School Budget, Option 1 Truly Needed

Dear School Supporters,

Now that the drug testing controversy has passed, it's time to start
thinking about WJC schools' budget.

To make your voice heard, simply "CLICK HERE" and email addresses of all School Board members should appear in your "To:" line.

The WJC School Board is now considering the superintendent's
proposed budget in order to develop the final budget for the schools to
send forward to the county and city. The superintendent presented his
"Option 2" budget to Board which (while helpful) does not include an
additional $2.3 million that is truly needed for our schools. Without the
additional funds, this is the impact:

* not enough trailers to maintain the School Board's class size
guidelines

* not enough of a salary increase for support staff (only 3.5%
compared to 5% for teachers)

* no additional Bright Beginnings preschool teachers

* no new operating capital equipment for any schools

* not enough computers and technology

* not enough buses (only 5 requested, 13 are needed)

Please encourage the School Board to include in its budget, items
from the "Option 1" budget Dr. Mathews prepared with a 5% salary
increase for support staff and additional Bright Beginning preschool
teachers to meet the need. Everyone understands that after the past few
years of insufficient funding, the schools need to play catch-up and now
is the time.

The premise is simple. The School Board needs to prepare a
budget that asks the county and city for what the schools truly need and
justify it. Then the county and city can decide how much funding they
wish to provide.

To see the Option 1-Option2 proposals side by side CLICK HERE.

ACT NOW because the School Board plans to adopt its budget on
March 21.

For more information, read the statement (below) I presented to the
School Board at the March 7 public hearing on the budget.

Thank you for supporting our schools.

Mike Ludwick
Support Schools Now
http://supportschoolsnow.org/

===================================

My message to you tonight is "You won't get what you don't ask for."
At the beginning of the budget process I delivered a statement
endorsed several local organizations and 68 individuals asking the
superintendent and the School Board to build a true budget of need.
The superintendent did that when he prepared his "Option 1"
budget.

Option 1 required an additional $13.9 million and included most of
what our schools really need: [increased staffing for growth, a 5%
salary increase for teachers, staff for reading renewal, the ability
to absorb required retirement increases and a 10% health benefit
increase, funding for school operating capital allocations,
technology, trailers and buses.]

Even better would have been to include additional Bright Beginnings
preschool teachers in order to meet unmet needs and give even
more children a great start. Even better would have been to include a
similar 5% raise for staff (teachers assistants, custodians, cafeteria
workers, etc. ) as is proposed for teachers. Many of these folks are at
the bottom of the scale already. [The salary study done a year or so ago
showed how low our staff salaries compared with surrounding districts.]
The superintendent also prepared an "Option 2" budget, a unique
approach that would help the citizens and county and city officials
see what would likely be reduced if all the funds were not available for
Option 1.

Unfortunately, instead of proposing an Option 1 as a budget, the
superintendent proposed Option 2.

Option 2 reduced additional classes in trailers from 19 to 10. This needs
to examined carefully to prevent class sizes from exceeding the School
Board's guidelines. There is no need for class sizes to be increased
beyond those guidelines even for just one year. It is not the fault of
students or teachers that the new elementary will not be ready soon
enough.

Option 2 included NO allocations for school-based operating capital
equipment (chairs, desks, tables, and other durable equipment).
We cannot continue to go without as we have over the past few
years. It may be something to reduce depending on funds available
but not to request any funds at all from the start is a mistake.
Option 2 funds 5 replacement buses, instead of the 13 needed.
Buying buses is certainly not the sexiest item on which to spend
funds and yet if we don’t keep to a reasonable replacement cycle
we fall further and further behind. Certainly the folks in
transportation would never put an unsafe bus on the road. The
bigger question is how much longer will it take our students to get
home when so many buses are off the road.

Option 2 will have WJC barely meeting the state's requirements for
technology. Is that what we should be doing to become the best
school division in the commonwealth?

There is never a good time to include these costs. [And having to
spend an additional $2M just for Virginia Retirement System
increases alone doesn’t make it any easier.] Perhaps your fund
balance could help cover costs for technology or buses. That would
be helpful to know.

In any case, please go back to the "Option 1" budget with a 5%
salary increase for support staff and additional Bright Beginning
preschool teachers to meet the need. Everyone understands that
after the past few years of insufficient funding, the schools need to play
catch-up and now is the time.

Please prepare a budget that asks the county and city for what the
schools truly need and justify it. The community will support you. Then
the county and city will decide how much funding they wish to provide.
But you certainly won't get what you don't ask for.

[Sections in parentheses not spoken at the meeting in the interest of
time.]