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SIX O'CLOCK, WE WILL CALL THE APRIL 11TH MEETING OF THE AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO ORDER.WE START ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN WILL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE LATER.
>> FOR REGULAR SESSION, WE HAVE ONE TOPIC FOR THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, AND THAT IS OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.
I IMAGINED MR. TRAXLER IS GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH SOME MATERIAL THAT HE PREPARED AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HIM AT THIS POINT. NO, THERE ISN'T.
>> EVENING MR. CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, MR. LAWRENCE.
[NOISE] TYPICALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR COMING OUT OF SPRING BREAK, WE HAVE A BUDGET WORST STUDY THEY SAY.
A LOT OF TIMES OF WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET OR COMPONENTS OF IT.
OF COURSE, THINGS MAY CHANGE BASED ON TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION.
FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT ANYTIME.
WE'VE GOT A RATHER LENGTHY POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, BUT HOPEFULLY, IT'LL BE FILLED WITH SOME GOOD DETAILS FOR YOU.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO START OFF WITH TIMELINES.
IN THE STATE TIMELINE, THEIR BUDGET TIMELINE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING, ESPECIALLY IN NON-S OR YEARS, COMES FROM THE STATE.
IT'S VERY FLUID AND IT COULD CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, BUT THE STATE BEGAN ITS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN MID-JANUARY ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE HAD A BUDGET WORK STUDY MAY BE ON THAT SAME NIGHT WITH JUST SOME GENERAL, HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSION OF THE BUDGET, IN FEBRUARY, THE FULL HOUSE IN MARCH.
JUST LAST WEEK, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVED THEIR VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
NEXT WEEK IT'LL BE WITH THE FULL SENATE AND THE SESSION ENDS TYPICALLY, WHAT SHOULD END IN EARLY MAY.
WE HAVE HAD SOME YEARS RECENTLY WHERE THINGS HAVEN'T ENDED AS PLANNED.
THEY'VE GONE UNTIL LATE JUNE, BUT HOPEFULLY, THIS IS ONE OF THESE YEARS WHEN IT ENDS SOON.
ONE THING I WILL NOTE WITH EACH OF THESE LEGS, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DON'T HAVE A QIN'S ALLOCATIONS.
WE HEAR WHAT HAPPENED DURING THAT WEEK OF DISCUSSIONS AND WHAT WAS APPROVED, BUT NORMALLY 2-3 WEEKS LATER, THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL PUBLISH EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ALLOCATION, SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THE SENATE FINANCE BUDGET LAST WEEK, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY REVENUE NUMBERS YET, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I ALWAYS LIKE TO MENTION AS WELL.
OUR BUDGET CALENDAR AND THAT'S ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS NEEDED, OF COURSE, WE HAD THE BUDGET WORK STUDY FEW MONTHS BACK.
IT IS JUST A KICKOFF AND THE BOARD USED IT TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS OUT THERE ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THIS BUDGET.
WE HAVE THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGETS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK, THE SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 23RD.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS SOME NEED TO PUSH THAT BACK, WE'RE LOOKING AT JUNE 13TH AS THE LATEST TO GET SOMETHING APPROVED AND IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT REFLECTED AS OF JULY 5TH PAYCHECKS.
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WE ALSO HAVE SOME EXTRA TUESDAYS IN THERE IF NEEDED.OUR BUDGET PROCESS IS ALWAYS ONE THAT'S A BALANCING ACT.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT EXPENDITURES, WE HAVE RECURRING ITEMS, WE HAVE THOSE EXISTING ITEMS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE ITEMS EVERY YEAR THAT ARE MANDATORY, AND WE COMMONLY REFER TO THOSE AS OUR MOST ITEMS. THEN WE'LL GET MULTITUDE OF BUDGET REQUESTS FROM DEPARTMENTS, FROM SCHOOLS, FROM PROGRAMS THAT WE EVALUATE.
WE PROJECT COSTS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND SEE WHAT ABILITY WE HAVE TO MEET THOSE IN ADDITION TO, OF COURSE, BOARD PRIORITIES AND REQUEST THE ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES AND REQUESTS.
ON THE REVENUE SIDE, THINGS ARE A LITTLE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE ABILITY ON THE REVENUE SIDE, WE GET A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDING IN OUR GENERAL FUND FROM THE STATE.
A LOT OF THAT IS DRIVEN BY ENROLLMENT NUMBERS AND IT'S DRIVEN BY THE STATE'S BUDGET PROCESS.
WE TYPICALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE A STEP TO INCREASE REVENUE BY INCREASING PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, OPERATING MILLAGE.
BUT REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FLEXIBILITY ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THINGS.
THIS ITEM DOWN HERE, YOU'LL NOTICE THIS STROKE, OVER THE YEARS WE'VE USED SOME STATE FUNDS TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET.
THE STATE ALLOWED US TO FLEX MONEY SO MAYBE THESE WERE POTS OF MONEY.
THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE IN SOME OTHER MANNER TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET.
