Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Michael
()
Date: January 10, 2013 11:26PM
On his way out the door, Jack Dale proposes a fictional budget, dropping funding for items the school board told him to include, then issues a press release to defend it:
Thursday, January 10, 2013
FCPS Superintendent Proposes $2.5 Billion Budget for FY 2014
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack D. Dale has released the school system’s FY 2014 Proposed Budget of $2.5 billion, a net increase of 2.6 percent, or $62.7 million, from the FY 2013 Approved Budget. The FY 2014 budget includes funding for 292.5 additional positions in schools to cover the cost of membership growth—a projected increase of 2,857 students to a total enrollment of 184,393—and changes in student demographics.
“A long-term investment in education makes the county attractive to businesses, enables our students to find good jobs, and empowers citizens to reinvest in their community,” says Dale. The proposed budget includes a transfer increase from the County of $92.4 million over the FY 2013 Approved Budget. The majority of the budget, 88 percent, is dedicated to employee compensation; the proposed budget also includes $49.1 million in reductions and savings.
Student enrollment growth has increased from 169,538 in FY 2009 to the projected 184,393 in FY 2014 – an increase of nearly 15,000 students in the past five years. “Recently, our incoming classes have been significantly larger than classes at the higher grade levels,” explained Dale. “This has ramifications across the budget as we hire additional instructional personnel and supplies to support these students.” The projected enrollment includes 16 percent of students enrolled in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), 13.8 percent eligible for special education services, and 27.3 percent eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
“In addition to enrollment, we face a number of unavoidable expenditures this year,” he added. “Increases in health insurance rates, local retirement rates, and the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) employer-employee cost shift all have to be included in this year’s budget. While we have included a one percent market scale adjustment for all employees along with a one percent decrease in the employee contribution to the local retirement plan, many items remain unfunded, including step increases for employees, and additional support for students in the form of social workers and psychologists. We realize that budget challenges are continuing, and have developed this budget with that in mind.”
Since FY 2009, school-based positions have increased by 7.9 percent, while nonschool-based positions decreased by 5.8 percent. The vast majority of positions—93 percent—are in classrooms and schools, directly serving the needs of students. Among the ten Washington, D.C., metropolitan area school systems participating in the Washington Area Boards of Education Guide, FCPS has the lowest percentage of leadership team and management positions at .7 percent.
This year, FCPS is participating in the State Efficiency Review Program, which will help identify potential savings and highlight the district’s best practices. FCPS requested this audit and was placed on the state’s waiting list in 2009. A final report is anticipated in late spring.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in the budget process by attending an upcoming public hearing, work session, or School Board meeting. Complete information is available online.
For additional information, visit the budget office online.
###
Note: For more information, contact Kristen Michael at 571-423-3600.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
FCPS Superintendent Proposes $2.5 Billion Budget for FY 2014
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Superintendent Jack D. Dale has released the school system’s FY 2014 Proposed Budget of $2.5 billion, a net increase of 2.6 percent, or $62.7 million, from the FY 2013 Approved Budget. The FY 2014 budget includes funding for 292.5 additional positions in schools to cover the cost of membership growth—a projected increase of 2,857 students to a total enrollment of 184,393—and changes in student demographics.
“A long-term investment in education makes the county attractive to businesses, enables our students to find good jobs, and empowers citizens to reinvest in their community,” says Dale. The proposed budget includes a transfer increase from the County of $92.4 million over the FY 2013 Approved Budget. The majority of the budget, 88 percent, is dedicated to employee compensation; the proposed budget also includes $49.1 million in reductions and savings.
Student enrollment growth has increased from 169,538 in FY 2009 to the projected 184,393 in FY 2014 – an increase of nearly 15,000 students in the past five years. “Recently, our incoming classes have been significantly larger than classes at the higher grade levels,” explained Dale. “This has ramifications across the budget as we hire additional instructional personnel and supplies to support these students.” The projected enrollment includes 16 percent of students enrolled in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), 13.8 percent eligible for special education services, and 27.3 percent eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
“In addition to enrollment, we face a number of unavoidable expenditures this year,” he added. “Increases in health insurance rates, local retirement rates, and the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) employer-employee cost shift all have to be included in this year’s budget. While we have included a one percent market scale adjustment for all employees along with a one percent decrease in the employee contribution to the local retirement plan, many items remain unfunded, including step increases for employees, and additional support for students in the form of social workers and psychologists. We realize that budget challenges are continuing, and have developed this budget with that in mind.”
