FCPS, changing student demographics are destroying the budget (as said by the Administration)

[Anonymous]

FCPS is projecting an increase of 2,160 students that, combined with changing student demographics, translates to an additional cost of $19.5 million.

Student enrollment continues to increase and student demographics continue to shift, reflecting both increasing numbers of students and increased needs. FCPS must serve all students, so enrollment growth and demographic shifts represent a significant, unavoidable expenditure increase in future years. To meet this growth, the FY 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) anticipates building five new elementary schools and one new high school to accommodate a projected enrollment of nearly 200,000 in FY 2019.

Can someone explain if this is due to the recession or have the flood gates been open for receiving an overwhelming amount of lower SES from other places?

In this doc it says $25 million due to demographic changes, point being. Yes we can continue to treat the injury by increasing the budget but what can we do to fix the illness and prevent this ? Do we tax everyone more? The wealthy? Try to make FCPS less desirable for this demographic? What exactly is the demographic? Why are people so afraid to pin point the issue?

http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/proposed/FY15/FY15ProposedBudget.pdf

[Anonymous]

The additional cost is, in part, because they don't do anything differently. "Unavoidable expenditures" are, some are, in part, avoidable.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of pocket areas in FCPS that have many, many ESOL kids. I suspect that many are undocumented. When Prince Wm county cracked down a few years ago, the problems in Fairfax increased.

[Anonymous]

Fairfax County is becoming urban and is no longer suburban. There are pluses and minuses to that. Urban areas tend to be more expensive than rural or suburban areas. Our local tax rate for schools and government services is relatively low compared to other jurisdictions. Our property tax rates tend to hover around 1% percent. We have seen ours be as high as $1.23 and as low as $.87 as we have lived her almost 20 years. We pay less in both rate and amount than my sister in Connecticut with a house that has half the value. If we want excellent county services and schools, we will have to pay more in the future to have them.

[Anonymous]

But how are they even registering.

When we registered our kids from out of state, the school required us to bring in a lease for the first two and our title paperwork for the youngest.

Wouldn't it be quite simple to identify those who did not live here by those documents? And easy to flag suspicious students by the fact that several families are using the same address?

[Anonymous]

But how are they even registering.

When we registered our kids from out of state, the school required us to bring in a lease for the first two and our title paperwork for the youngest.

Wouldn't it be quite simple to identify those who did not live here by those documents? And easy to flag suspicious students by the fact that several families are using the same address?

I don't know how they document it, but legally, we have to educate them. Homeless kids are educated, too. I don't know how it is handled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is projecting an increase of 2,160 students that, combined with changing student demographics, translates to an additional cost of $19.5 million.

Student enrollment continues to increase and student demographics continue to shift, reflecting both increasing numbers of students and increased needs. FCPS must serve all students, so enrollment growth and demographic shifts represent a significant, unavoidable expenditure increase in future years. To meet this growth, the FY 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) anticipates building five new elementary schools and one new high school to accommodate a projected enrollment of nearly 200,000 in FY 2019.

Can someone explain if this is due to the recession or have the flood gates been open for receiving an overwhelming amount of lower SES from other places?

In this doc it says $25 million due to demographic changes, point being. Yes we can continue to treat the injury by increasing the budget but what can we do to fix the illness and prevent this ? Do we tax everyone more? The wealthy? Try to make FCPS less desirable for this demographic? What exactly is the demographic? Why are people so afraid to pin point the issue?

http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/proposed/FY15/FY15ProposedBudget.pdf

Are you kidding??? The fact that there economic diversity in this area is one of the only reasons we live here. The fact that most of the new houses being put up in our area (Vienna) are in the $1.3 mil. and up range and bringing in increasingly entitled population is more disturbing IMO than the fact that my kids are going to school with more non-native English speakers who work hard and don't expect everything to be handed to them. God help us if this place becomes more of a bubble than it already is.

[Anonymous]

Average SAT Scores 2012-13 also from the budget document; seems to be OK.

Alexandria City 1436
Arlington County 1645
Fairfax County 1663
Falls Church City 1765
Loudoun County 1606
Manassas City 1457
Manassas Park City 1496
Montgomery County 1649
Prince George's County 1207
Prince William County 1498
US Average 1474
Virginia Average 1517

[Anonymous]

Average SAT Scores 2012-13 also from the budget document; seems to be OK.

Alexandria City 1436
Arlington County 1645
Fairfax County 1663
Falls Church City 1765
Loudoun County 1606
Manassas City 1457
Manassas Park City 1496
Montgomery County 1649
Prince George's County 1207
Prince William County 1498
US Average 1474
Virginia Average 1517

You do realize that low achievers generally do not take the SAT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS is projecting an increase of 2,160 students that, combined with changing student demographics, translates to an additional cost of $19.5 million.

Student enrollment continues to increase and student demographics continue to shift, reflecting both increasing numbers of students and increased needs. FCPS must serve all students, so enrollment growth and demographic shifts represent a significant, unavoidable expenditure increase in future years. To meet this growth, the FY 2015-2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) anticipates building five new elementary schools and one new high school to accommodate a projected enrollment of nearly 200,000 in FY 2019.

Can someone explain if this is due to the recession or have the flood gates been open for receiving an overwhelming amount of lower SES from other places?

In this doc it says $25 million due to demographic changes, point being. Yes we can continue to treat the injury by increasing the budget but what can we do to fix the illness and prevent this ? Do we tax everyone more? The wealthy? Try to make FCPS less desirable for this demographic? What exactly is the demographic? Why are people so afraid to pin point the issue?

http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/proposed/FY15/FY15ProposedBudget.pdf

Are you kidding??? The fact that there economic diversity in this area is one of the only reasons we live here. The fact that most of the new houses being put up in our area (Vienna) are in the $1.3 mil. and up range and bringing in increasingly entitled population is more disturbing IMO than the fact that my kids are going to school with more non-native English speakers who work hard and don't expect everything to be handed to them. God help us if this place becomes more of a bubble than it already is.

Try reading a little closer. The budget states that a demographic change is causing this issue. If you really think that the a lot of 1.3 million houses in Vienna are going up wouldn't that mean the positive cashflow demographic is coming in?

[Anonymous]

Yes, in one area, perhaps. But if you read closely you'll understand that was not the demographic PP was referring to.

[Anonymous]

Well, if there are a lot of 1.3 million dollar houses going up, then they needn't raise the tax rate........

[Anonymous]

AnonymousThe fact that most of the new houses being put up in our area (Vienna) are in the $1.3 mil. and up range and bringing in increasingly entitled population is more disturbing IMO than the fact that my kids are going to school with more non-native English speakers who work hard and don't expect everything to be handed to them. [/quote wrote:
Oh but they do expect handouts and get plenty of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, if there are a lot of 1.3 million dollar houses going up, then they needn't raise the tax rate........

I think you found the solution, make a bunch of 1.3 million houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, if there are a lot of 1.3 million dollar houses going up, then they needn't raise the tax rate........

I think you found the solution, make a bunch of 1.3 million houses.

Still won't be enough. NOVA residents who care about schools need to face the fact that taxes need to rise. Can't imagine most people wouldn't be happy to pay a minimal increase if it means continued high quality schools vs. their deterioration.