IN THE PAST, WE HAD AID TO DISTRICTS MONIES, WE HAD AT-RISK MONIES THAT WE WOULD FLEX TO OUR GENERAL FUND AND HELP US BALANCE IT.
WE DID THAT LAST YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE TWO PARTS ARE GONE.
LAST YEAR GOING INTO '22 '23 WAS OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO FLEX THOSE TO USE THOSE CARRYOVERS TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET.
THAT PLAYS A PART IN WHICH YOU WILL SEE TONIGHT.
THAT'S WHY I STRUCK, WE DO LIST FUND BALANCE THERE.
WE'VE ALWAYS CAUTION THE BOARD AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO ABOUT USING FUND BALANCE FOR RECURRING TYPE COST.
PERIODICALLY, IT HAS BEEN USED FOR SOME ONETIME TYPE ITEMS. WE'VE ALSO USED IT MID-YEAR FOR ONETIME TYPE ITEMS. AS WE'RE LOOKING AT '23, '24 BUDGET, THERE ARE SEVERAL MUST ITEMS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
EVERY YEAR WE HAVE STEP INCREASES FOR TEACHERS.
THE STATE REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE THE TEACHER SCALE INCREASE THAT WE HAD TO BE MINDFUL OF THE STATE LEGISLATURES, THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THEY ESTABLISH A MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO FOLLOW, AND EITHER MEET OR EXCEED IN RECENT YEARS AND THERE'S BEEN A NEWER FOCUS ON BUS DRIVER SALARIES IN THEIR STEP AND PAY INCREASES.
THAT'S A MUST THAT YOU HEAR WE HAVE STATE RETIREMENT INCREASES AND STATE HEALTH INCREASES, THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE IN THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE PARTICIPATE IN STATE RETIREMENT, STATE HEALTH.
THEY SET THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATES AND WE HAVE TO BUILD THOSE IN.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE, WE HAD TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW UNENCUMBERED TIME FOR OUR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD APPROVED LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH.
THE STAFFING OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH SOME ADDITIONAL BODIES TO HELP US MEET THAT COMPLIANCE IF HIGHLANDS SPRINGS IS OPENING NEXT YEAR, SO STAFFING AND RELATED COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE SHORTLY THAT THERE ARE SOME OTHER PARTS OF MONEY LIKE AID TO DISTRICTS, LIKE THE AT-RISK FUNDS THAT WENT AWAY LAST YEAR, THERE ARE OTHER POTS OF MONEY THAT ARE ROLLING INTO OUR GENERAL FUND THEY'LL NO LONGER EXIST.
WE LOOK AT STEP INCREASES FOR NON-TEACHERS HISTORICALLY AS THEY MUST EITHER, MAYBE THOUGH IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED BY OUR STATE.
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WE LOOK AT PAY INCREASES TOO.WE'VE CONSIDERED THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE COMING YEAR.
WE'VE LOOKED AT SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET REQUEST.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF OTHER BUDGET CHANGES IN THERE JUST BASED ON TRENDS.
THINGS THAT MAYBE WE HAVE LITTLE CONTROL OVER UTILITIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WE'VE ADJUSTED, STATE REVENUE CHANGES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED.
YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THIS ONE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WE HAVE A LACK OF FLEXIBILITY OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
BOARD MEMBERS MAY RECALL LAST YEAR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, I SAID WILL LIKELY START OFF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS IN THE WHOLE BECAUSE WE USED FUNDING FLEXIBILITY LAST YEAR TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET.
IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, WE'RE STARTING OFF IN THE HOLE, SO WE'RE DIGGING OURSELVES OUT BEFORE WE GET TO SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS.
LOOKING FORWARD AND WHILE THIS DOESN'T DIRECTLY IMPACT '23, '24, WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF ESSER AND IT ENDS SEPTEMBER 30 OF '24.
THERE MAY BE THINGS DURING THE CURRENT YEAR THAT ARE FUNDED BY ESSER, BY THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE WISH TO MAINTAIN.
WE'D HAVE TO BUILD IT EITHER INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR FIND SOME OTHER SOURCES A YEAR FROM NOW, SO I JUST WANT FOLKS TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT TOO, THAT THERE CAN BE SOME THINGS THAT WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT AS WE BUILD THE '23, '24 BUDGET THAT COULD BE MAINTAINED NEXT YEAR.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SIZE OF THIS.
I TRIED TO TAKE A SNIPPET OF THE STATE'S MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE.
THIS IS BASED ON THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
IT DIDN'T CHANGE IN THE SENATE VERSION.
THE KEY HERE IS THAT THIS PAST YEAR GOING INTO '22, '23, THE BACHELOR'S STEP 0 WAS A $40,000 MINIMUM SALARY FOR TEACHERS PER THE STATE.
EVERY SALE HERE AND WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT'S BY DEGREE AND BY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EVERY SALE HERE INCREASED $2,500 PER THE STATE.
