WCPSS Budget Cut

[JoeCiulla]

From yesterday's N&O....
Supt. Del Burns said the school district will have to give back $5.5 million to the state as part of $58 million in cuts to the state's public school districts. This comes on top of an earlier request from County Manager David Cooke to return $5.7 million.

With the prospect of more than $11 million in possible cuts, school board members warned today that cuts to the classroom and even layoffs might have to be made now.
Full article can be found here:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/staring-at-11-million-in-cuts

Here's an Alert from Commissioner-elect Stan Norwalk:

A large show of support is needed to prevent the County's proposed cuts. Here are some arguments against any cuts by the County.

* Per the NC DPI, WCPSS is 85th among the 115 NC school systems in expenditures for operating schools, i.e. for education. It spends less than the average NC school system. (This does not include construction.).
* Over the last five years WCPSS's rank has fallen from 71st to 84th.
* Similarly, the rank of Wake County's contribution for education has declined from 13th to 17th.
* During that period the average increase of NC's schools was 43%. WCPSS increased only 23%. Although the state and the county are responsible for this sorry record, other NC Counties are trying harder than Wake.
* On a national basis, NC ranks 42nd among the states in support of K-12...$30,000 per classroom per year less than the national average. (Source: S&P's School Data Direct).
* The education gap (versus other states) is totally due to the County's contribution. The states contribution has been slightly above the national average.
* Earlier this year the Wake BOC cut the BOE's operating budget request by $35 million. The County's contribution in recent years does not account for inflation - only growth.
* This history of lack of support by the County has begun to affect academic performance...e.g. graduation rate and test scores.
* Wake County has ample rainy day funds to deal with its <2% shortfall. There is no need to take more money from the schools...even in these hard times.

These downward trends have to stop! A four vote majority is needed to avoid any further cuts. That is by no means assured. Your support for WCPSS is needed at this critical point.

The BOC meeting will start at 2PM. The meeting is held in the 7th floor board room of the Court House I will be sworn in with the other newly elected commissioners shortly thereafter. (As ever, parking, security and the elevators will slow you down.)The public speaks out session starts at 3PM. I suggest you get there early and sign up. Signs and posters showing your support would be of help. (Save our Schools; Stop the Cuts).

Please pass this e-mail on to your friends, associatesand neighbors.

Thank you.

County Commissioner Elect

Stan Norwalk

A lot of people have looked to Republican-majority CC's as a check and balance against an out-of-control School Board. When Stan lines up behind the BoE before he even takes office, asking for more money, we should be worried.

The comparative spending statistics have been cited before, and I won't argue with them.

I will argue with one of the new statements being made:

* This history of lack of support by the County has begun to affect academic performance...e.g. graduation rate and test scores.
Our graduation rate has declined, and is alarming. On what factual basis is the claim made that lack of funding is the cause?
Our reading test scores dropped dramatically, as a result of changes made in the test, and had nothing to do with money.

Where can Wake County reduce expenses elsewhere if we are to provide the $11M in schools? I think most would agree that it is irresponsible to recommend keeping the $11M in place without knowing where it is coming from.

[Wuptdo]

And what about the $35 million dollars "slush-fund" that WCPSS keeps? Seems to me that all the money they need is right there.

Times are tough for all but WC and WCPSS better get used to a lot less revenue. I keep thinking about the $20-25 million dollars saved if BoE dropped the entire busing for diversity BS and go back to a neighborhood based school system.

[chaboard]

I keep thinking about the $20-25 million dollars saved if BoE dropped the entire busing for diversity BS and go back to a neighborhood based school system.


I should know better than to expect an answer...but I'm going to ask anyway. Is that number based on anything solid?

[Brent]

Reports I've gotten from reliable sources indicate that Wake County is AT LEAST $17M short, and they're asking all areas to cut spending.

I will be interested in how Commissioner-elect Norwalk and his fellow commissioners close this budget gap. If budgets are cut and nothing comes from schools, where does it come from? Sheriff? EMS? Libraries?

Or do they attack the revenue side of the equation and raise taxes/fees?

It's not an easy problem to solve.

It gets even harder if one, right up front, takes a big chunk of the funding (schools) out of the equation entirely. That puts more stress on all the other areas.

[DarylB]

....I still haven't heard Stan jumping to adopt any of my 15 ways to make WCPSS more efficient, and less costly. He's admitted publicly to the fact some of the ideas are ones he could support (ie leasing computers amd IT equipement rather than purchasing), but he has said nothing about such admissions now that he's been elected. I guess I should still be waiting for that "after I'm elected, I'll talk to you" promise to come true...that, and hitting big in the lottery. Of course, Stan has no latitude to act on his own behalf, he was only the spokesman for his "friends", and he'd get a horsehead on his pillow if he dared think on his own now.

