The Virginian-Pilot
©
PORTSMOUTH
Creative financing. That's what School Board Chairman James Bridgeford said Thursday of City Manager Kenneth Chandler's proposal to give the city's public schools an additional $3.5 million.
Bridgeford and other school leaders said Chandler's plan, revealed this week, provides only an additional $1.4 million in city money and the rest - $2.1 million - comes from the school division's own risk management fund. School officials say money in the fund is already available for use this school year and is primarily used for workers' compensation claims.
"The city plans to give you your money as part of the $3.5 million," Assistant Superintendent Dan Pendarvis told the board.
Said Bridgeford: "In other words, they're giving us our money back."
Meanwhile, school leaders Thursday projected an operating budget of about $134.3 million next year, taking only the additional $1.4 million into account. That's down from about $135 million this year.
It's not a done deal. The City Council will have the last say with a final vote in May.
Mayor Kenny Wright said Thursday he will look into the $3.5 million question. He said he favors giving the schools more than what the city manager has proposed but that he doesn't think he can support the division's full request.
School officials had asked for about an additional $8.3 million in local funding. Last month, the School Board passed a proposed schools operating budget of about $144 million that, among other things, would provide step-raises to employees. Employees did not receive raises this school year.
In recent months, Wright had said he would like to fund the schools' shortfall but now says budget stresses make that unlikely.
Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com
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Bahha! I'd bet city
Bahha! I'd bet city employees aren't expected to provide resources for the citizens of Portsmouth using their own funds like the teachers of Portsmouth (everywhere) are expected to do for their students: Paper, Pencils, Glue, Crayons, Books, Rewards... it all adds up, I'm sure.
i am skeptical
Of giving Portsmouth Schools more money. In fact I think the City should cut their budget. Here's why. This is Nationwide and my source is the WSJ. "Over the period 1970-2005, school spending per pupil, adjusted for inflation, doubled, while standardized achievement test scores were flat. Over roughly that same time period, public-school employment doubled per student, according to a study by researchers at the University of Washington. That is what economists call negative productivity." So in a nutshell spending more money is NOT going to give better results. At best you may achieve the status quo. There's lots of fat in the School budget that can be cut and I would quit giving new City cars and gas to Assistant Superintendents as a start.
Raises
Wouldn't everyone that works for the City of Portsmouth like to get a step raise??? The teachers are not the only one who have not received a raise in years. We all have to bite the bullet....as a TEAM!
Raises
Wouldn't everyone that works for the City of Portsmouth like to get a step raise??? The teachers are not the only one who have not received a raise in years. We all have to bite the bullet....as a TEAM!