ALSO NOTICE THAT IT IS A '23 STEP ZERO TO 23 STEP SCALE.
HOUSE PROVISO 1.3 HAS THIS LANGUAGE IN HERE, BUT THE HIGHLIGHTS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
IT SAYS, NO SCHOOL DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES ABOVE THE AMOUNT NECESSARY TO MEET THE STATEWIDE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE AS PRESCRIBED IN THIS ACT.
BASICALLY, WHAT IT MEANS IS IF YOU'RE AT THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE AMOUNT OR ABOVE IT, THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
NOW, IT'S NOT SAYING YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, BUT WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.
AQIN SEES IT IN EVERY CELL, AQIN ALSO GOES TO STEP 27, SO WHERE A ZERO THROUGH 27 STEP SCALE IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAS PUT IN PLACE AND WORK TOWARDS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO ADD TEACHER STEPS ON TOP OF THE SCALE, BECAUSE WE DO STILL HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF TEACHERS, LARGE NUMBER OF FTE THAT ARE TOPPED OUT ON OUR SCALE.
THE STATE ALSO CONSIDERS OTHER POSITIONS AS TEACHER LIGHT POSITIONS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THEM RECENTLY WHENEVER WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE SIGN-ON BONUSES WITH TEACHER CONTRACTS.
IN ADDITION TO THE 2,500 AND LOOKING AT THIS, AS WE STARTED TO BUILD THE BUDGET AT THE TEACHER SCALE, WE LOOKED AT RTC, THE OT, PT PAY SCALES, PSYCHOLOGISTS PAY SCALE, AND THE NURSE PAY SCALES.
BUS DRIVER PAY HAS BECOME THE HOT TOPIC OF LATE.
THERE'S ONE KEY DIFFERENCE HERE AND I'LL GET TO THAT MOMENTARILY.
BUT AS THE STATE LOOKED AT ITS MINIMUM BUS DRIVER PAY SCALE, THE DECISION WAS MADE IN THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET MAINTAINED IN
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THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION TO INCREASE IT BY 20% THE STATE MINIMUM.THE STATE'S MINIMUM SCALE WAS $9.12.
A 20% INQUIRIES TAKES IT TO $10.94.
STEP 0, THAT'S $1.82 INCREASE PER HOUR.
THIS IS WHERE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WITH OUR TEACHERS.
THE STATE HAS SAID WITH TEACHER SALARIES, IF YOUR SCALE IS ABOVE THE STATE MINIMUM, YOU AREN'T REQUIRED TO DO ANYTHING.
THE STATE HAS SAID WITH THE BUS DRIVER SCALE YOU DO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
EVEN IF YOUR SCALE IS HIGHER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO UP 20%, BUT WE HAVE TO AT LEAST GO UP THIS HOURLY RATE INCREASE PER OUR STEPS.
THAT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
BUS DRIVERS ALSO RECEIVE A STEP INCREASE IF ELIGIBLE, I THINK THEY HAVE TO DRIVE AS 151 DAYS DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, 151, 152 TO QUALIFY FOR STEP.
AIKEN SCALE, THE STATE SCALE, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT TOPS OUT AT 22 WERE 0-25 STEPS SCALE.
THIS SLIDE IS LIKELY A LITTLE BUSY BUT I WANTED TO SHOW A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON.
LAST YEAR THE BOARD APPROVED COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE FOR BUS DRIVERS.
IN SEPTEMBER THE BOARD ADDED $1 INCREASE TO THE BUS DRIVERS SCALE AND THAT WAS RETRO TO THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THEN WE WENT ANOTHER STEP BECAUSE OF A VARIETY OF SPECIAL ED SHORTAGES INCLUDING BUS DRIVERS, AIDS, ETC WHERE WE ADDED $1 TO ALL OF THE SPED HOURLY SCALES.
IN DOING SO WE CREATED A SEPARATE SPECIAL ED BUS DRIVERS SCALE FROM THE REGULAR BUS DRIVER SCALE.
OUR REGULAR BUS DRIVERS SCALE CURRENTLY STARTS OUT AT 15.54.
WE MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE STEP 0 BY 1.82, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF THE STATES 20% INCREASE.
THAT MEANS STEP 0 FOR BUS DRIVERS.
THAT'S THE BUS DRIVER WITH ZERO EXPERIENCE DRIVING WOULD HAVE $17.36 AS HIS OR HER STARTING PAY.
THE SPECIAL ED STARTED OFF $1 HIGHER, AGAIN, ADDING THE $1.82 INCREASE STARTING OFF FOR A SPECIAL ED BUS DRIVER WOULD BE $18.36.
BUT THE PERCENTAGE INCREASES HERE, THEY DO DECREASE GRADUALLY.
ON AVERAGE WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 11.5% INCREASE ON THE REGULAR BUS DRIVERS SCALE, AND IN THE 10.5 TO 11% INCREASE ON THE SPED BUS DRIVER SCALE.
FURTHERMORE AGAIN, THESE BUS DRIVERS QUALIFY FOR A STEP INCREASE.
AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAD A BUS DRIVER THIS YEAR WITH ZERO EXPERIENCE HE OR SHE DROVE 151, 152 DAYS EVERY DAY THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIES FOR A STEP INCREASE.
HE OR SHE WILL GO FROM 15.54 TO 17.63.
THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 13.45% INCREASE IN PAY JUST TO SHOW HOW THINGS TRACK HERE.
WHENEVER FOLKS PROGRESSIVE STEP IS A DIAGONAL MOVE, IT'S NOT STRAIGHT ACROSS.
OF COURSE THESE RATES APPLY TO OVERTIME AS WELL, TIME AND-A-HALF IF SOMEONE DRIVES EVERY 40 HOURS DURING A GIVEN WEEK.
THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL STEP AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE FOREIGN BECAUSE FOR YEARS
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WE'VE TOLD FOLKS AT SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AREN'T STATE EMPLOYEES.WE'VE HAD THOSE QUESTIONS OVER THE YEARS.
THE STATES DOING X FOR ITS EMPLOYEES DO WE GET THAT? NO. BECAUSE YOU ARE A SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEE WILL PARTICIPATE IN STATE RETIREMENT OR PARTICIPATE IN STATE HELP, BUT WERE NOT STATE EMPLOYEES.
BUT THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET INCLUDED THIS PROVISO WHERE TO ADDRESS SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS.
IN ADDITION TO THE INCREASE IN THE STATE MINIMUM BUS DRIVERS SCALED ALSO REQUIRES THAT WE INCLUDE $2,500 ADDITIONAL IF MEETING CERTAIN THRESHOLDS.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION.
THE HOUSE VERSION SAYS 83,000 OF CUTOFF.
IF SOMEONE MAKES LESS THAN THAT AS A BUS DRIVER, HE OR SHE GETS 2,500 ON TOP OF THE OTHER INCREASES.
THEY MAKE MORE THAN THAT, THEY GET AN ADDITIONAL 3% ON TOP OF IT.
SENATE FINANCE USES 50,000 AS A CUTOFF.
ANYONE BELOW 50,000 WILL GET 2,500, ANYONE ABOVE WILL GET 5% ON TOP OF IT.
BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENCES HERE AS THINGS PROGRESS DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A SITUATION WHERE IT LANDS HERE, IT LANDS HERE, OR SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN THOSE TWO.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON, BUT IT SEEMS IT IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THAT $2,500.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE PERCENTAGE, DIFFERENCE IS AT DOLLAR FIGURE, THAT'S THE CUTOFF THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRORATE THAT 2,500 IF SOMEONE WERE MOURNING ONLY OR AN AFTERNOON ONLY DRIVER.
WE'RE SEEKING CLARIFICATION IF WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRORATE IF SOMEONE DOESN'T DRIVE THE ENTIRE YEAR.
IF THEY START A THIRD OF THE YEAR THROUGH, HOW COULD WE TREAT THAT? I'M HOPING TO GET SOME ANSWERS LATER ON THIS MONTH, WE HAVE A FINANCE ROUNDTABLE THAT LAST WEDNESDAY AND APRIL, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME CLARIFICATION THERE BUT STILL THE STATE IS GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND THINGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE FLUID.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE PIECES TO THE BUS DRIVER PAY? YES, SIR.
>> I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF THEM DO NOW.
>> BUT ANYWAY A LOT OF DRIVERS, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, WORKED IN THE SCHOOL DURING THE DAY AND THEY [INAUDIBLE] DO YOU HAVE A DRIVER WORK ALL DAY OR [INAUDIBLE]?
>> NO, SIR. WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYEES.
SOMEONE MAY SERVE AS A CLASSROOM AID PART OF THE DAY.
THAT INDIVIDUAL'S PAID AT THE AID RATE DURING THAT TIME.
WHENEVER THE DAY ENDS, THEY'LL TRANSFER THEIR TIME TO THEIR BUS PAY RATE.
THEY WILL HAVE SEPARATE RATES AND THEN WE HAVE A BLENDED RATE THAT WE HAVE TO USE FOR DETERMINING OVERTIME IF THEY WORK OVER 40 HOURS BETWEEN THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
THIS JUST SHOWS A GRADUAL PROGRESSION OVER THE LAST 11 OR 12 YEARS IN STATE RETIREMENT.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE HERE, BUT IN 11, 12, THE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RIGHT INTO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM WAS 13.84%.
THE YEAR WE ARE IN, IT IS 23.81% AND IT IS GOING UP ONE PERCENTAGE POINT THIS NEXT YEAR TO 24.81%.
GOING FROM 23.81-24.81 IS ONE PERCENTAGE POINT, BUT IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF A FOUR PERCENT INCREASE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF SALARIES, IF WE HAD 100 MILLION IN SALARIES IN '23,
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IN THE CURRENT YEAR, WE'RE PAYING 23.81 MILLION INTO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.IF NOTHING CHANGED, WE HAD 100 MILLION IN SALARIES NEXT YEAR, WE'RE PAYING 24.81 MILLION INTO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT BEARING ON THIS BUDGET.
