To provide recommendations to the Superintendent and School Board of Stafford County Public Schools

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Finance Budget Advisory Committee
Mission Statement

• To provide recommendations to the
  Superintendent and School Board of Stafford
  County Public Schools
• on budget priorities
• Encourage the community to be active
  participants in the budget process

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Finance Budget Advisory Committee
137 Student Years
Manya Rayner Aquia Claire Timms Falmouth Rebecca
Flake Garrisonville Mary Podlesny George
Washington Melissa Dileo Griffis-Widewater
Laura Dean Hartwood Dean Fetterolf Rockhill Jenn
ifer Rochte At-Large Jay Gillis At-Large Lisa
Casias At-Large
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Financial Budgetary Health Factors

1. Classroom Experience
2. Compensation (85 of Budget)
3. Safety Physical Security and Environmental
   Health Safety
4. Infrastructure Capital Improvement
   Program (CIP)
5. Budget Process

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SWOT PROCESS

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Strengths
Weaknesses
INTERNAL
T
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Opportunities
Threats
EXTERNAL
A STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOL
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CLASSROOM EXPERIENCEMore Than Just Student
Teacher Ratios
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• Strong Academic History
• Diversity of Programs (IB, CTE
  Governors School, Boots, AP)
• Dedicated Teachers Admin.
• Parental Involvement
• Cultural Diversity (40 Languages)

• 1100 Overcrowded Classes
• 15/29 schools met AYP (2007)
• Gifted and Highly Able Underserved
• Broad Spectrum of Learners
• Shortage of Advanced ESL Staff
• Expectations as Grants Expire

o
T

• Early Intervention
• ½ of VA Skilled Trade Jobs Unfilled
• Grants Fund Raising
• Local Industry/Business Partners
• Life Long (Adult) Learning Programs

• Past Success Masks Needs Opportunities
• Cumulative Declining Transfer
• Changing Demographics
• Societal Demands - Busy Lives
• Lack of Clarity in SOQ

The secret of education lies in respecting the
pupil.-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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COMPENSATION (85 OF BUDGET)
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• Wealth of Professional Development
  Opportunities
• Unfreezing of Steps

• Perceived Excess of Professional
  Development Contractors Fees
• 12-15 Turnover Rate
• Large of Retirees over next 10 yrs.
• Bridge Retirees (cost utilization)
• Admin/Support Workload vs Pay Scale
  Steps

o
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• More Structured Professional Development
  Opportunities (thru UMW, NOVA, etc)
• How to Exploit N. Va Status

• State Pays 25 of Cost to Compete
• Need Competitive Salaries N S
• Rising Cost of Health Insurance
• GASB 45 403b Requirements

Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore,
the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read,
think, speak, and write. -- John Adams
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SAFETY PHYSICAL SECURITY AND EHS
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• DSSR Emergency Response Study
• Entrance Video Camera Phases
• Computerized Facility Floor Plans Aid
  Emergency Response

• Older Schools EHS Issues
• Collateral Duty Security
• Aging H.S. Athletic Facilities
• Aging Phys.Ed/Recess Areas
• Facility Bathroom Hygiene
• Overcrowded classrooms
• Science Lab Safety Parity

o
T

• Complete Security Upgrades
• Remote SO access to security video
• Improved gang awareness

• Only 2 MS Resource Officers
• Internet Based Threats Bullying
• Aging Facility Major Systems Failure
• Increase in Weapons or Drug
• Lack of Sidewalks for Walkers
• Expanding Transportation Zones

Upon the subject of education, . . . I can only
say that I view it as the most important subject
which we as a people can be engaged in. --
Abraham Lincoln
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INFRASTRUCTURE - CIP
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• Focuses on Facilities vs Education
• Architectural vs Educational Capacity
• Programmatic Parity
• Several Aging Facilities
• Should be Heart of Community
• Lack of Academic Planning for new CTE
  Facility

• Positive Learning Environment
• Detailed Maintenance Schedule
• Joint BOS SCPS Committee

o
T

• Improved Utilization thru Careful
  Districting (ES MS)
• Renovations and Parity vs New
• Support HS06/CTE Study
• Moncure Property Value
• Melchers Drew Future
• Traditional Neighborhood Development (TNDs)

• County CIP Borrow Limit
• Changing Population Distribution
• Cost of Labor Materials
• Hidden Renovation Costs if CTE moves to SHS
  
• 20 year CIP needed

Buildings and the sense impressions that we
get from the surroundings influence our
emotional life and ability to learn. School
Business Affairs, 7/04, pg 37-38
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BUDGET PROCESS
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• Quality Education is an Economic Incentive
• 95 County Increases Goes to Instruction
• Unqualified 2007 audit

• Communication with Parents
• Increasing Debt Service affects OM
  Transfer
• Top Heavy Admin. Perception
• Is AYP Decline Funding Related ?
• Board Unity

o
T

• Recovery Plan - 53M Shortfall
• Submit Budget to BOS Earlier
• More Grants, Earmarks, Partners
• Support Fiscal Autonomy Study
• How to Exploit N. VA Status ?

• Legislative Funding - 32nd in Nation
• Rank 118/133 in Per Pupil Expenses
• External Budget Drivers Mandates
• Increasing Composite Index
• County Debt Service Limits
• Outdated Proffer Guidelines

If you think education is expensive, try
ignorance. -- Derek Bok, Harvard President
1971-1990
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FBAC Recommendations Recovering from the
Cumulative Effect of Budget Shortfalls

• CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
•  
• Reduce core class sizes to 20/24/27
  (ES/MS/HS).
• Maintain a positive physical and mental
  learning environment for the complete
  spectrum of Stafford learners.
• Develop a strategic initiative to improve
  communications, community relations and
  partnerships.COMPENSATION
• Great teachers staff deserve respect,
  admiration and fully competitive pay, benefits
  and cost effective professional development
  opportunities.
• Post employment benefits and unfunded
  liabilities impact future budgets.

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FBAC Recommendations Recovering from the
Cumulative Effect of Budget Shortfalls

• SAFETY
•  
• In cooperation with the Sheriffs Office
  increase middle school resource officers from
  2 to 4.
• Maintain funding for environmental health and
  safety related issues and risk management of
  aging indoor and outdoor facilities.
•  
• INFRASTRUCTURE
•  
• Student Accommodation Plan - instructional
  capacity not architectural capacity.
• Improve facility utilization thru careful
  districting and resource allocation.
• Establish a broad range of career-oriented
  programs before designing a combined HS06/CTE
  facility in the 2012-2015 timeframe.
• New facility placement must be consistent with
  the 20 year County Comprehensive Plan growth
  projections of 20K new homes, a population of
  180K (2030), and our 22 estimate of 39,600
  students

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BUDGET PROCESS  
FBAC Recommendations Recovering from the
Cumulative Effect of Budget Shortfalls

• !!!!! BUDGET PROCESS !!!!!!
•  
• Emphasize that a quality education is an
  economic incentive attracting new business,
  residents and tax revenue.
• Develop a strategic plan to recover from the
  cumulative effect of 3 years, 53M in
  county budget shortfalls. Submit budget earlier.
  Consider a referendum.
•  
• Greater legislative involvement by Supervisors,
  School Board, SEA, PTOs and parents for
  increased statewide educational funding,
  cost to compete parity, and fiscal autonomy.
•  
• Delaying cyclical replacements only increases
  current maintenance and future replacement
  costs.
•  
• Improve administrative efficiencies through
  modern information management systems.