Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack D. Dale released the school system’s FY 2013 Proposed Budget of $2.4 billion at a Fairfax County School Board meeting on January 12.
The 2013 Proposed Budget is nine percent, or $202.3 million, more than the FY 2012 Approved Budget with an increase seen in employee compensation which holds the majority of the budget at 88%.
An additional 721.3 positions are being created to accommodate the growing number of FCPS students.
“Fairfax County has grown nine percent in student body in the last five years,” said Dale. “We’re seeing fewer people leaving the area causing this increase. We’re projecting an increase of about 4,000 kids next year, which of course is going to cause us to look at potential additions and renovations for the future.”
However strong the probability is for reconstruction, the budget does not mirror that sentiment. Only 4.1%, or $100.8 million, is set aside for facility management, also the least appropriated portion of operating expenditures.
Other operating expenditures include transportation holding 5.4% of the budget, general support with 4.3%, and the largest section, instruction, containing 85.9%.
In his last year as superintendent before his retirement at the end of the 2012-2013 school year, Dale’s quest to support teacher strengthening is reflected in the 2013 Proposed Budget and reflects the legacy he’s been creating since 2004.
“I’m most proud of starting the Teacher Leadership Program because it’s shown improvement and growth,” said Dale.
The program includes FCPS providing extended-year teacher contracts designed to improve the quality of instruction, thus boosting student achievement.
However, appropriating the funds in order to achieve this goal could prove to be a challenge.
“We need to get the budget to mirror our needs rather than be behind them,” said Dale. “Raising pay, giving teachers additional time, and preventative maintenance programs are all needs of the school system.”
The aligning resources section of the budget includes a $ 45.7 million change for membership growth and demographics, a two million dollar change in the staff reserve, and a $36.6 million change in the two percent market scale adjustment for all employees, among other appropriation changes.
Despite an overall increase in the amount of this year’s proposed budget, some students are still feeling side effects of budget reductions from the 2009-2012 plans.
“[The student athletic fee] are ridiculous because [the fees of] cross country are already excessively expensive,” said freshman Alexis Cherry. “I think it discourages students from participating if they can’t afford to pay the fees.”
In addition to student athletics fees, other consequences of budget reductions include an elimination of nearly 1,450 positions and a class size increase of one student per teacher.
“Our new board is going to wrestle with the issues of student fees and such,” said Dale, “but I believe we’ll see some changes with this different school board. They have a greater representation of student perspectives, from current parents to recent former students.”
Fairfax County School Board will hold public hearings on the proposed budget Jan. 30 and 31.
