Area Public School Budget Cuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not part of the school budget, but SACC fees should be looked at as well. My SACC fees are approximately half what I would pay for an outside daycare center. Why not make them a bit more competitive? I hate to suggest it, but I would gladly pay more and maybe it would help cut down on the ridiculous wait lists. SACC is already more appealing (for me) than outside programs because my kids are not shuttled back and forth and the staff are excellent. I feel it's a real extension of their day and they've learned so much there.

Of course, the reduced fee schedule could stay in place for those unable to pay full rates.

Absolutely agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Fairfax County is world renowned for having one of the best foreign language programs in the country. The immersion program has been around for 20 years now -- long enough for the earliest graduates to show demonstrated fluency and career success. In addition to the full immersion program at 12 elementary schools, there's the Foreign Language in the Elementary School program (FLES), which currently is in place at 32 elementary schools and -- were it not for recent budget limitations & threatened cuts -- is supposed to be expanded to ALL elementary schools, so that everyone has access.

I am all for the immersion program but FLES has to go. FLES should be funded through PTAs/PTOs, not the FCPS budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Fairfax County is world renowned for having one of the best foreign language programs in the country. The immersion program has been around for 20 years now -- long enough for the earliest graduates to show demonstrated fluency and career success. In addition to the full immersion program at 12 elementary schools, there's the Foreign Language in the Elementary School program (FLES), which currently is in place at 32 elementary schools and -- were it not for recent budget limitations & threatened cuts -- is supposed to be expanded to ALL elementary schools, so that everyone has access.

I am all for the immersion program but FLES has to go. FLES should be funded through PTAs/PTOs, not the FCPS budget.

I totally agree. The school system has basic needs that should be met before FLES is funded.

[Anonymous]

Are there more school aged children in Fairfax County whom are currently receiving free lunch (for example), is that what is taking funds? In light of the current economic situation, that is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are there more school aged children in Fairfax County whom are currently receiving free lunch (for example), is that what is taking funds? In light of the current economic situation, that is?

No.

http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011/bottomline012210.html

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In terms of state funding, Virginia "equalizes" educational funding to its counties and cities through a formula called the local composite index (LCI). While this formula is somewhat complicated, the idea behind the LCI is to provide more state funding to school systems with the least local ability to pay.

How does Virginia measure a city or county’s ability to pay? Fifty percent of the measure is based on the value of real estate and public service corporations, another 10 percent of the formula is retail sales tax revenue, and 40 percent of the measure is based on adjusted gross income—with the total of these measures divided by average daily membership and population. Because Fairfax is a relatively wealthy county compared to many in Virginia, the school system has typically not fared well under this system. However, this year, because of the decline in Fairfax’s property values, applying the LCI would increase the percentage of state funding for FCPS, which would result in $61 million sent directly to the school system.

But the cheering shouldn’t begin yet. In his proposed budget, outgoing Governor Tim Kaine requested that—for the first time ever—the application of the LCI be frozen in order to "hold harmless" other counties whose percentage of state aid would decline this year if the LCI were applied.

Strongly opposing that decision, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County School Board sent a joint letter on January 14 to Governor-Elect Robert McDonnell, asking him to reconsider that decision. The letter states in part:

“This is a basic issue of fairness—localities throughout the Commonwealth shared in the good times and the revenue generated from Northern Virginia during the economic boom. …Yet when economic hardships hit Northern Virginia, the pain is not borne equitably. …At a time when so much attention is focused on the need to turn the struggling economy around, one investment certain to reap benefits for the entire Commonwealth is Northern Virginia’s K-12 educational system, which brings major Fortune 500 companies to our area each year, benefiting us all.”

If the school system is to continue to offer the excellent programs that county residents want and to attract high-caliber employees, FCPS needs to have the full benefits of the local composite index and state support. The Bottom Line will continue to follow state funding developments in future issues.

[Anonymous]

I would pay to make up the difference for full day k. Hell I already pay over $10k a year for my child to have daycare. They could have a special Kindergarten program similar to sacc, a full day option for a fee, sliding scale based on income. I wrote to Sharon Bulova about this but got a cookie cuter auto response for a reply.

[Anonymous]

We pay $180 per month for after school care at our private preschool. SACC for our school is $290 a month. Where are you getting that SACC is 1/2 of what outside care is charging? Also, the sliding scale for SACC is ridiculous. Do you think families living in FFX county and making $50k a year can really afford $290 per month and another $290 a month if their school doesn't have full day K?

[Anonymous]

So according to LCI, and according to my property taxes (top one percent), NONE of these issues should be happening - EVERYONE should have full day kindergarten; there should be no shortage of programs; and there should not be ANY trailers in these schools.

Why should I have to pay all these taxes (for nothing); then be "expected" to go to private school (not an option)?

Are things that poorly run here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Are things that poorly run here?

Good question to ask the Governor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay $180 per month for after school care at our private preschool. SACC for our school is $290 a month. Where are you getting that SACC is 1/2 of what outside care is charging? Also, the sliding scale for SACC is ridiculous. Do you think families living in FFX county and making $50k a year can really afford $290 per month and another $290 a month if their school doesn't have full day K?

I pay $420 a month for sacc.

[Anonymous]

I pay $420 month for SACC for both before and after care. It is $290 for just after care. Our local daycare would charge about $150 a week for the same services, or approximately $600/month. I find the waitlists to be ridiculous. With such demand, something really needs to be done. The only people who have a chance of getting in are those who are looped in enough to know to call a year before their child even needs the service (and even then--not always lucky enough, depending on the school). I think applying basic economics would warrant a rate increase, if it were not a government-run service. SACC has told me that some schools have up to 400 students on the wait list, with most only capable of watching about 75 students. Conceivably, some will go through their entire time at the school and never get in.

[Anonymous]

Just as an FYI - The SACC program is funded and run through the county, not the school district. HTH!

[Anonymous]

Yes, 1700, you are right - I pay $420 for before and after care too. My daycare would want $140 a week for that service.

I think they could model a full day k optional program after sacc. Charge me to have a full day program for my child..... make it available to working families, sliding scale. I wonder if they have at least looked at this. I know they can't call it "full day K" and take money for it, but could they establish a special sacc program for Ks only?

[Anonymous]

You do realize that your "501(c)(3) plan" just makes the rest of us subsidize Fairfax County? (you get a tax deduction, which makes for smaller federal revenues, which have to be made up somehow...)

Doesn't work for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would pay to make up the difference for full day k. Hell I already pay over $10k a year for my child to have daycare. They could have a special Kindergarten program similar to sacc, a full day option for a fee, sliding scale based on income. I wrote to Sharon Bulova about this but got a cookie cuter auto response for a reply.

This is what they do in parts of Mass. We have friends who live outside of Boston and there is a lottery at their school for full day kindergarten. If you win the lottery, you get into full day, but you have to pay for the afternoon part of kindergarten. I assume this is income based, but I agree that working parents are going to have to pay for the afternoon care somewhere if their K is not full day - why not pay for it at school?