AS STEP INCREASES, A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS ON TOP OF THAT, AND THERE'S A LITTLE SNOWBALLING THERE OF SEVERAL THINGS HITTING US.
STATE HEALTH. WE MENTIONED LAST YEAR AND SHARED LAST YEAR FOR THOSE THAT WERE ON THE BOARD, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INQUIRIES COMING DOWN.
WHENEVER I SAW THIS NUMBER A YEAR AGO, I THOUGHT, THERE'S NO STINKING WAY THAT COULD BE RIGHT AND IT HAPPENS.
A YEAR AGO DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE HEARD THAT THE EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS WERE SLATED TO INCREASE 18.1%.
THE GOOD NEWS, IF THERE WAS ANY, WAS THAT HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASES GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1, SO WE ONLY GOT HALF OF THAT.
WE ONLY FELT HALF OF THAT DURING '22, '23, SO ABOUT A NINE PERCENT RATE INCREASE.
THIS COMING YEAR, WE'RE GETTING THE FULL EFFECT OF THAT 18% INCREASE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD TO PLAY HIM FOR 3.7% RATE INCREASE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR BECAUSE IT GOES INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1, WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INCREASE OF BASICALLY 1.85%.
THESE COSTS ARE ALSO IMPACTED BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDITIONAL HIRES, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE CHANGING ELECTION.
THIS THIS IS A MOVING TARGET, IT'S NOT EASY TO BUDGET FOR THAT.
IF EVERYTHING REMAIN THE SAME, WE CAN CALCULATE THOSE PERCENTAGE INCREASES, BUT WE'RE TAKING A HEAT LARGELY BECAUSE OF THIS, AS GETTING THE FULL BURN OF THAT DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BOOST IN HEALTH INSURANCE.
UNENCUMBERED TIME, THE LEGISLATION GOES INTO EFFECT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, OUR BOARD APPROVED ON SECOND READING A POLICY THAT WAS REQUIRED TO ADDRESS UNENCUMBERED TIME WITH NO ABILITY TO HANDLE THAT, TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WITH CURRENT STAFFING AND AS SUCH, IN LATE FEBRUARY, WE BROUGHT A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD FOR 1-2 POSITIONS PER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL.
OUR SMALLEST SCHOOLS ONLY QUALIFY FOR ONE POSITION, AND THOSE LARGER ONES WERE ELIGIBLE FOR A SECOND POSITION.
THE FIRST POSITION THAT ALL SCHOOLS QUALIFIED FOR IS TREATED AS A SAFETY MONITOR, IT'S 181 DAYS, EIGHT HOURS.
THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS, ALL BUT FOUR SCHOOLS MET THAT THRESHOLD WHERE THEY WERE ELIGIBLE FOR SECONDARY POSITION, SO 181 DAYS, SEVEN-AND-A-HALF HOURS.
SCHOOLS COULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THAT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING AND MAYBE A PARTIAL DAY IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION TYPE AID.
MAYBE ONE CREATIVE WAY THAT SCHOOLS WOULD USE THAT.
THE ESTIMATED COST ON THIS IS 1,266,000.
I MENTIONED ONE SAFETY MONITOR FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT NOW PROVIDES US WITH A SAFETY MONITOR AT EVERY ELEMENTARY, EVERY MIDDLE, EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT, AT LEAST ONE.
SOME HAVE TWO, SOME HAVE THREE, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL.
NO SPECIAL FUNDING, NO SPECIAL LINE ITEM OUTSIDE OF JUST THE NORMAL STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS FUNDED.
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THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET THAT WAS NEW TO US THIS YEAR.ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THESE POSITIONS IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT SOME ADDITIONAL SILVER LINING IN ADDITION TO THE 30 MINUTES UNENCUMBERED TIME, MAYBE A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN STAGGER SOME OF THESE POSITIONS TO HELP WITH THINGS LIKE MORNING OR AFTERNOON CAR LINE JUST TO TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL BURDEN OFF OF SOME OF OUR TEACHERS.
THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SILVER LINING.
WE MENTIONED DURING THE LAST BUDGET WORK STUDY IN JANUARY, JUST A BASELINE OF HIGHLAND SPRINGS' STAFF AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE REQUIRED REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
IN HERE YOU SEE THAT LIST, ALL THE WAY FROM THE PRINCIPAL DOWN TO CUSTODIANS.
I DIDN'T LIST SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ON HERE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE PAID FOR OUT OF OUR SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE FUND.
THE ESTIMATED COST OF THESE IS 1,278,000.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO FEEL A LOT OF THOSE POSITIONS, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
A LOT OF THE TEACHER ALLOCATION HAS FOLLOWED STUDENT COUNTS FROM THOSE AREA 2 AND AREA 3 MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOW FUNNELING INTO HIGHLAND SPRINGS.
BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME TEACHER ALLOCATIONS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY OR WEREN'T TIED TO THOSE STUDENT NUMBERS FOR INSTANCE.
ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO HAVE A FULL-TIME BAND TEACHER, SO WE HAD TO HIRE BAND REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL.
WE HAD TO HAVE PE REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE.
THOSE ARE SOME THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY TIED TO STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
MENTIONED STATE-FUNDED AND ROLL-UPS.
AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAVE THREE LINES OF STATE FUNDING THAT ARE ROLLING INTO STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS WHERE THE EEDA CAREER SPECIALIST, THE CURRENT YEAR FUNDING IS 943,000.
WE HAVE ELEMENTARY NURSE FUNDING, 800,000, AND STUDENT HEALTH AND FITNESS, 162,000.
NOW, I HAD SOMEONE ASKED ME RECENTLY, IT'S ROLLED INTO THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS. WHERE DO WE SEE THAT? HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S IN THERE? IT'S IN THERE, WE DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE.
IT IS ALL IN ONE POT, STATE AID TO CLASSROOM.
NO LONGER WILL THERE BE A LINE THAT SAYS, YOU'RE RECEIVING 800,000 OR 825,000 OR 600,000 FOR ELEMENTARY NURSES OR FOR CAREER SPECIALIST.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE PART OF THAT OVERALL ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE.
WITH THESE MOVES, WE HAVE FOLKS THAT WERE, THE ELEMENTARY NURSES, FOR INSTANCE, THEIR SALARIES WERE RECORDED IN THIS SEPARATE FUND.
BECAUSE THAT FUND NO LONGER EXIST, WE HAD TO MOVE THEM TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AS YOU LOOK AT SALARIES, AS YOU LOOK AT FRINGE, IT'S GOING TO APPEAR THAT, AND THERE IS A JUMP IN THAT NUMBER THERE, IS GOING TO BE BOOSTED BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO SHIFT FOLKS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN THIS POT, TRACT IN THIS POT IN THE PAST, THAT WILL NOW BE IN OUR GENERAL FUND.
I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO MENTION IT OUT LOUD.
LOOKING AT NON-TEACHER PAY INCREASES.
FIRST OFF, THE COST OF A STEP INCREASE IS 867,000.
THAT'S LOOKING AT CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A STEP INCREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY RAN THAT POSITION AS OF JANUARY 1.
THAT NUMBER COULD FLUCTUATE SOME DEPENDING ON ANY COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT 867,000.
DOESN'T INCLUDE BUS DRIVERS BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE STATE INCREASES.
THERE IS A LOT OF FOCUS DURING THE BOARD WORT STUDY IN JANUARY ON ALL EMPLOYEES,
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BUT SEVERAL MENTIONS OF HOURLY EMPLOYEES.TYPICALLY, WHENEVER I WOULD BRING A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT TO YOU FOR NON-TEACHERS, I WOULD PROVIDE THIS AMOUNT HERE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE FOCUS ON SOME OF THESE OTHER CATEGORIES, I WANTED TO BREAK IT OUT THIS TIME.
PER 1 PERCENT INCREASE FOR HOURLY EMPLOYEES, AGAIN EXCLUDING BUS DRIVERS, WE'RE LOOKING AT 330,000 FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES ON THE SALARY SCALE.
EXCLUDING THOSE TEACHER LIKE POSITION, NURSES, OTPT SYKES, WE'RE LOOKING AT 201,000.
THOSE OTHER POSITIONS WOULD BE ADDRESSED BY ANY CHANGES IN THE TEACHER SALARIES.
WE ALSO BROKE OUT WHAT THAT 1 PERCENT INCREASE WOULD BE ON ATHLETIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR, SUPPLEMENTS AND STIPENDS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
HISTORICALLY WHENEVER THERE'S BEEN A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, IT'S APPLIED TO THOSE LAST GROUP OF ITEMS AS WELL AS EVERYTHING HERE.
PER 1 PERCENT INCREASE IF WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING IN AGGREGATE, ABOUT 555,000.
THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET PRIORITIES WE HAD A NICE LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND CONSIDERED.
THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS THE ONE THAT THE BOARD SAID WAS ITS TOP PRIORITY AND THAT WAS OUR PRIMARY FOCUS AS WE LOOK AT BUILDING THE BUDGET.
I'LL GO THROUGH JUST A FEW OF THESE PAYING BRIEFS FOR HOURLY STAFF.
WE JUST MENTIONED SRO AT EVERY SCHOOL.
THAT'S MS. GASKINS IS WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GRADUALLY HAVE SROS IN EVERY SCHOOL AND WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT WITHOUT REPORTING THE LOCATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT, BUT IT IS A GRADUAL PROCESS WHERE IT MENTIONS ON A BUS TRACKING PROGRAM.
WE'LL BE UTILIZING A STATE FUNDED BUS TRACKING PROGRAM.
THERE WAS ONE THAT THE DISTRICT HAD PURCHASED IN THE PAST.
