Comments from 3/23 Board of Supervisors meeting

I regret that I haven't compiled all the notes from the SB and BOS meetings (I was out of town and attended neither, and from the notes I've been sent, both were quite long). For the SB, most relevant information is in their agenda packet here: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/images/uploads/Agenda_3-23-10_1.pdf

Kristin

Comments presented by Jane Christie to the Board of Supervisors:

On behalf of the Goochland Education Parents Association, I would like to formally request that you require the School Board to post a detailed, revised budget to support their proposed re-categorizations of expenses, to give the public a fair opportunity to review this revised budget prior to the public hearing on the County budget on March 30, 2010.

We also request a detailed listing of the positions that have been relocated, and the School Board methodology for reallocating these positions, referencing the applicable regulations, and identifying the relevant function and object codes.

To provide adequate accountability for taxpayer funds, and to identify and preserve the funding available for teaching positions, we specifically ask that you require that the revised School Board budget should separately identify salaries, benefits and other expenses in the Instruction category, under each of the four Function Codes defined by the Virginia Department of Education, in accordance with the Code of Virginia, namely:

61100 Classroom Instruction (e.g. teachers)

61200 Instructional Support - Student (e.g guidance counselors)

61300 Instructional Support - Staff (e.g. teacher training)

61400 Instructional Support - School Administration (e.g. office of the Principal).

GEPA firmly believes that this level of accountability in the budget is a crucial step in preserving teaching positions, pupil/teacher ratios and the quality of education in GCPS, and the absolute minimum required at this time to provide accountability for public funds.

It has also become apparent that revenue from temporary grants and stimulus funds is being used to fund permanent positions within the GCPS system. As stewards of the taxpayer’s money, GEPA questions if the School Board and Board of Supervisors would endorse this practice? For what other purposes could this grant money be used, and what will happen to these permanent positions when the temporary funds run out? Please would you require that the School Board make available to the public a detailed listing of all the GCPS system positions currently funded by the Grants Fund, indicating the position name, amount funded and duration of the funding?

Finally, we request that you do not agree to the School Board request to increase funding for the Administration category by 33%, and instead, ask the School Board to reevaluate these administrative positions and make cuts in this area. I believe this category could still be reduced by over $100K by combining positions, and eliminating positions added in the last 3 years. We respectfully request that you fully fund the Instruction category, in accordance with the School Board budget approved on January 26, 2010, and instead require the School Board to make cuts in the areas of the budget which are not directly related to the education of the County’s children.