Since FY 2009, school-based positions have increased by 7.9 percent, while nonschool-based positions decreased by 5.8 percent. The vast majority of positions—93 percent—are in classrooms and schools, directly serving the needs of students. Among the ten Washington, D.C., metropolitan area school systems participating in the Washington Area Boards of Education Guide, FCPS has the lowest percentage of leadership team and management positions at .7 percent.
This year, FCPS is participating in the State Efficiency Review Program, which will help identify potential savings and highlight the district’s best practices. FCPS requested this audit and was placed on the state’s waiting list in 2009. A final report is anticipated in late spring.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in the budget process by attending an upcoming public hearing, work session, or School Board meeting. Complete information is available online.
For additional information, visit the budget office online.
###
Note: For more information, contact Kristen Michael at 571-423-3600.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Do share
()
Date: January 10, 2013 11:47PM
Love to hear abou the $49 million in savings.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
BS Jive
()
Date: January 11, 2013 12:02AM
Do share Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Love to hear abou the $49 million in savings.
It's BS on-paper "savings."
"...2014 Proposed Budget of $2.5 billion, a net increase of 2.6 percent, or $62.7 million, from the FY 2013 Approved Budget."
"The FY 2014 budget includes funding for 292.5 additional positions in schools to cover the cost of membership growth—a projected increase of 2,857 students..."
So about 1 new position for every 10 students! lol
-------------------------------------------------------
> Love to hear abou the $49 million in savings.
It's BS on-paper "savings."
"...2014 Proposed Budget of $2.5 billion, a net increase of 2.6 percent, or $62.7 million, from the FY 2013 Approved Budget."
"The FY 2014 budget includes funding for 292.5 additional positions in schools to cover the cost of membership growth—a projected increase of 2,857 students..."
So about 1 new position for every 10 students! lol
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
FFX resident
()
Date: January 11, 2013 05:45AM
I find it interesting to see the many posts that seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools, Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I, for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner, I know that the reason my home maintains its value is due, in large part, to the high quality schools that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a reason to complain and I fear that underfunding our schools and school employees will leave us with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
onehoodover
()
Date: January 11, 2013 07:37AM
We moved from the Braddock pyramid into the Frost Woodson pyramid and house prices were at least 10-20% more just because of the school. Complain if you want but these schools add to property value.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Parental Opinion
()
Date: January 11, 2013 11:25AM
onehoodover Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Complain if you want but these schools add to property
> value.
I kinda like that they add to my daughter's education value.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Complain if you want but these schools add to property
> value.
I kinda like that they add to my daughter's education value.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
good for you
()
Date: January 11, 2013 11:55AM
glad to hear the Woodson moms are happy about THEIR schools.
Sucks for those of us in Springfield, Annandale and Falls Church who have crappy ones.
But, hey, keep jacking up my taxes to pay for your GREAT school.
Sucks for those of us in Springfield, Annandale and Falls Church who have crappy ones.
But, hey, keep jacking up my taxes to pay for your GREAT school.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Shadow
()
Date: January 11, 2013 01:45PM
FFX resident Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
The reason people criticize is because of the mindlessness of most residents here to just vote YES for ANYTHING the has 'schools' attached to it. There is little regard to HOW the money is spent.
There are plenty of examples over recent years of how the county school system has chosen to spend our money in perhaps less-than intelligent ways. (example: spent 30K for new carpeting in the principal's office at WSHS instead of using it to fix the toilets that stopped up before ten am in the bathrooms or any number of other problems elsewhere in the school)(example: spent $ on flat screen TVs throughout the schools to broadcast news/events/etc. Most students walk past these without every reading them, and you'd have to stand there for 30 minutes to see all the announcements anyway. Do we really need flat screen TVs all over the place? Really?)
I live in Fairfax County because the schools are some of the best in the country, but they won't stay that way unless residents work to keep them that way. Throwing money at them isn't it. Intelligent funding, cutting duplicate, needless administration, and updating our curriculum to meet societies newest needs are what's needed.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
The reason people criticize is because of the mindlessness of most residents here to just vote YES for ANYTHING the has 'schools' attached to it. There is little regard to HOW the money is spent.
There are plenty of examples over recent years of how the county school system has chosen to spend our money in perhaps less-than intelligent ways. (example: spent 30K for new carpeting in the principal's office at WSHS instead of using it to fix the toilets that stopped up before ten am in the bathrooms or any number of other problems elsewhere in the school)(example: spent $ on flat screen TVs throughout the schools to broadcast news/events/etc. Most students walk past these without every reading them, and you'd have to stand there for 30 minutes to see all the announcements anyway. Do we really need flat screen TVs all over the place? Really?)
