State Budget Impact

The local electronic and print media have contacted you regarding the impact of the recently released Governor’s 2009-2011 supplemental operating budget proposal to close the $1.14 billion shortfall. They ask you about the statewide areas of the K-12 education budget impacted by her proposal. The reporters ask you a follow-up question about the impact of the Governor’s budget proposal to your local school district. How would you respond with talking points that would answer their questions?

The reporters continue to engage you in further conversation about the Governor’s proposed 2011-2013 biennial budget that was released on December 17th. They are interested in her budget proposal’s impact to your local school district. How would you respond to their question with three or four major talking points.

What the State of Washington Currently Invests in K-12

Education

K-12 Basic Education Services ($12.9 Billion State General Fund), Including:

•Core funding for basic teaching and operation of schools. ($10.5 billion)•Special education services, including those for early learning. ($1.4 billion)•Pupil transportation, which includes an increase of $90 million for the state’s new transportation funding formula. ($627 million)

K-12 Basic Education Services ($12.9 Billion State General Fund), Including:

•Transitional bilingual instruction program. ($175 million)•Learning assistance program. ($253.4 million)

Major Programs Outside the K-12 Basic Education Area, Including:•Local effort assistance (LEA) or levy equalization which provides extra support to school districts with higher-than average property tax rates or those districts that are more property poor. ($588.4 million)•Preserve administration for state assessment of student learning, including development of end-of-course assessment in high school-level science and math. ($105 million)

Major Programs Outside the K-12 Basic Education Area, Including:

•Develop state teacher and principal evaluation models and professional development tools. ($6.5 million)•Support student health and safety through the school nurse corps and training for school safety personnel. ($5.5 million)

Grant and Technical Assistance Programs, Including Those That:

•Support student learning and well-being through school breakfast and lunch programs for low-income students. ($20.2 million)•Provide incentive grants for school districts that execute agreements with teacher and principal groups to implement new and improved teacher and principals evaluation systems. ($15.0 million)

Grant and Technical Assistance Programs, Including Those That:

•Support student health and safety through the school nurse corps and training for school safety personnel. ($5.5 million)

Governor’s 2009- 2011Supplemental Operating Budget Proposal Released on December 11th and 17th

The overall goal was to close a $1.14 billion shortfall in the current 2009-2011 budget.• Capture the U.S. Congress approved EduJobs

funds ($208 million)• Elimination of K-4 class size enhancement

($42.1 million)• Reduction of local effort assistance (LEA or

levy equalization) payment to eligible districts by 6.3% ($18 million)• Elimination of highly capable program funding

($7.1 million)

What is the Impact of the Governor’s Proposed Supplemental Operating Budget to Centralia?

•Elimination of K-4 class size enhancement (approximately $345,000)•Reduction of LEA by 6.3% (approximately $72,000) •Elimination of highly capable program funding (approximately $30,000)

Total reduction to the 2010-2011 budget (approximately $447,000)

How Will The State Achieve Savings for the 2011-2013 Biennial Budget? (Governor’s Proposal)

•Eliminate K-4 class size reduction funds. ($216 million)•Eliminate highly capable or gifted program funding. ($18.6 million)•Eliminate or reduce smaller programs, grant, pilot programs, e.g. beginning teacher assistance program and principal internship program. ($37.1 million)

How Will The State Achieve Savings for the 2011-2013 Biennial Budget? (Governor’s Proposal)

•Suspend the student achievement program under Initiative 728. ($860.2 million savings)•Suspend employee salary increases under Initiative 732 for teachers and other K-12 employees. ($253.3 million)•Suspend the planned increase of capacity in all-day kindergarten for the lowest income schools. ($57.0 million)

How Will The State Achieve Savings for the 2011-2013 Biennial Budget? (Governor’s Proposal)•Suspend annual increment salary increases for teachers. ($56.3 million)•Reduce LEA payments by 6.3% using the four tiered model of 1%, 3%, 5%, and 28.75%. ($39.5 million)•Change state funding for school bus replacement from a depreciation schedule funded over the life of a school bus to a single state allocation paid for at the end of the bus life cycle. ($95.6 million)

What is the Impact of the Governor’s Proposed 2011-2013 Budget to Centralia?•K-4 class size reduction elimination (approximately $400,000-$450,000 per year)•Eliminate highly capable or gifted program. (approximately $30,000 per year) •Potential LEA reduction of 5% based on the four tiered model. (approximately $58,000 per year)•Potential reduction in force or the equivalent of program reductions equating to approximately 6-7 teacher positions due to elimination of class size reduction funds.

Centralia School District Budget Reduction Process Guiding Principles/Parameters 2010-2011

•Our top priority will continue to be ensuring ample teachers in classrooms with students for our core educational program, honoring contractual class size limits.•Maintain the breadth of our comprehensive educational programs as much as possible.•Continue to adhere to funding and staffing decisions based on state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

Centralia School District Budget Reduction Process Guiding Principles/Parameters 2010-2011

•Continue to actively seek broad-based input from internal and external stakeholders.•Account for reductions already implemented during the 2009-2011 school years in making additional program reductions for 2011-2012. •Continue to make program reductions that affect the least number of students possible.

Centralia School District Budget Reduction Process Guiding Principles/Parameters 2010-2011

•Given our socio-economic demographics, we’ll strive to make decisions that minimize the financial impact to families to support educational programs. •Continue to reduce programs and staffing by considering attrition through retirements, resignations, and leaves.

Questions?

What was one or two things that you learned from our session this morning that could apply to your school district leadership role?