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Budget calls for $35.5 million in new education funding
Superintendent Marcus Newsome met with school board members last week to reveal his latest budget, which calls for a 13.4 percent increase in state funding ($31.5 million) and a 5.4 percent rise in county funding. The entire operating budget totals $604.6 million, up from $569.1 million in FY08. Revenue is predicted to be $616.5 million for FY09-10. Newsome's budget figures were based on the addition of 923 new students this fall, bringing the school system's total enrollment to 59,338. The perpupil operational cost (excluding debt service) for 2008-09 is $9,959. More than 70 percent of the proposed budget is earmarked for instruction. The remaining 30 percent is comprised of administration, transportation, debt, operations/maintenance and other related categories. School board members were also given a preview of FY10, which "is anticipated to be a very lean year," said Newsome. Typically, the first year of the state's biennial budget is richer with the second year of the budget seeing a much smaller increase in funding. For FY10, Newsome projected an increase of 3.7 percent, or $10 million, in state funding. At the county level, funding projections call for a 2.4 percent increase, totaling around $6.1 million in additional monies needed. Highlights of the FY09 budget include: • $19.9 million to fund salary increases for teachers and other employees so the county's wages are competitive with neighboring localities. Teachers at the top of the pay scale would receive a 2 percent raise with those in the middle and lower ranges receiving 4-6 percent raises. • $4.3 million to cover health insurance contributions for employees. • $2.8 million to hire security officers for all middle schools. A portion of this amount would also be used to hire additional school nurses, cover fleet maintenance and rising fuel costs, and other county services. • $2.6 million to pay for utilities, staffing and other costs associated with the opening of Elizabeth B. Davis and Tomahawk middle schools this fall. • $2.3 million to add International Baccalaureate programs at Evergreen and Bettie Weaver elementary schools and to expand other programming for gifted students, students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency. • $2 million for new science and language arts textbooks at the elementary level. • $1.3 million to hire staff and buy materials to handle increased student enrollments. • $730,000 to start a new 403(b) savings plan for employees. As proposed, the school system would contribute 50 percent in matching dollars to the savings plan up to $10 per month. Over time, Newsome said the school system would like to raise its contribution. "We're hoping this will encourage our employees to invest in their retirement," he added. • $450,000 to offer a second shift of classes at the Chesterfield Technical Center beginning this September. • $240,000 to expand world language instruction to six additional elementary schools, bringing the total number of elementary schools that offer a foreign language to 13.
The complete proposed budget is available for viewing online at www.chesterfield.k12. va.us. |
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Holiday Celebrations 2008
Fall & Winter Guide 2008-09
