Fairfax County budget cuts for 2010-2011

[Anonymous]

From a recent press release - these are the items under consideration for cuts next year. There is still opportunity for community comment/involvement:

Among the items under consideration for cuts are an increase in class size by one student per teacher, resulting in a $19.1 million savings; a elimination of full-day kindergarten to all but the 34 Title I elementary schools, saving $13.3 million; the elimination of elementary band and strings, saving $7.0 million; the elimination of foreign language programs in elementary schools, saving $3.4 million; the elimination of extended learning opportunities provided through a modified school calendar, saving $0.6 million; a reduction of needs-based staffing in elementary and middle schools and the elimination of the special needs staffing in high school, saving $19.8 million; and increasing class size at advanced academic centers by an additional 2.0 students per teacher, saving $0.4 million.

...

The School Board was also presented with potentially instituting a number of fees and revenue increases in FY 2011, including fees for athletic participation, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test fees, and increases in fees for community use of facilities and monopole fees. It will discuss the FY 2011 budget next at its November 9 work session.

[Anonymous]

I think they should reduce the number of clusters and save some administrative costs. I also think fees for AP and IB are necessary now.

[Anonymous]

You can go here for the "straw man" of the proposed cuts:

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/0/aba025484a08396287257651006d5fff/$FILE/Strawman%20for%20Discussion%20Purposes.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can go here for the "straw man" of the proposed cuts:

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/0/aba025484a08396287257651006d5fff/$FILE/Strawman%20for%20Discussion%20Purposes.pdf

Thanks for this, but I don't get it...what is a straw man?

[Anonymous]

Straw man = working draft for discussion

Their choice of words, not mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they should reduce the number of clusters and save some administrative costs. I also think fees for AP and IB are necessary now.

Full cost of the fees should be charged instead of 25 for one and 50 for 2 or more. IB should be removed.

[Anonymous]

Why should IB be removed???

[Anonymous]

I don't think IB should be removed but I do think that there should be a smaller number of IB diploma schools and more AP offered across the board.

[Anonymous]

Why less IB and more AP?

Genuinely curious because IB seems to be more internationally accpted. I got the impression that AP is kind of fading away.

[Anonymous]

There will be angry taxpayers storming the government center if the county tries to get rid of all day Kindergarten.

In the 'fat' years, why was so much money wasted? They should have planned better for a rainy day, IMO.

[Anonymous]

I hope the teacher's spouse who was complaining about Fairfax teachers not getting a raise this year, and wondering about what cuts would be appropriate in order to ensure raises, reads this. Raises would be completely inappropriate this year.

[Anonymous]

If anyone has a brain in their head, IB should NOT be removed. Too many people here are living in Fairfax County, VA world - NOT necessarily a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why less IB and more AP?

Genuinely curious because IB seems to be more internationally accpted. I got the impression that AP is kind of fading away.

AP is not fading away. IB charges for: curriculum development [also done by Instructional services], grading tests plus exams, teacher training, course fees [separate from final exam fees]. AP charges exam fees only and cuts deals with big districts based on volume. IB requires each school to have a coordinator like a separate guidance counselor for the diploma candidates. FCPS thought IB would result in large numbers of pupil placements to lower performing schools. That did not happen. All those middle school GT center students that don't go to TJ for the most part go to their AP base high schools or to private school. If IB was so great they would have pupil placed in droves over the last decade or more. highly educated parents and bright kids just said NO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why less IB and more AP?

Genuinely curious because IB seems to be more internationally accpted. I got the impression that AP is kind of fading away.

AP is not fading away. IB charges for: curriculum development [also done by Instructional services], grading tests plus exams, teacher training, course fees [separate from final exam fees]. AP charges exam fees only and cuts deals with big districts based on volume. IB requires each school to have a coordinator like a separate guidance counselor for the diploma candidates. FCPS thought IB would result in large numbers of pupil placements to lower performing schools. That did not happen. All those middle school GT center students that don't go to TJ for the most part go to their AP base high schools or to private school. If IB was so great they would have pupil placed in droves over the last decade or more. highly educated parents and bright kids just said NO.

Great points. What is the cost for an IB student vs. and AP student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why less IB and more AP?

Genuinely curious because IB seems to be more internationally accpted. I got the impression that AP is kind of fading away.

AP is not fading away. IB charges for: curriculum development [also done by Instructional services], grading tests plus exams, teacher training, course fees [separate from final exam fees]. AP charges exam fees only and cuts deals with big districts based on volume. IB requires each school to have a coordinator like a separate guidance counselor for the diploma candidates. FCPS thought IB would result in large numbers of pupil placements to lower performing schools. That did not happen. All those middle school GT center students that don't go to TJ for the most part go to their AP base high schools or to private school. If IB was so great they would have pupil placed in droves over the last decade or more. highly educated parents and bright kids just said NO.

Great points. What is the cost for an IB student vs. and AP student?

http://www.ibo.org/diploma/services/

this powerpoint found via google explains some of the extra costs. It's more complex than AP:

http://www.edwatch.org/ppts/Eaton-IB-10-14-06.ppt.