (the report includes the percentage of students categorized as dropout). An on-time graduate for 2010 is a student who entered ninth grade for the first time in school year 2006-2007 and earned one of the diplomas recognized by the Virginia Board of Education in four years.
FCPS on-time graduation rate of 91.2 percent for the class of 2010 exceeds the state average of 85.5 percent and is an increase from the prior year. The table below provides more detailed data.
(click on link for table data)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Fairfax County Public Schools
An FCPS newsletter directed to employees, but with links to the budget and other areas of potential interest to the community at large.
Did you know?
FCPS By the Numbers
The percentage of FCPS' FY 2011 budget spent on instruction: 85.2%.
The remaining expenditures include: transportation—5.6 percent; facilities management—4.2 percent; and general support—5.0 percent.
Did you know?
FCPS By the Numbers
The percentage of FCPS' FY 2011 budget spent on instruction: 85.2%.
The remaining expenditures include: transportation—5.6 percent; facilities management—4.2 percent; and general support—5.0 percent.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
School Board Invites Public Questions on $2.2B Budget
The Fairfax County school board is inviting taxpayers to come Saturday and hear details of its proposed $2.2 billion budget that includes a $50 million pay raise for teachers. From 9 a.m.- noon at Falls Church High School board members and staff will explain the budget that is funded largely from county revenues. The school board voted on the budget Feb. 3.
Now county supervisors are mulling over whether they can afford to pay an extra $50 million to teachers can receive a pay raise.
County Executive Anthony H. Griffin Tuesday unveiled the county's proposed 2012 budget of $6 billion. That proposal included no pay raises for county employees and only a $2 million increase for the schools. County employee salaries have been frozen for two years.
“Our school budget affects every family with school-aged children and every taxpayer whose taxes contribute to our revenue,” says Kathy Smith, Fairfax County School Board chair. “It’s important that we give Fairfax County residents the chance to become better informed about the advertised budget, understand the fiscal challenges we face as a school system, and have their questions answered.”
Why you should care: Most of us have no children in Fairfax County public schools but our tax dollars pay for this proposed $2.2 billion budget. Secondly, homeowners know that the reputation of FCPS schools contributes greatly to our higher property values.
Half of the county's budget goes to pay for the county's 196 elementary, middle, senior and alternative schools. In addition 75 percent of the schools budget comes from the county. Most Virginia schools sytem's receive only half of their funding from their county, according to the schools website.
Highlights of the proposed budget:
---The schools budget would have been flat this year, without the proposed teacher pay raise. The $50 million increase is primarily for the pay raise.
--The proposed $2.2 billion budget would educate a projected enrollment of nearly 180,000 students, an increase of more than 2,000.
--The schools are seeing more children who qualify for food stamps. The numbers are now 25 percent up from 20 percent.
---Fairfax is the 11th largest school district in the U.S.
_________________________________
When: Saturday, Feb. 26.
Where: Falls Church High School is located at 7521 Jaguar Trail in the Falls Church.
Participants will attend a general keynote session in which the highlights of the FY 2012 budget and the budget process will be presented. Following the keynote session, four concurrent breakout sessions will delve deeper into budget topics, including employee compensation and benefits; the budget impact on FCPS programs; central office staff support for teaching and learning; and state funding challenges. There will be ample opportunity for questions and answers in every session. Citizens who are planning to attend are asked to sign up in advance at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fy2012budgetforum or call 571-423-1075. The FY 2012 advertised budget was adopted by the School Board on February 3. For more details about the forum and the FY 2012 budget, please visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2012.htm
. For more information, contact the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Communications and Community Outreach at 571-423-1200.
Now county supervisors are mulling over whether they can afford to pay an extra $50 million to teachers can receive a pay raise.
County Executive Anthony H. Griffin Tuesday unveiled the county's proposed 2012 budget of $6 billion. That proposal included no pay raises for county employees and only a $2 million increase for the schools. County employee salaries have been frozen for two years.
