Proposed Budget Important

5/30/08

This letter was sent to the Daily Press in response to an editoral but it was not published.

Proposed Budgets Important

The editorial "Budget 'cuts'" correctly stated that even though WJC Schools needed to cut $927,000 from its "proposed budget" for next year due to 11th hour actions of the James City County Board of Supervisors, schools were still seeing an overall increase. Even so, not fully funding schools’ proposed budgets does have implications.

While funding to schools may increase from one year to the next, if funding doesn't keep up with enrollment increases or state and federal mandates or inflation (including increasing fuel, retirement or health insurance costs) or competitive teachers’ salaries, schools fall behind.

In particular, teachers’ salaries need to be highly competitive not just to attract and retain the best teachers, but to encourage people to enter the profession. Compensation for teachers in Virginia fall more than 25% below salaries for other occupations that require similar education,
skills and experience, according to a new book, "The Teaching Penalty," even factoring in benefits and different work schedules.

Not all efforts to improve students’ academic skills require additional funds. Pedagogy can be improved using research-based instructional strategies, as WJC continues to employ. But, inevitably, working with children individually, in small groups, and in smaller classes using
instruction technology in order to have greater success reaching students requires additional staff and equipment which requires additional funds.

Occasionally some additional administrative, operational, or clerical staff are necessary, too.

Not funding reasonable proposed budgets is no way to provide the next generation of workers, citizens and leaders with the best education possible.

Mike Ludwick
Founder, Support Schools Now
James City County