I live in Fairfax County because the schools are some of the best in the country, but they won't stay that way unless residents work to keep them that way. Throwing money at them isn't it. Intelligent funding, cutting duplicate, needless administration, and updating our curriculum to meet societies newest needs are what's needed.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
dont kids....
()
Date: January 11, 2013 03:36PM
Get enough tv at home? I work in transportation and we have had meetings in several schools in the cafeteria. Big screen tvs in there with espn on........joke
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
how much do they pay?
()
Date: January 11, 2013 03:43PM
Exactly how much taxes are paid by the koreans who live over in Longfellow MS who moved their kid to the US in 6th grade so they can get into TJ?
ZERO?
ZERO?
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Paris trip?
()
Date: January 11, 2013 03:45PM
How much did it cost to send Jack Dale and his family to Paris in November for the "Virginia Educators" meeting????????
No meetings--just vacation time on the taxpayers dime.
No meetings--just vacation time on the taxpayers dime.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Young Curmudgeon
()
Date: January 11, 2013 05:25PM
Shadow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason people criticize is because of the
> mindlessness of most residents here to just vote
> YES for ANYTHING the has 'schools' attached to it.
> There is little regard to HOW the money is spent.
>
>
> There are plenty of examples over recent years of
> how the county school system has chosen to spend
> our money in perhaps less-than intelligent ways.
> (example: spent 30K for new carpeting in the
> principal's office at WSHS instead of using it to
> fix the toilets that stopped up before ten am in
> the bathrooms or any number of other problems
> elsewhere in the school)(example: spent $ on flat
> screen TVs throughout the schools to broadcast
> news/events/etc. Most students walk past these
> without every reading them, and you'd have to
> stand there for 30 minutes to see all the
> announcements anyway. Do we really need flat
> screen TVs all over the place? Really?)
>
> I live in Fairfax County because the schools are
> some of the best in the country, but they won't
> stay that way unless residents work to keep them
> that way. Throwing money at them isn't it.
> Intelligent funding, cutting duplicate, needless
> administration, and updating our curriculum to
> meet societies newest needs are what's needed.
The great irony of this: South Lakes was renovated at great cost. When it rains, the ceiling leaks.
-------------------------------------------------------
> The reason people criticize is because of the
> mindlessness of most residents here to just vote
> YES for ANYTHING the has 'schools' attached to it.
> There is little regard to HOW the money is spent.
>
>
> There are plenty of examples over recent years of
> how the county school system has chosen to spend
> our money in perhaps less-than intelligent ways.
> (example: spent 30K for new carpeting in the
> principal's office at WSHS instead of using it to
> fix the toilets that stopped up before ten am in
> the bathrooms or any number of other problems
> elsewhere in the school)(example: spent $ on flat
> screen TVs throughout the schools to broadcast
> news/events/etc. Most students walk past these
> without every reading them, and you'd have to
> stand there for 30 minutes to see all the
> announcements anyway. Do we really need flat
> screen TVs all over the place? Really?)
>
> I live in Fairfax County because the schools are
> some of the best in the country, but they won't
> stay that way unless residents work to keep them
> that way. Throwing money at them isn't it.
> Intelligent funding, cutting duplicate, needless
> administration, and updating our curriculum to
> meet societies newest needs are what's needed.
The great irony of this: South Lakes was renovated at great cost. When it rains, the ceiling leaks.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Ffx resident
()
Date: January 11, 2013 06:35PM
Shadow, you do realize that different accounts fund different things, don't you? Money to Repair toilets in a building comes out of a different pot of money tHan tvs. You also don't know if the money for the tv install was raised through activity fees or by a private donation. The school board is elected by us, they work with the supt to approve the budget. I believe we need to trust that thy need what thy ask for.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
taxpayers
()
Date: April 21, 2013 09:57AM
get an education www.fcta.org
and www.seemoneywalk.com
and www.seemoneywalk.com
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
crayon queen
()
Date: April 21, 2013 10:03AM
As a FCPS teacher I need more money so I can afford a McMansion in Fairfax. I do not wish to work my way up to a nice home by starting smaller, I want it all now. And please hurry as I am about to start my summer off.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Same Ol' Shit
()
Date: April 21, 2013 11:35AM
blah, blah, blah ... I'm a troll ... blah, blah, blah
crayon queen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a FCPS teacher I need more money so I can
> afford a McMansion in Fairfax. I do not wish to
> work my way up to a nice home by starting smaller,
> I want it all now. And please hurry as I am about
> to start my summer off.
crayon queen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a FCPS teacher I need more money so I can
> afford a McMansion in Fairfax. I do not wish to
> work my way up to a nice home by starting smaller,
> I want it all now. And please hurry as I am about
> to start my summer off.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
fact
()
Date: April 21, 2013 02:49PM
FFX resident Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
Get your facts straight. No one complains about a well deserved pay raise to a hard working teacher in the classroom.