“Our school budget affects every family with school-aged children and every taxpayer whose taxes contribute to our revenue,” says Kathy Smith, Fairfax County School Board chair. “It’s important that we give Fairfax County residents the chance to become better informed about the advertised budget, understand the fiscal challenges we face as a school system, and have their questions answered.”
Why you should care: Most of us have no children in Fairfax County public schools but our tax dollars pay for this proposed $2.2 billion budget. Secondly, homeowners know that the reputation of FCPS schools contributes greatly to our higher property values.
Half of the county's budget goes to pay for the county's 196 elementary, middle, senior and alternative schools. In addition 75 percent of the schools budget comes from the county. Most Virginia schools sytem's receive only half of their funding from their county, according to the schools website.
Highlights of the proposed budget:
---The schools budget would have been flat this year, without the proposed teacher pay raise. The $50 million increase is primarily for the pay raise.
--The proposed $2.2 billion budget would educate a projected enrollment of nearly 180,000 students, an increase of more than 2,000.
--The schools are seeing more children who qualify for food stamps. The numbers are now 25 percent up from 20 percent.
---Fairfax is the 11th largest school district in the U.S.
_________________________________
When: Saturday, Feb. 26.
Where: Falls Church High School is located at 7521 Jaguar Trail in the Falls Church.
Participants will attend a general keynote session in which the highlights of the FY 2012 budget and the budget process will be presented. Following the keynote session, four concurrent breakout sessions will delve deeper into budget topics, including employee compensation and benefits; the budget impact on FCPS programs; central office staff support for teaching and learning; and state funding challenges. There will be ample opportunity for questions and answers in every session. Citizens who are planning to attend are asked to sign up in advance at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fy2012budgetforum or call 571-423-1075. The FY 2012 advertised budget was adopted by the School Board on February 3. For more details about the forum and the FY 2012 budget, please visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2012.htm
. For more information, contact the Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Communications and Community Outreach at 571-423-1200.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Push for all day kindergarten in FCPS schools
Parents, teachers and administrators push for all-day kindergarten in Fairfax County
By Kali Schumitz
Fairfax County Times
Thursday, February 3, 2011; T14
Parents, teachers and administrators from 37 Fairfax County elementary schools with half-day kindergarten are lobbying the School Board to resume the process of expanding full-day kindergarten to all schools.
Some parents said they think it's unfair that kindergartners are getting a different quality of education depending on where they live in Fairfax County.
In 2006, Fairfax County public schools officials approved a plan to establish full-day kindergarten at all 137 elementary schools in the county by the 2009-10 academic year. At that point, 63 schools still had half-day kindergarten.
But budget constraints after the housing market crash, and its resultant drop in revenue to the county, stalled that plan in fiscal 2009, as officials no longer had funds for new programs. That left 37 schools with half-day kindergarten.
The 2006 cost estimate for the expansion plan was $5.4 million in fiscal 2009 and $12 million in fiscal 2010, which included additional teaching positions and renovations to add classroom space at some schools. Officials have not produced an updated cost estimate for completing the expansion to full-day kindergarten.
Some surrounding jurisdictions, including Alexandria and Prince William and Arlington counties, have full-day kindergarten. Loudoun County schools have half-day kindergarten.
According to Fairfax County's description of its full-day kindergarten program, "the extended day provides increased time for students to further develop their social, emotional and cognitive skills, actively engage in child-initiated small-group experiences, and interact with others."
Parents of children who attend half-day classes at county schools, as well as teachers and administrators, said during a budget hearing Jan. 24 that the shorter day is too rushed and can harm students' chances of success. More than 60 speakers attended the hearing.
"Teachers must teach and students must learn the same amount of information in half the amount of time," said Melaney Mackin, principal of Silverbrook Elementary School in Fairfax Station, which has half-day kindergarten. Mackin also is president of the Fairfax Association of Elementary School Principals.
Principals from most of the other elementary schools that have half-day kindergarten joined her at the podium as she delivered her remarks.
