VIRGINIA BEACH
Hoping to ward off a potential budget battle over school funding for next fiscal year, Superintendent Jim Merrill made an early appearance before City Council members on Tuesday to lay out the millions of dollars in cost-cutting measures the division has already put into place.
Traditionally, school leaders don't make a pitch for funding until March. But Merrill said the pre-budget presentation was meant to improve communication with city leaders and to show them that the school division is working to address the financial challenges expected to hit next year and thereafter.
According to a five-year forecast, Virginia Beach will be $50 million short of its combined city and school funding needs in fiscal year 2009 and $57 million short in 2010. The shortfalls are mainly based on a slowdown in growth of real estate tax revenue.
More than ever, Merrill said, the school division must prove that "the public is getting the absolute best possible result for every penny invested."
To that end, the superintendent said the division this fiscal year has saved an estimated $2.8 million by placing a hiring freeze on vacant administrative positions, eliminating other positions and temporary employment contracts, changing its overtime policy and instituting a summer energy savings program.
Throw in $4.1 million saved by replacing buses every 15 years rather than every 12, along with other cost-cutting, and the division should save nearly $17 million over five years, he said.
In the short term, that money will help pay for a new diversity position, Merrill said. This person will work with curriculum staff, administrators and school principals to address a School Board goal of improving the academic achievement of black male students.
The money also will be used for unforeseen expenses, Merrill said.
Based on Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's proposed biennium budget, school leaders may also have to dip into the savings for employee raises, he added.
Kaine's spending plan includes no salary increases for educators in 2008-09 and a 3.5 percent increase for teachers and a 3 percent increase for everyone else in 2009-10.
"Wisdom dictates that we look to our savings to provide us with a secure foothold in the area of competitive compensation and benefits," Merrill said.
Susan E. White, (757) 222-5114, susan.white@pilotonline.com
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VBPS could save a lot of
VBPS could save a lot of money if the school district would learn to work with the parents when issues arise with their children. Instead parents are forced to file due processes to be heard which in turn spends thousands of dollars of tax payers money to have a hearing. Why not educate the school district's special education department on disabilities? Then they would be able to understand the children with disabilities and in turn be able to work with the parents to reach goals for their children? Instead VBPS like to pretend their schools are the best and when no one is looking, sweep the kids that need the school district to understand their disabilities (LD, ADHD, autism etc)under a rug called CEL. Spend the money wisely and become educated!