[dhyatt]

I keep thinking about the $20-25 million dollars saved if BoE dropped the entire busing for diversity BS and go back to a neighborhood based school system.


I should know better than to expect an answer...but I'm going to ask anyway. Is that number based on anything solid?

Wake County Budget for 2007-2008 for busing is in excess of $60M. Data comes directly from their adopted budget document which can be found here: http://www.wakeschools.org/budget/2007-08-official-plan/2007-08-official-plan.pdf

Page # 240 gives both the number of buses and the cost per bus. It's somewhat impossible to know what the costs would be sans busing for diversity because WCPSS has never done the analysis (or at least made it public). It's safe to say it's over $10M though because they break out that as the amount spent on busing students to magnet schools - a large part of Wake's diversity 'solution'.

[JoeCiulla]

I keep thinking about the $20-25 million dollars saved if BoE dropped the entire busing for diversity BS and go back to a neighborhood based school system.


I should know better than to expect an answer...but I'm going to ask anyway. Is that number based on anything solid?

Wake County Budget for 2007-2008 for busing is in excess of $60M. Data comes directly from their adopted budget document which can be found here: http://www.wakeschools.org/budget/2007-08-official-plan/2007-08-official-plan.pdf

Page # 240 gives both the number of buses and the cost per bus. It's somewhat impossible to know what the costs would be sans busing for diversity because WCPSS has never done the analysis (or at least made it public). It's safe to say it's over $10M though because they break out that as the amount spent on busing students to magnet schools - a large part of Wake's diversity 'solution'.

Don,

They are also spending a half million dollars per school to convert and unconvert them from MYR. Three schools have been identified for conversion to MYR, two more for conversion to MYR. Enrollment in MYR this year was lower than when those same schools were traditional. There's $2.5M that can be saved without touching teacher salaries.

They just added two new district superintendents who make six-figure salaries. Del Burns makes almost $300K. The high schools also offer non-traditional programs to adults like classes in photography.

By threatening to cut teacher staff and salaries, the BoE is using scare tactics and stubbornly placing their chosen agenda ahead of their mission of educating children.

Oh, and if not from the schools, I'm still eager to find out where Stan has found $11M worth of savings elsewhere in the county budget to keep them whole.

[StanN]

Reports I've gotten from reliable sources indicate that Wake County is AT LEAST $17M short, and they're asking all areas to cut spending.

I will be interested in how Commissioner-elect Norwalk and his fellow commissioners close this budget gap. If budgets are cut and nothing comes from schools, where does it come from? Sheriff? EMS? Libraries?

Or do they attack the revenue side of the equation and raise taxes/fees?

It's not an easy problem to solve.

It gets even harder if one, right up front, takes a big chunk of the funding (schools) out of the equation entirely. That puts more stress on all the other areas.

All your comments are right on target. The problems are knotty and not easy to solve. Add the need to maintain the County's AAA bond rating and the problems grow even knottier. Debt for new construction has to be kept under control and in proportion to revenues. The use of rainy day funds (think savings accounts) is limited by the need to keep the rating.

All-in-all a difficult balancing act in the face of enormous uncertainties.

Both the school system and the county (most of all the state) are going to have to tighten their belts...cut the least essential services expenditures from their budget. This requires prioritization and the staffs of both the county and the schools will be proposing to their boards where to make the cuts.

The states problem is the most serious...estimated at $3 billion, or almost 15%. Some of this will be come from the state's rainy day fund. The state will be passing on the problem to local governments as well as the DOT, the university system, etc.

In contrast, $17 Million is less than 2% of the County's budget and the County has a much larger (in proportion to its budget) rainy day fund.

I consider education (ex construction) to be a top priority. It is funded ~62% by the state and >30% by the county. It seems highly unlikely the state will ask the 115 school systems across the state to share the pain equally with other budget items...the mandated cut by the governor is much lower in proportion than cuts be made in other departments. And half of the ~1.5% was adsorbed by the DPI. Good for whoever made that decision.

Similarly, most other counties have avoided cutting public school funding (per reports by the NC Assoc. of County Commissioners). But this is a highly fluid situation with no recent history to guide us. No one knows for sure how far revenues from existing taxes will fall-off...particularly the sales tax. Revenues from the property tax (the largest source of county revenue) are expected to be stable..although where foreclosures are involved it might be late in being collected.