"The pace of learning is like drinking through a fire hose," said parent Melissa Mihocko of Lorton, noting that students in full-day kindergarten have about 500 more hours of instruction per year than those in half-day programs.
In Fairfax County, full-day kindergarten lasts seven hours and 40 minutes, except Mondays, when all county elementary schools are released two-and-a-half hours early. In comparison, half-day kindergarten is divided into morning and afternoon sessions, each of which last three hours and 15 minutes, or two hours Mondays.
Although the school system made an effort to implement full-day programs first at schools with high numbers of low-income students, Mackin and other speakers noted that such students are present at every school in the county.
The program expansion is not included in Superintendent Jack D. Dale's $2.2 billion proposed budget for fiscal 2012. The School Board will finalize the system's official budget request and will amend it in the spring, once the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approves the county funding level for the schools.
By Kali Schumitz
Fairfax County Times
Thursday, February 3, 2011; T14
Parents, teachers and administrators from 37 Fairfax County elementary schools with half-day kindergarten are lobbying the School Board to resume the process of expanding full-day kindergarten to all schools.
Some parents said they think it's unfair that kindergartners are getting a different quality of education depending on where they live in Fairfax County.
In 2006, Fairfax County public schools officials approved a plan to establish full-day kindergarten at all 137 elementary schools in the county by the 2009-10 academic year. At that point, 63 schools still had half-day kindergarten.
But budget constraints after the housing market crash, and its resultant drop in revenue to the county, stalled that plan in fiscal 2009, as officials no longer had funds for new programs. That left 37 schools with half-day kindergarten.
The 2006 cost estimate for the expansion plan was $5.4 million in fiscal 2009 and $12 million in fiscal 2010, which included additional teaching positions and renovations to add classroom space at some schools. Officials have not produced an updated cost estimate for completing the expansion to full-day kindergarten.
Some surrounding jurisdictions, including Alexandria and Prince William and Arlington counties, have full-day kindergarten. Loudoun County schools have half-day kindergarten.
According to Fairfax County's description of its full-day kindergarten program, "the extended day provides increased time for students to further develop their social, emotional and cognitive skills, actively engage in child-initiated small-group experiences, and interact with others."
Parents of children who attend half-day classes at county schools, as well as teachers and administrators, said during a budget hearing Jan. 24 that the shorter day is too rushed and can harm students' chances of success. More than 60 speakers attended the hearing.
"Teachers must teach and students must learn the same amount of information in half the amount of time," said Melaney Mackin, principal of Silverbrook Elementary School in Fairfax Station, which has half-day kindergarten. Mackin also is president of the Fairfax Association of Elementary School Principals.
Principals from most of the other elementary schools that have half-day kindergarten joined her at the podium as she delivered her remarks.
"The pace of learning is like drinking through a fire hose," said parent Melissa Mihocko of Lorton, noting that students in full-day kindergarten have about 500 more hours of instruction per year than those in half-day programs.
In Fairfax County, full-day kindergarten lasts seven hours and 40 minutes, except Mondays, when all county elementary schools are released two-and-a-half hours early. In comparison, half-day kindergarten is divided into morning and afternoon sessions, each of which last three hours and 15 minutes, or two hours Mondays.
Although the school system made an effort to implement full-day programs first at schools with high numbers of low-income students, Mackin and other speakers noted that such students are present at every school in the county.
The program expansion is not included in Superintendent Jack D. Dale's $2.2 billion proposed budget for fiscal 2012. The School Board will finalize the system's official budget request and will amend it in the spring, once the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approves the county funding level for the schools.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Get involved in FCPS school budget
Letter: Get Involved in School Budget
Letter to the Editor
Monday, January 17, 2011
To the Editor:
Recently, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack Dale presented the School Board with his proposal for next year’s budget. The proposed $2.2 billion budget outlines programs and services for our growing and increasingly diverse student population. It also includes funds to give eligible employees a step increase and a market scale adjustment after two years without any increase in compensation.
