$140.7 million shortfall projected for Fairfax County schools budget
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| A class at Falls Church High School. |
Every year, Fairfax County Public Schools officials start getting
ready for the budget cycle with dire predictions about the lack of funds—and somehow
they find the money to keep going.
ready for the budget cycle with dire predictions about the lack of funds—and somehow
they find the money to keep going.
This year, it’s a lot worse, says Superintendent Karen Garza.
There is a $140.7 million shortfall, which Garza attributes to uncontrollable
factors, including a $21 million decrease in state funding and an increase in
insurance costs. At the same time, FCPS owes the state a $37 million contribution
to the Virginia Retirement System.
There is a $140.7 million shortfall, which Garza attributes to uncontrollable
factors, including a $21 million decrease in state funding and an increase in
insurance costs. At the same time, FCPS owes the state a $37 million contribution
to the Virginia Retirement System.
Meanwhile, enrollment is projected to continue to rise steadily over the
next five years. An increase of 3,089 students is expected in 2014. The
proportion of the student population eligible for free and reduced-price meals
is projected to be 27 percent in 2014, compared to 22 percent in 2009.
The FCPS budget is dependent on the Fairfax County Board of
Supervisors’ budgetary decisions. More than half (52.7 percent) of the county’s
budget goes to the school system, while 70 percent of FCPS’s revenue comes from
the county.
Every one-cent increase in the tax rate provides $20.7
million in revenue, says Kristen Michael, director of the FCPS Office of Budget
Services. Individual households’ tax payments are a combination of the tax rate
and their real estate assessment.
million in revenue, says Kristen Michael, director of the FCPS Office of Budget
Services. Individual households’ tax payments are a combination of the tax rate
and their real estate assessment.
Raising the tax rate would be extraordinarily difficult, as
most county residents don’t have children in public schools and many tend to be
more concerned with their own tax burden than in seeing the value of
well-funded schools.
most county residents don’t have children in public schools and many tend to be
more concerned with their own tax burden than in seeing the value of
well-funded schools.
The total amount of K-12 funding available from the state
for 2014 is actually below the 2009 level. Fairfax County’s share on a
per-pupil basis is far below what other counties receive due to the Local
Composite Index, an allocation formula that provides a larger share of funding to poorer
counties. Fairfax County received $1,855 in state aid per pupil, compared to a state
average of $3,420.
for 2014 is actually below the 2009 level. Fairfax County’s share on a
per-pupil basis is far below what other counties receive due to the Local
Composite Index, an allocation formula that provides a larger share of funding to poorer
counties. Fairfax County received $1,855 in state aid per pupil, compared to a state
average of $3,420.
The lion’s share of the FCPS budget approved for FY 2014,
over 88 percent, is spent on salaries and benefits—and most of those funds go
to pensions for retirees. Another 10 percent goes to logistics (for things like
textbooks and bus fuel) and 1 percent is transferred to other programs, for things like prekindergarten and summer school.
over 88 percent, is spent on salaries and benefits—and most of those funds go
to pensions for retirees. Another 10 percent goes to logistics (for things like
textbooks and bus fuel) and 1 percent is transferred to other programs, for things like prekindergarten and summer school.
When looked at in terms of operating expenditures, 88
percent goes to instruction, 6 percent goes to transportation, 4 percent goes
to facilities management, and 4 percent goes to general support, which includes
the central administration.
percent goes to instruction, 6 percent goes to transportation, 4 percent goes
to facilities management, and 4 percent goes to general support, which includes
the central administration.
Fairfax County spent $13,564 per pupil in 2013, which puts
FCPS in the middle of the pack compared to other school systems in the region. Arlington,
Alexandria, and Montgomery County all spend mor, for example, while Prince George’s County,
Loudoun County, and Prince William County spend less.
FCPS in the middle of the pack compared to other school systems in the region. Arlington,
Alexandria, and Montgomery County all spend mor, for example, while Prince George’s County,
Loudoun County, and Prince William County spend less.
FCPS is also in the middle regionally when it comes to salaries
for beginning teachers, but is closer to the bottom in mid-career salaries. The
projected $140.7 million deficit does not take into account a salary increase for
employees nor money for any new programs.
for beginning teachers, but is closer to the bottom in mid-career salaries. The
projected $140.7 million deficit does not take into account a salary increase for
employees nor money for any new programs.
Many teachers can’t afford to live in the county, and if
salaries continue to remain stagnant, more teachers will find better-paying
jobs in other jurisdictions, Garza warns.
salaries continue to remain stagnant, more teachers will find better-paying
jobs in other jurisdictions, Garza warns.
In 2009, FCPS requested a state review of its operations to
look for potential efficiencies. That study was finally completed and the report was presented
to the school board in September. If the state’s recommendations were adopted,
FCPS would save only $2.3 million in the
first year and $10.8 million over five years. According to Garza, “the good news is we are very efficient;
the bad news is they couldn’t identify a lot of other efficiencies.”
look for potential efficiencies. That study was finally completed and the report was presented
to the school board in September. If the state’s recommendations were adopted,
FCPS would save only $2.3 million in the
first year and $10.8 million over five years. According to Garza, “the good news is we are very efficient;
the bad news is they couldn’t identify a lot of other efficiencies.”
What all this means is that some difficult decisions will
have to be made. Remember the uproar a couple of years ago when FCPS tried to
eliminate fourth-grade strings and started charging fees for students taking Advanced
Placement tests and participating in sports? Proposed cutbacks this year could be even more painful.
have to be made. Remember the uproar a couple of years ago when FCPS tried to
eliminate fourth-grade strings and started charging fees for students taking Advanced
Placement tests and participating in sports? Proposed cutbacks this year could be even more painful.
Garza has scheduled a “listening tour,” with meetings
throughout the county to elicit feedback from parents, students, employees, and
community members on their priorities for the school system—and budget issues
are likely to be a major topic. The meeting for the Mason District is scheduled for Nov.
6, 7 p.m., at Stuart High School.
throughout the county to elicit feedback from parents, students, employees, and
community members on their priorities for the school system—and budget issues
are likely to be a major topic. The meeting for the Mason District is scheduled for Nov.
6, 7 p.m., at Stuart High School.
“We know there are a
lot of competing interests,” Garza says. “We know we will have to make cuts.
There are no other options.”
lot of competing interests,” Garza says. “We know we will have to make cuts.
There are no other options.”
This is why the County cannot be as unfriendly to developers (esp developers of projects – whether office buildings, hirise residences, or nursing homes – that don't involve more school age children) as many people would like. The Board can't afford to turn down anything that generates property taxes.
Fairfax should get the same amount of funds per student as any other school district in the state. According to this article, Fairfax gets only half the amount of other school districts in the state. There will always be children no matter what is built and we need to educate them for the future even if it means raising our taxes 1 cent.
I don't want to turn our district and neighborhoods over to developers to let them do whatever they want in order to get more taxes. I'm not opposed to development but I want smart development not haphazard, stupid growth.
What is the point of mentioning the school system's $37 million payment to the Virginia Retirement System? Was this amount higher than expected or unforeseeable? If not, it serves no purpose other than to focus attention on a non-issue.
Fairfax educators did not get a 2% raise not long from now. They got a half year raise starting in January in the last 5 years… The teachers have had one typical step increment. One. Most educators are hundreds of dollars a month behind in pay contrasted with different areas. There may be a lot of spending on different things or an assessment rate that is too low…but something is not right.
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