I expect and hope most of the $5.5 million state cut in WCPSS's budget will come from administrative overhead and that the impact on classrooms will be minimal. We will know in about a month.

County staff will be suggesting cuts to the BOC over the next few weeks. I will keep you informed. Based on my corporate experience, 2%-4% should be a relatively doable task. County administrative overhead has grow rapidly over the past few years. I will be urging cuts there.

Another place to cut costs in both the County and WCPSS are planned major construction projects. (The data I've seen suggests that the bond market is coming back to life.) Both boards should be looking at deferring or minimizing major construction projects on a case by case basis. In the case of WCPSS, the money saved should be spent to offset further cuts in the classrooms. It is essential that the BOC and BOE work closely together as a team.

In the case of the county, the demand for the human services safety net is going to increase - but the revenues from the state are going to go down. Lower income families will be hit the hardest by foreclosures and lost jobs. I am highly concerned about the children and infants that will be cught in this crunch. Still another difficult knotty problem.

I am still in a learning mode re Human Services. I am looking for the County's competent staff and more experienced fellow commissioners to lead the way.

Again, trade offs in construction vs, service delivery may be needed. You have heard my thoughts on the new courthouse and can be certain I will be asking a lot of questions there.

Consolidation of overlapping services needs to be explored more thoroughly. This is another thicket of problems...but if and when the fall-off in revenues increases both munis and counties will have good reason to get serious about it.

The problem in microcosm is typified by Crowder Park. Owned, operated and maintained by the County and now almost completely surrounded by Cary. A definition of potential savings and a plan is needed. Other counties have gone further in consolidating services than Wake, e.g. Meck and Durham.

Overall, the answer to your question is a "process" that will suggest cost-cutting solutions...from the bottom-up and from the top down. I don't claim to have all the answers. The "script" will likely be written and re-written before the recession is over. These are indeed tough times.

Have a happy thanksgiving and remember how fortunate we are in Cary compared to elsewhere in the County; how fortunate we are in Wake compared to to other counties and how fortunate we are in this nation compared to many others around the world.

StanN

[dhyatt]

[snip]

By threatening to cut teacher staff and salaries, the BoE is using scare tactics and stubbornly placing their chosen agenda ahead of their mission of educating children.

[snip]

Nothing new there at all. Politicians use scare tactics to get elected and more scare tactics to take more and more of our money. The very LAST things they look for are common sense and sustainable ways to save money - unless of course they can get a photo op out of it.

[JoeCiulla]

[snip]

By threatening to cut teacher staff and salaries, the BoE is using scare tactics and stubbornly placing their chosen agenda ahead of their mission of educating children.

[snip]

Nothing new there at all. Politicians use scare tactics to get elected and more scare tactics to take more and more of our money. The very LAST things they look for are common sense and sustainable ways to save money - unless of course they can get a photo op out of it.

Well, Stan has adapted quickly to his new role of politician. He doesn't respond to my posts anymore, maybe because I'm a pain in the neck, or maybe because he doesn't have good answers for the issues I raise. ie. I don't expect him to post something here with specifics on where the $11M should come from. And he's also ignored the question of whether CC elections should be converted to district-based given the Dems in power claim that at-large elections are illegal (even if they are working now to help Dems keep power).

[DarylB]

Well, Stan has adapted quickly to his new role of politician. He doesn't respond to my posts anymore, ........

I guess I should still be waiting for that "after I'm elected, I'll talk to you" promise to come true...that, and hitting big in the lottery.

Say it ain't so, Joe! 8O #-o 8O

Psssst....He only answers the "FOWC" Red hotline phone......

[Brent]

Have a happy thanksgiving and remember how fortunate we are in Cary compared to elsewhere in the County; how fortunate we are in Wake compared to to other counties and how fortunate we are in this nation compared to many others around the world.

StanN

That's one we fully agree on. Back at ya.

I'm posting this as a "CP Classic Quote".

[JoeCiulla]

From N&O WakeED Blog...



The county commissioners have put the funding hot potato in the school board's lap.

The commissioners voted this afternoon to request the school board, Wake Tech and non-profits to participate in a 1.8 percent funding cut. If these groups say no, the commissioners can later implement the cut anyway.

It's putting the school system in the position of deciding whether it will give back $5.7 million. The school board could offer to give less than $5.7 million or nothing to put the issue back with the commissioners.

Initially, County Manager David Cooke said he was looking at an across-the-baord cut in schools and county departments of 1.8 percent. He had said that not getting the money from the school system, Wake Tech and non-profits would mean county departments cutting 4 percent.