Our population will grow by a projected 2,120 students next year. We project that in 2012, one in four students will be eligible for free and reduced-price meals, a federal indicator of poverty — making that the fastest growing segment of our population. We expect to see a 15 percent increase in the number of students whose first language is not English. There will be increased costs to comply with the mandated online testing requirement for all students taking the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.
We cannot meet the needs of our staff and students without adequate resources. That is why Superintendent Dale has included in his proposal a request to the Board of Supervisors for an increase of 3 percent, or $48.8 million, in the transfer of funds over the FY 2011 level. This reflects a realistic set of needs.
Difficult times require difficult choices. The Fairfax County School Board has shown great fiscal responsibility during tough economic times. In the past three years (FY 2009-FY2011), FCPS took reductions and cost avoidances totaling more than $465 million and eliminated more than 1,400 positions.
It is time now to compensate our employees for their outstanding work that has kept FCPS a leader in student achievement. Additionally, our starting teacher salaries have declined over the last two years and we need to bring those salaries up so we can continue to attract the most qualified teachers to our classrooms and remain competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.
Now the School Board needs to hear from you as we consider the superintendent’s proposal over the next few weeks, then move to adopt the advertised budget on Feb. 3. Here’s what you can do to get involved. First, learn more about the budget by visiting www.fcps.edu where you’ll find extensive details on all aspects of the budget and the process. Second, sign up to speak at our public hearing on Jan. 24-25. Third, attend the School Board’s Budget Forum to be held on Saturday, Feb. 26, at Falls Church High School.
We are a successful school system, and our success draws business to the area, making a major contribution to the economic engine of the community. Public education in Fairfax County is a source of pride and honor and should remain that way. We need the continued support and involvement of citizens to ensure that it does.
Kathy Smith, Chairman, Fairfax County School Board
Letter to the Editor
Monday, January 17, 2011
To the Editor:
Recently, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack Dale presented the School Board with his proposal for next year’s budget. The proposed $2.2 billion budget outlines programs and services for our growing and increasingly diverse student population. It also includes funds to give eligible employees a step increase and a market scale adjustment after two years without any increase in compensation.
Our population will grow by a projected 2,120 students next year. We project that in 2012, one in four students will be eligible for free and reduced-price meals, a federal indicator of poverty — making that the fastest growing segment of our population. We expect to see a 15 percent increase in the number of students whose first language is not English. There will be increased costs to comply with the mandated online testing requirement for all students taking the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.
We cannot meet the needs of our staff and students without adequate resources. That is why Superintendent Dale has included in his proposal a request to the Board of Supervisors for an increase of 3 percent, or $48.8 million, in the transfer of funds over the FY 2011 level. This reflects a realistic set of needs.
Difficult times require difficult choices. The Fairfax County School Board has shown great fiscal responsibility during tough economic times. In the past three years (FY 2009-FY2011), FCPS took reductions and cost avoidances totaling more than $465 million and eliminated more than 1,400 positions.
It is time now to compensate our employees for their outstanding work that has kept FCPS a leader in student achievement. Additionally, our starting teacher salaries have declined over the last two years and we need to bring those salaries up so we can continue to attract the most qualified teachers to our classrooms and remain competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.
Now the School Board needs to hear from you as we consider the superintendent’s proposal over the next few weeks, then move to adopt the advertised budget on Feb. 3. Here’s what you can do to get involved. First, learn more about the budget by visiting www.fcps.edu where you’ll find extensive details on all aspects of the budget and the process. Second, sign up to speak at our public hearing on Jan. 24-25. Third, attend the School Board’s Budget Forum to be held on Saturday, Feb. 26, at Falls Church High School.
We are a successful school system, and our success draws business to the area, making a major contribution to the economic engine of the community. Public education in Fairfax County is a source of pride and honor and should remain that way. We need the continued support and involvement of citizens to ensure that it does.
