Proposed budget cuts would decimate Fairfax County Public Schools
Faced with a “dismal” budget picture, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Dale is calling for gut-wrenching cuts in key programs, a one-student increase in class sizes, and new fees for participating in sports and taking advanced tests. Dale announced his budget proposals at the Jan. 7 school board meeting.
The proposed $2.3 billion budget for FY 2001 would cut spending by $104.8 million. The district’s budget-balancing challenge isn’t helped by a projected enrollment increase of 1,760 students.
Dale is recommending the elimination of the foreign language instruction program in elementary schools, summer school, all high school freshman sports, winter cheerleading, winter indoor track, the Pimmit Hills Alternative High School, and cuts in many other programs. Nearly 600 positions would be eliminated, and there would be no salary increases for employees.
About $3.4 million in revenue would be generated through several sources, including new fees for athletic participation ($100 per student per Virginia High School League sport), fees of $75 for taking an Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test, and a 20 percent increase in fees for community groups using school facilities.
“To prevent more damaging cuts,” Dale said he is requesting an increase of $57.8 million in county funds transferred to the school system. Without those funds, Dale indicated he would be forced to eliminate full-day kindergarten, elementary band and strings, and elementary foreign language immersion; increase class sizes further; and scale back advanced academic education, possibly even closing Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
If you feel strongly about these budget cuts, come to the school board’s hearings on the budget Jan. 25 and 26, 6 p.m,. at Jackson Middle School (3020 Gallows Road). If you want to speak at the hearing, you can sign up online. You can also submit written testimony to the school board.
CUT AWAY! This County wastes more money than any other. Arabic to elementary students? Puh-lese. Is this so we can "appreciate" their intolerant culture? Focus on reading, writing, math, and DISCIPLINE. Write them and tell them to fire away.
The Board could care less about what the people want… they demonstrated this when they banished the kids from Annandale out of the high school and over to Falls Church with no real debate or legitimate consideration of the Annandale community and what their departure and their parents departure would do to the fragile make up of the high school.
I love the saber rattling by Dale, there is no chance they close TJ… as for the enrollment, make the county less desirable for illegals and the enrollment would drop dramatically… I am amazed at the number of kids that show every week at Annandale Terrace that speak no english at all, it is as if they simply were teleported here overnight. I am not being insensitive here, but how on earth can the enrollment of Annandale Terrace double in 5 years with not a single new house being built?
Connolly is responsible for this mess and should be held accountable in November… I will not forget what the school board did last summer either.
FYI – It appears that they have scheduled another night for comments on the 27th:
Request to speak at the January 27, 2010, School Board public hearing on the FY 2011 Advertised Budget
As of 25 January 2010 the biggest reason for cuts in FCPS is because of an increase in payments for retirement plans, $71 million, and health care costs, $25 million, which by keeping the budget flat from FY2010 to FY 2011 mean that $96 million in programs and positions have to be cut for FY2011 to make those other increased payments.
See the data and analysis here:
https://sites.google.com/a/fcta.org/fcta—home-page/data/fx-public-schools/20111-fcps-budget-notes
Note that in 2009 spending per pupil was $12,839. In 2011 it's projected to be $12,869. Inflation hasn't gone up that much so if spending per pupil is the same as 2009 why can't we have the same level of school services as 2009? The answer always points back primarily to the FCPS employee retirement plans. It is gobbling up money from a fixed budget.
We need to convert FCPS employees to 401K's, extend the retirement age, and reduce future benefits. If we don't reform this antiquated system, more programs will be cut year after year.