But with the economy looking worse, Cooke said he's preparing for the possibility of a revenue shortfall of more than the $17 million originally projected. Even if the school system gives back the $5.7 million, he said he's still having county departments cut back 4 percent as a precaution.

Since the commissioners wouldn't be cutting the school system at a higher rate than the county departments, they wouldn't need the school board's approval.

Today's vote was 5-2 with Harold Webb, the new chairman, and Lindy Brown, the new vice chairwoman, crossing party lines to join Republicans in making the request. Stan Norwalk and Betty Lou Ward voted no.

Supt. Del Burns told commissioners today that if the $5.7 million cut was made, they'd try to avoid personnel. He said they're looking at things such as cuts in central services spending, freezing the filling of central office positions by 90 days, cutting supplies and eliminating out-of-state travel.

You can expect the request from commissioners to be a hot topic at Tuesday's school board meeting.


A good decision, and it appears that saner minds will not jump to slashing teachers' salaries as the answer.

[DarylB]

From N&O WakeED Blog...

..........
Today's vote was 5-2 with Harold Webb, the new chairman, and Lindy Brown, the new vice chairwoman, crossing party lines to join Republicans in making the request. Stan Norwalk and Betty Lou Ward voted no.
...........


A good decision, and it appears that saner minds will not jump to slashing teachers' salaries as the answer.

StanN, coming through for FOWC, as "promised"......
http://www.clipartof.com/images/clipart/xsmall2/22905_white_business_man_jumping_in_a_pile_of_mone y_and_throwing_cash_into_the_air.jpg (http://www.clipartof.com/use_policy)

I almost get this image in my head of Del Burns going up to Congress in a Lear jet, with a tin cup in hand......

[StanN]

From N&O WakeED Blog...



The county commissioners have put the funding hot potato in the school board's lap.

The commissioners voted this afternoon to request the school board, Wake Tech and non-profits to participate in a 1.8 percent funding cut. If these groups say no, the commissioners can later implement the cut anyway.

It's putting the school system in the position of deciding whether it will give back $5.7 million. The school board could offer to give less than $5.7 million or nothing to put the issue back with the commissioners.

Initially, County Manager David Cooke said he was looking at an across-the-board cut in schools and county departments of 1.8 percent. He had said that not getting the money from the school system, Wake Tech and non-profits would mean county departments cutting 4 percent.

But with the economy looking worse, Cooke said he's preparing for the possibility of a revenue shortfall of more than the $17 million originally projected. Even if the school system gives back the $5.7 million, he said he's still having county departments cut back 4 percent as a precaution.

Since the commissioners wouldn't be cutting the school system at a higher rate than the county departments, they wouldn't need the school board's approval.

Today's vote was 5-2 with Harold Webb, the new chairman, and Lindy Brown, the new vice chairwoman, crossing party lines to join Republicans in making the request. Stan Norwalk and Betty Lou Ward voted no.

Supt. Del Burns told commissioners today that if the $5.7 million cut was made, they'd try to avoid personnel. He said they're looking at things such as cuts in central services spending, freezing the filling of central office positions by 90 days, cutting supplies and eliminating out-of-state travel.

You can expect the request from commissioners to be a hot topic at Tuesday's school board meeting.


A good decision, and it appears that saner minds will not jump to slashing teachers' salaries as the answer.

Cuts must be made - the question is "where?" Classroom education, centered on teachers, should be a top priority compared to construction. Would you rather have a great teacher in a "cave" - or a less than great teacher in a new school? IMHO, its up to the BOE to lead the way and suggest how and where construction dollars for schools can be cut.

The same principal applies to the County's budget, e.g. nurses for health clinics for the needy and paramedics for EMS or a new courthouse including new offices for commissioners and staff. Just as for WCPSS, the case can be made for both...but which one is a "want" and which one is a "need"?

These are unusually hard times and there are lots of very difficult decisions ahead.

[DarylB]

Cuts must be made - the question is "where?" Classroom education, centered on teachers, should be a top priority compared to construction.

I think we have a bit of a disagreement as to what the top priority is.....I say it is neither the teachers, nor the construction. I say it is, first, foremost, and always, the STUDENTS who should be the top priority of our schools. Period. Instead, we presently treat them like canned fruit. Kids can learn under a shadetree, if it ever came to that (not saying that is where we need to aim, so don't go getting all Tasmanian here). They can also learn a lot of things without ever seeing a teacher, as online learning has come a VERY long way. eLearning is used by nearly every college and university now, and many of these courses are better taught this way (ie Rosetta Stone for language classes). To summarize, we have a lot of options other than the current reliance on sleep teaching after a half day bus ride, and should examine and use many more of the inovative and better alternatives than just the "old school" teacher in a brick and mortar classroom (great for napping and passing notes though!). It might also serve to keep more of our kids interested in school, and help cut that 25% dropout rate that the WCPSS boredom machine has had so much trouble with, and do it more cheaply. Just because we were punished with this kind of school experience doesn't mean we cant be a little more informed and creative with how kids get an education. A key objective of education should be to learn how to learn, and to inspire those students in the schools with the fact that the objective is to learn how to learn as a lifelong endeavor, not just to make it to "the end", at commencement. (Say, doesn't that word REALLY mean "to begin"?) But, I digress.......