Kathy Smith, Chairman, Fairfax County School Board
Friday, January 7, 2011
Proposed FCPS Budget Focuses on Salary Increases for Teachers
Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Dale proposed a $2.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2012, which calls for a 2 percent raise for educators.
At a press conference Thursday morning at the FCPS Falls Church headquarters, Dale said he wants to be able to attract teachers to the county with competitive salaries. Currently, the starting salary for teachers in the school system is $44,000.
Dale presented his proposed budget to the Fairfax County School Board on Thursday night. Public hearings on the budget will be held by the board Jan. 24 and 25 at Luther Jackson Middle School at 3020 Gallows Rd.
“Our entry level compensation doesn’t compete with the same positions in the private sector,” Dale said. “I think we should be giving all of our employees a raise after the last two years of frozen salaries.”
Dale said the school system has a projected enrollment of more than 177,000 students in the next fiscal year. He said he hopes to bring in at least 200 more teachers to help educate the rising number of students the system has in its 196 schools and centers.
More than 85 percent, or $1.9 billion, of the proposed budget would go to instruction if approved, Dale said. The next largest amount of the budget would go toward transporting students to and from school, which is a proposed $123.4 million, or more than 5 percent of the budget. Facilities management and general support each account for more than 4 percent of the budget at $94.2 million and $110.4 million, respectively.
From fiscal years 2009 to 2011, the number of students enrolled in Fairfax County school has gone up by at least 2,000 students each year, according to FCPS statistics. Dale said the number of people moving from the county has gone down, and more children are being born in the county, which will only see the number of enrolled students increase in the coming years. Dale said teachers need to be in place to educate the predicted enrollment increase.
“In previous years, 8,000 people would move in and 8,000 county residents would leave, but people haven't been leaving the county,” Dale said.
U.S. Census figures show Fairfax County has grown by a net of nearly 68,000 people since 2000. But 110,000 people have left the county while nearly 86,000 have arrived from foreign countries. In addition nearly 140,000 babies have been born in the county in the past 10 years and 40,000 people have died.
Patch will follow up on the proposed FCPS budget tomorrow
At a press conference Thursday morning at the FCPS Falls Church headquarters, Dale said he wants to be able to attract teachers to the county with competitive salaries. Currently, the starting salary for teachers in the school system is $44,000.
Dale presented his proposed budget to the Fairfax County School Board on Thursday night. Public hearings on the budget will be held by the board Jan. 24 and 25 at Luther Jackson Middle School at 3020 Gallows Rd.
“Our entry level compensation doesn’t compete with the same positions in the private sector,” Dale said. “I think we should be giving all of our employees a raise after the last two years of frozen salaries.”
Dale said the school system has a projected enrollment of more than 177,000 students in the next fiscal year. He said he hopes to bring in at least 200 more teachers to help educate the rising number of students the system has in its 196 schools and centers.
More than 85 percent, or $1.9 billion, of the proposed budget would go to instruction if approved, Dale said. The next largest amount of the budget would go toward transporting students to and from school, which is a proposed $123.4 million, or more than 5 percent of the budget. Facilities management and general support each account for more than 4 percent of the budget at $94.2 million and $110.4 million, respectively.
From fiscal years 2009 to 2011, the number of students enrolled in Fairfax County school has gone up by at least 2,000 students each year, according to FCPS statistics. Dale said the number of people moving from the county has gone down, and more children are being born in the county, which will only see the number of enrolled students increase in the coming years. Dale said teachers need to be in place to educate the predicted enrollment increase.
“In previous years, 8,000 people would move in and 8,000 county residents would leave, but people haven't been leaving the county,” Dale said.
U.S. Census figures show Fairfax County has grown by a net of nearly 68,000 people since 2000. But 110,000 people have left the county while nearly 86,000 have arrived from foreign countries. In addition nearly 140,000 babies have been born in the county in the past 10 years and 40,000 people have died.
Patch will follow up on the proposed FCPS budget tomorrow
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