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Loudoun supervisors and School Board face off over budget | LoudounTimes.com

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Loudoun supervisors and School Board face off over budget

Wednesday, Mar. 7, 2012 by Laura Peters | 39 comments | Email this story

5 The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and School Board faced off over the fiscal 2013 budget during a joint meeting March 7. The School Board presented their budget to supervisors which is $73.8 million more than fiscal 2012. As it stands now, schools still need to shave $44 million from their $819.9 million proposed budget, however that could change as negotiations continue. I dont think your board, our board or the businesses, parents, students or teachers of Loudoun County would like to see a $44 million reduction of what weve already cut in schools. We still have a moving target at the state level, School Board member Eric Hornberger (Ashburn) said. Were not cutting the schools, were actually increasing it. We just dont know by how much yet, Supervisor Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn) said. The school system is also proposing $3.2 million for the Capital Asset Preservation Program for needed school maintenance and a $565.6 million for the Capital Improvement Program. The county is moving forward with a budget based on a 5 percent tax decrease. If the tax rate were at a flat rate, school officials would have to cut only $22 million from their proposed budget. You need more time to get through structural things to go through more cuts, Supervisor Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles) said. He proposed working together to get the information needed to make a sound decision to make more cuts. Supervisor Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) commended the efforts of the School Board in terms of staff cuts and other expenses. Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) echoed the sentiment. Every program on here is a fine cut, Delgaudio said. Buona posed the question of why the full-time equivalent positions had increased so much? He said that some items in the school system arent optimized efficiently, such as buses that carry only two children to school. We have 2,500 new students coming into the school system. You have to have teachers, Hornberger said. Those vast increases have to do with the incoming students. Buona pointed out that there are new schools built every year and more students are coming in. Hatrick said that next year schools are expected to see an increase of 2,500 students, similar to the increase in 2012. Another issue brought forward from the supervisors was the reallocation of funds in the sum of $21 million for technology. I was looking at some of the reductions, one thing that came up was athletic fees and the reduction of full-day kindergarten, Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) said. I see those in the reductions and I look how the money was allocated for fiscal year 2013. I want to be educated on what $21 million on technology does in place of full-day kindergarten, FLES [Foreign Language in Elementary Schools] or athletic fields. Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Edgar Hatrick said the increase in the technology budget would fund new infrastructure so students can take the Standards of Learning tests online.
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Whats left in the increase in technology is updating infrastructure and wiring for online testing. This is the last year we are doing paper and pencil testing, Hatrick said. Right now, we need all the bandwidth weve got. The replacement budget is put on hold, there will be no new computers. School Board member Debbie Rose (Algonkian) said the cuts were made in order to increase funding for technology, because they were less opposition from constituents - except for FLES.
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The program (FLES) does need to be evaluated. The program goals are really being matched up as to whats being done. Either we need to do it right or reduce it, Rose said. County Vice-chairman Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge) thought the amount set for technology was too high, especially if it were to be used primarily for testing.

It just seems a bit premature to invest that much money and that much infrastructure on a once-a-year testing, Clarke said.

According to LCPS staff, SOL testing will be mandated to be taken online next year. The new SOL testing is interactive and needs to be done on computers, staff said, and the schools bandwidth and infrastructure needs a major overhaul. Other topics discussed were full-time and part-time benefits, retirement plans for teachers, land acquisition and renovations. According to Chairman Scott York (R-At Large) with the cuts that need to be made, there will not be any remodeling done in schools. The School Board will revisit the budget during their meeting March 13 at 6:30 p.m. 5 Grants for Women You May Qualify for Grants to Earn a Degree Online. Search Schools.
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Comments
Mon, Mar 12 at 12:23 PM by Ahmen | Report this comment

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I have to wonder- what do the less affluent counties do for their SOL testing? Furthermore, why do the counties have to pony up the infrastructure for a FEDERAL program? If the feds want to force this SOL manure on us, then the FEDS should be the ones paying for it. Yeah, Im well aware it still comes out of my pocket but it sucks to have the bloated feds pass these inane laws and put the burdens on the states and counties.
Mon, Mar 12 at 07:59 AM by Interactive White Board | Report this comment

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Noo!!! You cant cut the budget. The kids will never go to college and will fail miserably in life if LCPS does not provide them with iPads in K-12.
Sun, Mar 11 at 01:24 PM by DeStff'd Again | Report this comment

detaffing should be de-staffing. I was eating taffy while typing that.

Sun, Mar 11 at 09:02 AM by DeStff'd Again | Report this comment

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I would like to see something done about LCPSs detaffing processwhat is the point? If numbers drop, isnt that a good thing, i.e., smaller class sizes? Makes sense, does it not? I am finally at a school that I love and have been waiting for since I moved to LC, and now, I have to leave. Talked to other destaffers, and they are furious! Im thankful to have a job, but the process stinks and is unfair.
Fri, Mar 09 at 10:46 PM by Lobster Claw | Report this comment

1) Nice generalization. Back it up with examples. I support Metro, and not sticking it to teachers. I guess that means I ALWAYS argue more money is needed! Challenging the status quo just for the sake of it without looking into the underlying reasons things are the way they are is absurd. High growth +