Parents Should be Prepared for School Spending Cuts

By MILTON C. JOHNS
Chairman, At-large
Prince William County School Board

The just-completed presidential campaign renewed interest in questions about revenue and expenditures; how much our nation wants versus what we can afford. Now, our Prince William County School Board and administration face similar questions in preparing the budget for 2013-14 and beyond. Fortunately, we share the desire to continue Providing A World-Class Education for all students. That does not necessarily require extra spending. Still, public support is needed; and that demands understanding of the complex issues and facts involved.

First, the School Board has neither taxing authority nor control over our revenue. Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) builds each year’s budget proposal around what we expect to receive from combined county, state, and federal sources. The county provides a significant share, but unlike other nearby jurisdictions, the amount we receive is not based on program or support needs, but on a fixed percentage of county revenue.

Under a longstanding agreement with the Board of County Supervisors, the Superintendent’s budget proposal—the basis for School Board deliberations—includes 56.75 percent of general county revenue. However, student enrollment increases dramatically every year, yet there is no connection between the increased costs of educating more students and the total county revenue for schools.

This does not mean the county’s actual school spending has gone down; indeed, it has increased in recent years. However, it has not kept pace with the school funding expected under approved county five year plans. Because tax rates change every year, the five year document gets revised too, effectively yielding a series of one year plans that may not reflect increased enrollment and changing student needs. Under those plans—and adjusted for inflation—the value of the county’s contribution to schools has diminished by $850 per pupil since 2009.

With taxpayers hurting, there is talk of alternative county tax rate proposals for the future. Scenarios under consideration range between boosting anticipated school funding by a modest $30 million over five years, to slashing the funding projected in the approved five year plan by much as $130 million.

Federal and state funding raises additional concerns. Federal money that supported important programs through recent lean times has largely dried up. A staggering federal deficit makes it unrealistic to expect federal funds to cover future shortfalls.

Worse, our budget may yet suffer the loss of millions in state funding under proposals that School Board lobbying efforts helped to defeat last year. Some of those costly proposals are now resurrected; threatening state funding that when adjusted for inflation is already $540 per pupil below the 2009 level.

Despite the efforts of our local legislative delegation, Virginia’s budget still does not provide funding to help school divisions cover the growing costs of state-imposed requirements. Only public support can guarantee that Richmond returns a fair share of the tax revenue generated here. PWCS needs more from state funds, not less.

With combined per pupil funding down and our enrollment soaring, the Board-encouraged focus on efficiencies that has allowed PWCS to proudly accomplish more with less are being stretched to the limit.

In 2011-12, PWCS spent $9,852 per-pupil compared with $11,014 for Loudoun County, and $12,820 in Fairfax. While many parents want an instructional program comparable to Fairfax County’s, funding our students at the same level as Fairfax does would require nearly $250 million more than PWCS received last year.

That is why our $865.9 million operating budget for 2012-13 barely allowed preservation of key educational programs and services like full day kindergarten, specialty programs, and sports; while avoiding layoffs, and providing for employee raises. Repeating that achievement in the face of lower per-pupil funding is harder than it seems.

Most of the PWCS budget is mandated. Whether for special education, required transportation, or ESOL programs, numerous expenses stem directly from federal requirements or meeting Virginia Standards of Quality. We also have little control over many other costs associated with housing, transporting, and educating the average of 2,000 new students added to our burgeoning enrollment each and every year.

Clearly, only a limited portion of our budget goes to so-called “discretionary” expenses; yet even this flexibility is relative. We sometimes hear demands to cut what some view as “bloated” central office costs.

However, if we eliminated 10 percent of all Kelly Leadership Center employees not required under mandates or grants, we would save only $1.7 million. Yet it would require the layoff of highly specialized employees whose work directly benefits teachers, students, and efficient Division operations. That would adversely affect our ability to pay employees on time, maintain critical computer systems, manage expenses, keep schools clean and safe, and meet curriculum needs; all in exchange for a relatively small savings.

By comparison, every one percent pay increase costs approximately $7 million; reducing class sizes by one student in every Division classroom requires about $15 million. Those amounts are hard to squeeze from administrative expenses already recognized for being just two-thirds of the national average—and that was before being cut for several consecutive years.

Consequently, parents should be prepared for cuts we may be forced to make. People might suggest saving money by eliminating specialty programs and associated transportation; but many would argue that they provide unique student opportunities that distinguish a PWCS education. What about full-day kindergarten, sports, and arts programs? Some would endorse cuts there, but spending for things some consider expensive “extras,” is indispensible to others. Everyone has different views on what makes the biggest difference to students and our ability to deliver the education they deserve.

Spending is not what makes PWCS World-Class; still, we must spend wisely to afford the programs and people that do.

Facing revenue shortfalls and difficult cuts, the School Board recently placed protecting current employee jobs and providing staff pay raises among the top budget priorities. We want desperately to reduce class sizes and to retain capital improvement plans, too.

The School Board and administration are striving for creative solutions to make this possible. As we do, please let elected officials know you understand and support the value of education and what it takes to provide it.

Soon, we must decide what we want and what we can afford. Remember, we are spending taxpayer money on the future of our children, our work force, and our community itself.

For information on how to reach your elected officials, visit pwcs.edu and click on the “Legislative Updates” button. PWCS.edu will provide useful budget facts and updates as the process evolves.