IT WAS PART OF OUR BUDGET AND IT'S NO LONGER BUDGETED FOR THE DISTRICT BECAUSE OF STATES COVERING IT.
THAT IS SOME EXPENDITURE THERE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO AVOID.
BUS DRIVER INCENTIVES WERE MENTIONED.
OF COURSE, I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY ADDRESSED BY THOSE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS SLIDES.
SPENDING SOME TIME ON ELEMENTARY PUPIL, TEACHER RATIOS.
THESE ARE THE CURRENT FORMULAS FOR 4K, WHERE CAPPED AT 21 THAT'S STATE LAW.
EACH OF THOSE CLASSES INCLUDES TEACHER AND AIDE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 33, 4K CLASSES THAT ARE SORT OUT.
THOSE ARE STATE FUNDED CLASSES, BUT STATE DOESN'T COMPLETELY FUND.
THE FUNDING THERE IS INSUFFICIENT.
OUR GENERAL FUND PICKS UP ANY SHORTFALL THERE.
KINDERGARTEN IS 25-1, THAT INCLUDES AN AIDE.
FIRST GRADE IS 16-1 AND THEN SECOND THROUGH FIFTH GRADES, ARE 23-1.
SOME SCHOOLS RECEIVE ADDITIONAL ALLOCATIONS.
THEY RECEIVE TITLE 2 ALLOCATIONS THAT CAN BE USED IN 1ST OR 2ND GRADE TO LOWER CLASS SIZES.
SCHOOLS HISTORICALLY HAVE USED HIGH TO $1 FOR CLASS AS REDUCTIONS TOO IN VARIOUS GRADES AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
I FORGOT ONE MORE SLIDE AND THEN I'M GOING TO HIT ON SOME NUMBERS, BUT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE THAT'S PLACED ON CLASS SIZES AND WE WANT TO SHOW YOU REAL NUMBERS THERE.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE SHOWING IS BASED ON PROJECTIONS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT HISTORICAL DATA.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THOSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT CURRENT NUMBERS, BUT IT'S NOT PERFECT.
THERE IS NO PERFECT PREDICTOR, IT'S JUST A BEST ESTIMATE.
HISTORICALLY WHENEVER WE LOOK AT PUPIL, TEACHER RATIOS,
[00:45:02]
WE LOOKED AT A RANGE AND I'LL USE 1ST GRADE FOR AN EXAMPLE.THE NUMBERS DON'T ALWAYS HIT PERFECTLY WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF 1ST GRADE STUDENTS IN THAT FORMULA.
WE WOULD OFTEN LOOK AT A RANGE IF IT'S IN THAT 14-18 RANGE OF PLUS 2 OR MINUS 2 STUDENTS, WE WERE GOOD.
BUT MOST OFTEN, WHENEVER THOSE AVERAGES FOR THE CLASS FOR THAT SCHOOL WE'RE GETTING TO THAT UPPER LEVEL, WE'RE ADDING A CLASS THERE.
IT WAS RARE THAT WE WERE AT THAT RANGE.
SOME OF OUR SMALL SCHOOLS THEY'RE LITTLE DIFFICULT, ONE STUDENT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER CAN CAUSE A TREMENDOUS SHIFT AND WE HAVE SEVERAL SMALL SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THAT SITUATION EVERY YEAR.
WE LOOK AT ALLOCATIONS FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH DURING THE SPRING EACH YEAR.
WITH MIDDLE AND HIGH, WE LOOK AT COURSE REQUESTS.
ELEMENTARY, WE LOOK AT PROJECTIONS, WE LOOK AT THE FORMULAS.
WE KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THOSE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT NUMBERS ARE WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE IN AND THEY'RE IN THE APPROPRIATE RANGE.
THIS YEAR AS WE BUILT THE BUDGET USING CURVES AND KNOWING THAT THE BOARD'S FOCUS WAS ON LOWER IN PUPIL, TEACHER RATIOS.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE COMING SLIDES THAT THE CURVES HAVE HELPED US ADDRESS SOME LOWER CLASS SIZES WITHOUT GOING INTO STEP FURTHER AND SAYING, ALL RIGHT, WE WANT TO REDUCE THE FORMULA TOO SO WE'LL SHOW YOU HERE.
WHAT I'VE LISTED IS EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR KINDERGARTEN, SIMPLY USING A CAP, NO CHANGE IN THE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO OF 25:1.
YOU SEE WHAT OUR CLASS AVERAGES ARE FOR EACH OF THESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
WE'RE NOT HITTING 25 EXCEPT IN THIS ONE CASE AND NOW I'LL TOUCH ON IT MOMENTARILY.
BUT AS WE LOOK AT GOING THROUGH HIM PROJECT AND WE'LL LOOK AT LABOR AND SAY IT WAS THIS APPROACH IN 25.
IT'S NOT UP THERE, BUT IF WE ADD A TEACHER WHERE IT'S 17.75 FOR THE CLASS AVERAGE.
