2009.01.14
Board member: Potential MCPS budget cuts "depressing"
Montgomery County school administration has identified a little more than $4 million in cuts -- either through reduction of programs or staff members leaving or being reassigned -- that could trim its 2009-2010 budget.
In all, they identified $4,082,272 in cuts. It's about $126,000 more than the target set by Gov. Tim Kaine's proposed budget cuts.
The early budget adjustments call for losing 16 secondary teachers and 12 elementary teachers, but the board said it doesn't plan for layoffs. Instead, they expect to leave positions vacant once people leave the system or retire.
At a work session on Tuesday, board members heard about further early plans that, if approved, would:
- Eliminate summer school in elementary and middle schools
- Cut both supply and equipment budgets by 5 percent
- Eliminate summer bus transportation
- Reduce travel budget by 10 percent
- Eliminate $45,000 in training, including social justice training
- Cut field trip budgets by 10 percent
- Reduce contracts of nursing coordinators, middle/high school guidance counselors, two instructional supervisors and two central office administrative assistants
- Cut temporary summer maintenance hires
- Cut the number of students who attend the Southwest Virginia Governor's school
- Cut reading and math specialists
- Reduce four custodians to part-time
- eliminate one bus driver
- cut 1 elementary assistant principal and let Christiansburg and Blacksburg highs share an assistant
- Reduce department chair and activity supplemental pay
- Cut unused software licenses
Board member Wat Hopkins called it "the most depressing thing I've seen since I've been on the board."
Board member Joe Ivers suggested "out-of-the box" thinking to save money, including allowing principals, central office staff or guidance counselors to pick up one or two class periods a day.
Superintendent Tiffany Anderson plans to bring back a proposed budget for the board at its meeting on Jan. 20.
Why would teachers want to get paid less and pick up more work? What is the student-teacher ratio going to be (exclusive of personnel that don't actually teach classes)? It is horrid nurses and guidance are impacted. They already are grossly understaffed and overworked in those two areas, that students really lose out. So many students come to school unprepared and undisciplined. Toss in special needs kids acting out and larger classes and we are still not going to leave any child behind. Sure. People with the same educational background teach no more than 2 classes at area universities per semester but public school personnel have less and less pay and more and more work. Suggest Board of Supervisors do without paid medical insurance and work at 50% less first. A drop in the bucket but just as symbolic as CEOs working for one dollar in these tough times. Why is education the first to feel the belt tightening? This is so very short sighted for the Commonwealth.
Comment by NRV Reader — January 14, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
NRV Reader,
You asked about Pupil-to-teacher ratio. Right now, the county tries to average an 18:1 PTR. Of course, that doesn't mean that all classes fit that mold.
According to data supplied to the board on Tuesday, losing one teacher at each elementary would mean a 19.42 countywide ratio, with the following schoolwide:
Auburn - 20.31 PTR
Christiansburg - 22.38
Falling Branch - 19.59
Kipps - 19.44
Margaret Beeks - 18.14
Christiansburg Primary - 18.50
Gilbert Linkous - 19.67
Price's Fork - 19
Belview - 18.69
Elliston - 17.36
Harding Ave - 18.92
Shawsville - 17.46
Comment by annamallory — January 15, 2009 @ 11:06 am
[...] ideas got me thinking about some of the early plans discussed in Montgomery County's schools. School board member Joe Ivers later said he was in [...]
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