Superintendents Proposed Budget for 200910

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Superintendents Proposed Budget for 2009-10

• Gloucester County Public Schools
• February 10 , 2009

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School budgets are traditionally developed with
the mindset of improving services within
available resources.The present economy has
changed the mindset for the 09-10 budget to one
of preserving core services with much fewer
resources.
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School Boards Goals

• Provide safe, clean and appropriate learning
  environments
• Maintain a partnership with schools and
  communities
• Develop students critical-thinking,
  problem-solving, collaboration, communication,
  and technology skills
• Prepare students to assume responsibility for
  their natural environment
• Prepare students for employment and continued
  learning

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Strategies for Continued Improvement

• Highly effective teachers, administrators and
  staff
• Emphasis on all children succeeding
• High expectations
• Instruction that is driven by assessment outcomes
• Intervention/reinforcement for all learners
• Strong parental involvement and support
• Professional growth for all staff
• Strong curriculum, appropriate resources and
  effective use of time
• Facilities that are safe and conducive to learning

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Guidelines Considered in Preparing the Budget

• Prepare a budget that will have less revenue than
  present year
• Do not include any new initiatives
• Re-evaluate delivery of the core mission in
  serving students (daytime programs)
• Protect required programs and services
• Minimize need of forced staff reductions
• Maintain compensation at 08-09 level
• Re-design support systems for instructional
  programs to improve efficiencies in operation
• Plan for budget reductions to be in effect for an
  indefinite period of time

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Gloucesters Diverse School Community(Source of
information Fall Membership Report December 1
Child Count)
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Enrollment History
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Budget Summary of All Funds
400,000 in Facilities/CIP is to purchase 5
school buses. This is considered a safety and
security concern.
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Budgeted Revenue for Operating Fund(based on
projected ADM of 5,860 students)
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Expenditure Categories(Required for Annual
Superintendents Report)
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Budget Reductions
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Capital Needs
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Proposed Salary Scale
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Retirement Incentives(save positions and/or
reduce personnel costs)

• Local
• One-time payment incentive (percentage of current
  salary)
• Eligible employees will be age 60 by July 1, 2009
  and eligible for full VRS retirement (age 65 with
  5 years of VRS service or age 50 with 30 years of
  VRS service)
• Certificated staff only
• State (not approved by General Assembly)
• School Boards may buy up to five years of service
  for employees under VRS at 20 of current salary
  per year of service purchased.

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7-Period Schedule for GHS

• Allows students 28 periods to earn 22 credits
  instead of 32 periods
• Strengthens junior and senior years for students
  to concentrate on specializations
• Lessens the need for early-outs by seniors
• Provides common planning time for teachers
• High school staff embraces
• Transportation developed a schedule that will
  lengthen the middle school day by 10 minutes
• Fewer staff will be required over time

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Accommodations

• Employees who lose their jobs as a result of
  budget reductions for 2009-10 will be given first
  refusal for substitute teaching positions during
  2009-10.
• Federal stimulus package may generate additional
  dollars for Title I, Special Education, and
  construction.
• Uncertainty of Federal, State, and Local funds at
  this time, budget will need to be amended over
  the next few weeks.

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Issues to address following General Assemblys
actions and once local appropriation is known

• Health Insurance
• Claims history favorable
• Projecting a single digit percentage increase
• Share increased cost or pass 100 of cost to
  employees
• Additional savings required to share cost
• Employee contribution will increase
• Offer a third HMO product to employees
• Health insurance is primary concern of GEA
• Retiree Health Benefits Liability
• No changes are proposed for retiree health
  benefits
• Not required to fund liability for 2009-10
• If funded, cost for 09-10 can be up to 227,000
• Additional savings will be required to fund

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Reduction in ForceIssues Questioned in Draft
Policy

• Seniority List
• Active Assignment/Grade Configuration (K-5, 6-8,
  9-12)
• Endorsement
• Seniority (full-time experience in Gloucester)
• Probationary Teacher (accommodated in seniority
  lists)
• Plan for Improvement
• Instructional Technology Resource Teachers who do
  not have teaching experience in Gloucester
• Support Staff

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Community Use of Schools

• Parks and Recreation

Community Education
Parks and Recreation and Community Education each
use separate areas of the schools. Lights on
tennis courts and maintenance of fields are paid
for by GCPS.
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Strategies to consider if local appropriation is
not level

• Reduce further all non-compensation lines
• Eliminate more support staff (non-certificated)
  positions
• Eliminate more district office staff (support and
  certificated)
• Eliminate administrative staff in schools
• Reduce compensation of all staff to save positions

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Budget Calendar
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Economic challenges can be stressful but they can
also influence cooperation and creativity that
bring out the best in all of us. Our focus needs
to be on the children. Regardless of adjusted
and/or deleted expenditures, almost 6,000
children will show up at our door steps each day
to be educated. Educating children is what we
have always done and what we will continue to do,
in good times and bad. I appreciate all who work
hard each day to make Gloucester County Public
Schools a district of which we all can be proud.
Thank you.