Dictionary: (http://www.answers.com/library/Dictionary-cid-17158)
commencement



(kə-mĕns'mənt) n.
A beginning; a start.

A ceremony at which academic degrees or diplomas are conferred.
The day on which such a ceremony occurs.


YouTube - Sister Mary Elephant

[StanN]

I agree with your emphasis on students.

Here http://www.ed2go.com/wcpsonline/ are 300 on line courses now offered by WCPSS. They are all optional-supplemental courses.

Here is a link to the State's virtual school program http://www.ncpublicschools.org/newsroom/news/2008-09/20080807-02

The early college/high -school program "Learn and Earn" program also emphasizes on line learning. http://www.ncpublicschools.org/learnandearnonline/

My understanding is that online programs only reach a small pct. of students. I don't know a great deal about these initiatives but have been told the results are spotty compared to a regular classroom. The core curriculum is largely taught in the classroom with a teacher.

[DarylB]

I agree with your emphasis on students.

Here http://www.ed2go.com/wcpsonline/ are 300 on line courses now offered by WCPSS. They are all optional-supplemental courses.

Here is a link to the State's virtual school program http://www.ncpublicschools.org/newsroom/news/2008-09/20080807-02

The early college/high -school program "Learn and Earn" program also emphasizes on line learning. http://www.ncpublicschools.org/learnandearnonline/

My understanding is that online programs only reach a small pct. of students. I don't know a great deal about these initiatives but have been told the results are spotty compared to a regular classroom. The core curriculum is largely taught in the classroom with a teacher.

It all comes down to a choice. It's well known that e-learning can and does work very, very well.... if you want it to. WCPSS simply has an agenda to ensure teachers and the classrooms aren't threatened, whether it's in the best interests of the primary objective - the students - or not. It all comes down to protection of turf, and there's no way the status quo is going to work with all its resources for this.

There's another aspect to this as well. Teachers and the school system are phenominally computer illiterate. This came me as a real surprise, thinking they would be among the best and brightest, having not only graduated from college, but beiing motivated to a career in education. My experience with Technology Connections was a wake-up call... teachers largely have no clue when it comes to computers. I discovered that it is so bad, that when tasked with putting grades into a computer program (they were using InteGrade Pro at the time), many (not just a few) relied on their students to do it for them. A few had no computer skills whatsoever, and were thoroughly intimidated by them.

Leadership demands better than to simply say I don't know a great deal about these initiatives but have been told the results are spotty compared to a regular classroom.
In this day and age, where every student needs to be more than expert with a computer, that we have so little success with them at WCPSS. Personally, it says a lot to me about what's wrong with our county schools.

[JoeCiulla]

In this day and age, where every student needs to be more than expert with a computer, that we have so little success with them at WCPSS. Personally, it says a lot to me about what's wrong with our county schools.

Daryl,

I agree that eLearning can be used effectively. Just speculating here, but perhaps WCPSS has not actively promoted it because every kid in Wake County doesn't have a computer in their home. Yes, they can go to the library to use one, but that does not constitute fair and equal access for all. :|

As you pointed out earlier, learning a new language can be made easier by computer. With the growing population of ESL students, some supplemental online courses in that department could go a long way. And eLearning can be used to help lagging students close the gap in any subject.

I've heard varying estimates on the cost of extra busing costs to balance F&R students in Wake County, but $10M/year seems to be the most popular effort.

I'd bet an annual lease for a basic computer and internet access can be had for $300. If WCPSS were to invest in providing eLearning to students who need it, they could lease computers for 33,000 students. Technology instead of diesel, what a concept.

[DarylB]

To me, it's as bad to send a teacher into the classroom who has no computer skills as it is to send someone to the cockpit of an airliner who doesn't have a pilots license. After all, they are both involved in the act of taking people on a crash course to disaster. I think I'd actually rather go quickly, given the choice, than to have to fail for a lifetime because the school system I counted on to prepare me for a lifetime of achievment wasn't sufficiently engaged in my education.