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Fairfax superintendent proposes teacher raises, class size reductions Fairfax superintendent proposes teacher raises, class size reductions
(about 9 hours later)
Fairfax County schools superintendent Karen Garza on Thursday laid out an ambitious $2.7 billion spending plan that includes more than $40 million in teacher raises and an effort to roll back class sizes for elementary school students. Despite warnings that the school system could face devastating program cuts this year, Fairfax County schools Superintendent Karen Garza laid out an ambitious $2.7 billion spending plan Thursday that left the budget intact while adding more than $40 million in teacher raises and including an effort to trim class sizes at elementary schools.
The proposal marks a sudden and significant change in the tone of this year’s budget talks, which began fixated largely on cuts, including the controversial suggestion to get rid of all school sports and activities to save millions of taxpayer dollars. Garza, who had warned that the proposal could include a drastic reduction in services, instead included no cuts for the first time in her tenure amid plans to lobby the county for additional funding. The proposal marks a sudden and significant change in the tone of the county’s budget talks, which began months ago with a fixation on cuts, including a controversial suggestion to get rid of all school sports and activities as a way to save millions of taxpayer dollars. Garza, who had warned that the proposal could include a drastic reduction in services, instead included no cuts for the first time in her tenure amid plans to lobby the county for additional funding.
“I am proposing no further cuts because they would affect programs and services for students and would have a substantial negative impact on our system into the future,” Garza said in a news release Thursday morning. “Today, we propose to stop a decade of disinvestment in our schools. We are proposing a budget that looks ahead and begins the slow process of restoration and renewal from the nearly half a billion dollars cut from the FCPS operating budget since 2008.” Cuts still could be coming to Virginia’s largest school district if the county, which furnishes nearly three-quarters of the school budget, is unable to meet Garza’s request.
Garza’s budget — which is likely to undergo several school board changes before it is presented to the county — seeks $1.9 billion from the county, $67 million more than county officials signaled they would provide to schools. The county, Virginia’s largest, is facing a shortfall of its own. “I can no longer propose cuts because by doing so, the implication is that I believe that cuts are appropriate and they are simply not,” Garza said at a news conference Thursday in the library of West Potomac High School. “Any of these next round of cuts, if necessary, will change the face of our school system, the very school system that is considered the foundation of Fairfax County and the very reason many families and businesses are here in this county.”
The proposal includes step increases and a cost-of-living raise for teachers in addition to $40 million to invest in teacher raises. The superintendent fears that the district’s salaries — lower than those in some neighboring school systems — are hurting its ability to attract top talent, a problem exacerbated by a nationwide teaching shortage. The school district started this year with 200 vacancies because it could not hire enough teachers. Garza’s budget, which is expected to undergo several school board changes before it is presented to the county, seeks $1.9 billion from Fairfax taxpayers. That’s about $67 million — or 3.5 percent — more than county officials signaled they would provide to schools this year while the county government as a whole is facing a shortfall.
Garza also has allocated $10 million to trim class sizes in the elementary school grades, where some classrooms now pack more than 30 students. The district averages more than 22 elementary school students per teacher, which is on the higher end for schools in the region. The proposal includes step increases and a cost-of-living raise for teachers along with $40 million to boost teacher salary levels. The superintendent fears that the district’s teacher salaries — lower than those in some neighboring school systems — are hurting the school system’s ability to attract top talent, a problem exacerbated by a nationwide teaching shortage. The school district started this year with 200 vacancies because it could not hire enough teachers.
Most of Garza’s budget request was funded last year, but she has warned for months that the school district would face significant cuts unless the county could provide more funding. Garza also has proposed allocating $10 million to trim class sizes at the elementary schools, where some rooms now pack more than 30 students. The district averages more than 22 elementary school students per teacher, which is on the higher end for schools in the region. Garza proposes that the district spend the money to hire additional teachers so that no elementary school class has more than 30 students.
School officials warned last summer that schools could face up to a $100 million shortfall, and they assembled a citizen task force to propose ways to curtail school spending. The 36-member task force ultimately suggested raising class sizes across the district and charging more fees to students — such as for taking the PSAT exam — to raise revenue. Another suggestion -- to cut all school sports and activities -- riled parents and other public officials who suggested Garza was using scare tactics to press for more money. School board member Elizabeth Schultz (Springfield) worries that the proposal would lead the county Board of Supervisors to contemplate a tax increase to raise revenue, a move that she thinks would be unpopular.
“If the proposals between the Board of Supervisors and the school board lead to tax increases or contemplating a tax increase . . . I think there’s going to be a visceral reaction from the public,” Schultz said.
The announcement Thursday signaled that officials are probably going to have another tense budget season. The negotiations are perennially rancorous as school officials warn that cuts will hurt the high-performing school system, long a selling point for the county. Most of Garza’s budget request was funded last year, but she has cautioned for months that the school district would face significant cuts unless the county could provide more money.
School officials warned last summer that the system could have a shortfall as high as $100 million, and they assembled a citizen task force to propose ways to curtail school spending. The 36-member task force ultimately suggested raising class sizes across the district and charging more student fees — such as for taking the PSAT exam — to increase revenue. Another suggestion — to cut all school sports and activities — riled parents and other public officials who suggested Garza was using scare tactics to press for more money.
[Could one of the nation’s largest school districts go without sports, activities?][Could one of the nation’s largest school districts go without sports, activities?]
Unless the county can come up with an additional $67 million to give to the school system, the school board will have to curtail Garza’s spending plan or begin to look for cuts themselves. Sharon Bulova, the chairman of the Board of Supervisors, called the talk of cutting sports “alarmist” in August. She said in an emailed statement Thursday that the board “is committed to working together with the Superintendent and the School Board regarding funding for students in our public schools.”
The district has cut nearly a half-billion dollars from its budgets over the years, largely through staff attrition and allowing hiring to slack even as enrollment boomed. The district has lost more than 2,100 teaching positions to cuts during the past seven years and now has just more than 15,000 teachers. Unless the county can come up with an additional $67 million for the school system, the school board would have to look for cuts itself.
Despite an ambitious education budget proposal from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the district is not anticipating much of an increase in state aid. Much of the state’s spending for teacher positions and raises will do little to help a district like Fairfax County, where the state pays a comparatively small portion of teacher salaries. The district has slashed nearly a half-billion dollars from its budgets since 2008, largely through staff attrition and allowing hiring to wait even as enrollment boomed. The district has lost more than 2,100 teaching positions to cuts during the past seven years and now has just more than 15,000 teachers.
At the same time, the district said the student population has changed and that many of the children who attend school in Fairfax require additional resources. Nearly 30 percent of the 187,000 students qualify for free- and reduced-price meals, a measure of poverty, and one in six students is an English language learner.
Despite an ambitious education budget proposal from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), the district is not anticipating a big increase in state aid. Much of the state’s spending for teacher positions and raises will do little to help a district like Fairfax , where the state pays a comparatively small portion of teacher salaries.
Garza presented her proposal to the school board Thursday evening. The school board will formulate its own proposal and is slated to vote on it in February, with plans to present it to the Board of Supervisors in April. The supervisors are scheduled to vote on the budget in late April.