Public Input on Proposed FY2011 Budget Provides Opportunity to Clarify Concerns
March 3, 2010
The Prince William County School Board held its annual budget public hearing on next year’s proposed budget on March 1 with more than 100 speakers who signed up to give their input to the nearly $80 million gap expected next year due to reduced funding coupled with continued student growth.
Based on the comments made at the hearing, there are four important points to clarify:
1) The proposed $75 fee for students to take AP/IB/Cambridge exams would not be charged to any student who is enrolled in the free lunch program.
2) Regarding the express bus service, many have asked about charging a fee to maintain this service. The School Board and administration have already been investigating this idea but it is unclear as to whether such a fee is legal under existing Virginia law. PWCS is seeking a legal opinion on this matter from the Virginia Attorney General.
3) Under the proposed budget, only kindergarten classes with less than 25 students would not have a teaching assistant. Per Virginia requirements, kindergarten classes with 25–29 students must have an assistant (29 is the maximum allowable class size).
4) While funding for the “road and range” portion of the driver education program was eliminated in the proposed budget, administrative staff is exploring options to have it operated as a self-supporting operation after the regular school day or during summer school.
There was some positive news on Tuesday, March 2 regarding the proposed budget. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) set an advertised property tax rate of $1.236 per $100 of assessed value. This is slightly higher than what was originally proposed and is estimated to generate $4.5 million more in potential revenue to the School Division’s current proposed budget should the BOCS adopt it as the actual rate.
The state budget has also yet to be finalized but things look hopeful for the restoration of $23 million to PWCS, thanks to the School Board’s and Superintendent’s urging the Prince William County legislative delegation and Governor McDonnell to continue the biannual adjustment to the Local Composite Index or LCI, used by the Commonwealth to distribute certain funds to school divisions. However, even with these successful efforts at the state level, there are other reductions to education in the proposed state budget that could negate some or all of the gains related to the LCI. A final vote on the Commonwealth’s budget is scheduled for March 11.
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