People complain about the arrogance of the school board and the superintendent. Every year, the budget is presented in relational terms, like we need 8% more this year. The budget is never presented in line items or actual costs or number of children who may benefit from a particular expenditure.
It would be like you taking a grandiose vacation to europe one year and then asking for an extra 8% the next year because gas and food prices went up. Then, upon receiving the extra 8% for next year, you ask for an additional 10% the following year because you had an addition to the family. This has been going on since the 70's. When does anyone evaluate the need for the grandiose vacation?
A certain population receives free breakfast, free lunch, free backpacks, free hair cuts, free transportation, free sports fees ... how much of the overall taxpayers money is going toward these collective free services? What is the size of this population in terms of percent in relation to the overall county population? How does the percent of this investment compare to the percent invested in the average middle class kid who has two working parents and does not sponge off society? If you keep providing free services, that segment of society will keep growing. That is why you see the correlation of the home prices to a particular school. That is why they keep re-drawing the boundaries - to keep it all balanced.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
Get your facts straight. No one complains about a well deserved pay raise to a hard working teacher in the classroom.
People complain about the arrogance of the school board and the superintendent. Every year, the budget is presented in relational terms, like we need 8% more this year. The budget is never presented in line items or actual costs or number of children who may benefit from a particular expenditure.
It would be like you taking a grandiose vacation to europe one year and then asking for an extra 8% the next year because gas and food prices went up. Then, upon receiving the extra 8% for next year, you ask for an additional 10% the following year because you had an addition to the family. This has been going on since the 70's. When does anyone evaluate the need for the grandiose vacation?
A certain population receives free breakfast, free lunch, free backpacks, free hair cuts, free transportation, free sports fees ... how much of the overall taxpayers money is going toward these collective free services? What is the size of this population in terms of percent in relation to the overall county population? How does the percent of this investment compare to the percent invested in the average middle class kid who has two working parents and does not sponge off society? If you keep providing free services, that segment of society will keep growing. That is why you see the correlation of the home prices to a particular school. That is why they keep re-drawing the boundaries - to keep it all balanced.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Prophet Muhammad
()
Date: April 21, 2013 09:02PM
The budget for Infidel education should be $0. All education should be for Allah. Hit children to make them study. I love the Nigerian Believers of Boko Haram: "Western education is forbidden". ("Boko" = English "book", "haram" is Arabic for "forbidden") Inshallah, we will conquer you Infidels!
Allahu akbar!
Allahu akbar!
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
competencia
()
Date: April 25, 2013 10:53PM
Prophet Muhammad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The budget for Infidel education should be $0.
> All education should be for Allah. Hit children
> to make them study. I love the Nigerian Believers
> of Boko Haram: "Western education is forbidden".
> ("Boko" = English "book", "haram" is Arabic for
> "forbidden") Inshallah, we will conquer you
> Infidels!
>
> Allahu akbar!
LOL
-------------------------------------------------------
> The budget for Infidel education should be $0.
> All education should be for Allah. Hit children
> to make them study. I love the Nigerian Believers
> of Boko Haram: "Western education is forbidden".
> ("Boko" = English "book", "haram" is Arabic for
> "forbidden") Inshallah, we will conquer you
> Infidels!
>
> Allahu akbar!
LOL
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Want to know
()
Date: April 26, 2013 06:49AM
What percent are teacher salaries going up by if most of the budget is going to be spent on compensation? Aren't they overpaid anyways.
Re: 2014 FCPS Budget
Posted by:
Vxmtx
()
Date: November 30, 2016 07:19PM
FFX resident Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it interesting to see the many posts that
> seem to be anti-Fairfax County Public Schools,
> Anti-Jack Dale, and anti-school employee pay. I,
> for one, am very happy with FCPS. As a homeowner,
> I know that the reason my home maintains its value
> is due, in large part, to the high quality schools
> that serve my neighborhood. I am concerned to see
> that the salaries in FCPS lag behind all of the
> surrounding jurisdictions and only compete with
> Prince George's County in MD. I think PG has a
> reason to complain and I fear that underfunding
> our schools and school employees will leave us
> with a comparable system to PG. I say, fully fund
> the request from Jack Dale and the school board.