[CrozetEagle] 2007 - 2008 Budget Proposal

[Tammy Dance-Skinner]

Hello Parents, 

As your Albemarle County Parent Council Representative, I want to let you know about funding for the 2007-2008 school year.  On March 7, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors will hold a public meeting on its budget proposal, which includes the allocation of funding for the School Division.  The School Board has sent a 151 Million Dollar Funding Request for the 2007- 2008 school year to the Board of Supervisors.  The Board of Supervisors recently placed $0.02 of the current tax rate in reserve for a possible tax break for residents or for other purposes.  A cut in the current tax rate will reduce School Division funding by slightly more than $1.9 million. Should the Board of Supervisors reduce the current tax rate, the School Board will make a proportionate reduction to its Funding Request.  Attached is a list of initiatives that will be reconsidered for inclusion in the School Board Funding Request if the current property tax rate is changed.  There is also a list of initiatives that, although valuable to education in Albemarle County, were not included in the School Board Funding Request.  

Please take a minute to review the information below.  I did the math and the $0.02 tax cut would save the owner of a $350,000.00 home a mere $70.00 per year, the owner of a $450,000.00 home $90.00 per year, and the owner of a $550,000.00 home $110.00 per year.  If you feel the tax savings is not worth the cut in funding to our schools, please show your support for the School Board Funding Request.  Please attend the March 7, 2007 Board of Supervisors meeting.  It is in the Lane Auditorium, Albemarle County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road, in Charlottesville.  The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. but I invite you to joint the Parent Council for refreshments in Room 235 just outside the auditorium from 5-7pm. I hope to see you there.  If you have any questions, please contact me at lbradley at tgblaw.com or 823-5513.  

Sincerely, 

Lynn Bradley 

 

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School Board Funding Request Summary

Ø      The Albemarle County School Board has sent a $151 million Funding Request for the 2007-08 school year to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.  

 

Ø      The School Board's Funding Request assumes the county property tax rate, which generates most local revenue, will not change. The Board of Supervisors recently placed $0.02 of the current tax rate in reserve for a possible tax break for residents or for other purposes.  A cut in the current tax rate will reduce School Division funding by slightly more than $1.9 million. Should the Board of Supervisors reduce the current tax rate, the School Board will make a proportionate reduction to its Funding Request. 

 

Ø      The School Board and Board of Supervisors agreed during a recent joint meeting to remove the living wage initiative from the 2007-08 budget development cycle. 

 

Board of Supervisors Public Hearings 

The Board of Supervisors will hold public hearings on its budget proposal, which includes the allocation of funding for the School Division. 

Dates:              March 7 and April 4 

Time:               6 p.m. 

Location:         Lane Auditorium, Albemarle County Office Building, 

401 McIntire Road in Charlottesville 

 

School Board Budget Initiatives 

The School Board moved several initiatives from an unfunded list into its budget proposal. The School Board believes these initiatives are vital for continued progress toward achievement of strategic plan goals. The initiatives will be reconsidered for inclusion in the School Board Funding Request if the current property tax rate is changed. The initiatives are to:  

Ø      Complete a three-year plan to establish a $1 million fund for a computer replacement cycle. ($250,000)

Ø      Increase by $100,000 the amount of funding for development of Specialty Center models for middle and high schools for a total of $200,000

Ø      Add four math specialists to work in elementary and middle schools to help teachers with curriculum, lesson planning, and instructional techniques. ($310,596 - 4 FTE* and op.** costs)  

Ø      Increase Intervention/Prevention Services staffing to place a literacy intervention specialist at three middle schools with student populations where more than 20 percent qualify for free- or reduced-price meals. ($31,324 - .5 FTE)

Ø      Fund an administrative intern program to enable qualified candidates to acquire skills to transition into a school administrator position in the future. ($150,293 - 2.2 FTE and op. costs)

Ø      Cover estimated utilities cost increases for water and sewer services, and refuse removal. ($88,080)

Ø      Increase Hispanic/Latino community outreach. ($44,662 - .5 FTE)

Ø      Increase teacher participation in the Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction Institute. ($150,001)

Ø      Establish a Suspension Center to serve students who are suspended between four and 30 days to ensure completion of school work and to provide counseling. ($93,323 - 1.33 FTE and op. costs) 

Ø      Increase Intervention/Prevention Services operational funds for school-based interventions for students performing below grade level. ($170,730)

Ø      Fund one database administrator and three technology support specialists to improve delivery of technology services and computer support across the School Division. ($298,235 - 4 FTE) 

Ø      Increase Curriculum Technology Integration Partners (CTIP) staff to increase instructional technology use in middle and high school classrooms. ($286,258 - 4.25 FTE)

Ø      Increase compensation for teachers in the T21 through T30 steps on the salary schedule (21 years of experience and higher) to improve the Division's position in the top quartile of its competitive market. ($492,714) 

 

A number of initiatives identified as important to support the School Division's progress toward achieving strategic plan goals were not included in the School Board's Funding Request due to a lack of revenue. These 14 "unfunded initiatives" total approximately $1.6 million. Examples of the unfunded initiatives include: 

 

Ø      Providing the STAMP on-line testing program to assess proficiency of students in speaking, reading and writing world languages ($42,000)  

Ø      Staffing for non-European world languages (Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, etc.) to maintain existing program                  ( $77,685 - 1.24 FTE) 

Ø      Increasing Gifted Resource Teacher (GRT) staffing to provide full-time positions in all schools and an additional position in all schools with 600 students or more ($394,570 - 5.5 FTE)

Ø      Increasing literacy specialist positions at Murray and Meriwether Lewis Elementary Schools to align with the level of service at all other elementary schools ($31,324 - .5 FTE) 

Ø      Establishing a skill/certification pay option to reward employees for acquiring specific, specialized skills that improve their job-related abilities and provide increased value to the School Division ($125,000)

 

This summary is provided for your information. More details about budget initiatives and the School Board's complete Funding Request can be viewed on-line at  <http://www.k12albemarle.org/> www.k12albemarle.org under the "School Board's 2007-08 Funding Request" link. 

 

 

 

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