IF WE LOOK AT CHUKKER IT IS GETTING CLOSE TO 25, WE'RE AT 19.4 FOR THE AVERAGE.
THAT WOULD DROP TO 18.8 FOR THE AVERAGE IF WE ADDED A CLASS.
IF WE ADD IT, WE'RE ALSO ADDING COST TO OUR BUDGET.
CLEARWATER IS A LITTLE UNIQUE.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTED FOR 50 AND THEY RIDE ON WITH TWO CLASSES.
I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO KINDERGARTEN CLASSES.
IF THEY ADDED A THIRD, THEY DROPPED TO 16 STUDENTS AND CHANGE ON AVERAGE.
THE REASON WHY GLOVERVILLE, WARRENVILLE, SPECIFICALLY ARE LOWER, IS BECAUSE THEY RIDE IN THAT SAME RANGE, BUT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THREE CLASSES.
WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THREE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE YEARS WHERE WE COULD PLAN ON THIS SCHOOL BEING AT 50 AND THEY COULD COME IN AT 46 AND EVERYTHING WOULD BE GOLDEN.
SOME OTHER YEARS WHERE WE'RE PLANNING ON 50 AND THEY COME IN AT 54 AND 55 AND WE NEED TO ADD SOMETHING.
THAT'S ONE OF THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE MONITOR.
NOW, AS WE MONITOR EVERY YEAR DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS, WE FIND SITUATIONS TOO WHERE WE COULD USE AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER IN KINDERGARTEN ON FIRST GRADE.
WE'RE OVER IN THIS OTHER GRADE AND WE'RE SHIFTING PEOPLE AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO THAT IT OFTEN TAKES PLACE AND WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THESE SITUATIONS WITHIN THE BUILDING DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
[00:50:03]
JUST AS WE GO THROUGH KINDERGARTEN BECAUSE OF THE AGE SITUATION, ANY CLASS THAT WE'RE ADDING, WE'RE LOOKING AT $130,000 INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE REAL MINDFUL OF THAT.
FIRST GRADE, THE RATIO IS 16:1.
VERY SMALL CLASS SIZES COMPARED TO THAT, OF COURSE, NOTHING HIDDEN 16 BECAUSE IT'S KEPT.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT RS-M AND GREENDALE IS A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE 48 STUDENTS, IF THREE CLASSES SO THEY'RE RIDE ON THAT 16.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THERE WERE SOME SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE A TITLE TO ALLOCATION IN FIRST GRADE OR SECOND GRADE.
THEY'RE USING THE TITLE TO ALLOCATION TO DECREASE THAT TO 12, LET'S SAY GREENDALE.
THEY REQUIRE FIVE CLASSES BECAUSE OF THE CAP.
BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE AT 18 IF THEY ONLY HAD FOUR CLASSES SO WE HAD FIVE CLASSES THERE.
THEY'RE ALSO USED IN A TITLE TO FUND IT ALLOCATION TO GET THEM DOWN TO AN AVERAGE OF 12.
MILL BROOK, A SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE PROJECTED FOR 97 STUDENTS.
IF THEY HAD 96, WE COULD GET BY WITH A CAP, SIX CLASSROOMS, AN AVERAGE OF 16 STUDENTS.
BUT BECAUSE WE'RE STICKING TO THAT CAP, WE'VE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL CLASS THAT DROPS IT TO 13.86 FOR AN AVERAGE IN FIRST GRADE AT MILL BROOK.
AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH, JUST PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH THE CAP HERE AND WE'RE SEEING SOME PRETTY SMALL NUMBERS.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WITH PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO.
SECOND GRADE, 23:1, SOME SMALL NUMBERS.
WARRENVILLE IS A SITUATION WHERE IF WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL CLASS, I WOULD DRIVE TO 17.25.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE SMALL SCHOOL SITUATIONS.
THIRD GRADE, 23:1, REDCLIFFE, IF THEY ADDED AN ADDITIONAL WOULD BE AT 18:1.
JEFFERSON WOULD BE AT 17.4, MOSSY WOULD BE AT 18.7.
SOME OF THESE NUMBERS FOLKS MIGHT SAY IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN I'D LIKE, BUT THE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE IS MAYBE ARBITRARILY MAKING CHANGES AND NOT FOLLOWING A FORMULA.
BECAUSE WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SUPPLANTING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE FORMULAS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
I WANT TO KEEP IN MIND TOO, THAT THESE NUMBERS CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR AS ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS CHANGE SO THIS IS AN EVERY YEAR PROCESS.
FOURTH-GRADE AIKEN EL, SAY 22.75.
IF THEY ADDED ONE, THEY WOULDN'T BE AT 18.20.
CORBETT, 22.33, SO JUST BELOW THAT 23.
BUT THEY WOULD BE AT 16.75 IF THEY ADDED AN ADDITIONAL CLASS.
ADDING ONE CLASS COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
GREENDALE SITUATION WHERE THEY CURRENTLY AVERAGE 23.
IF WE ADDED ONE, THEY WOULD BE AT 15.33.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS.
IF THERE WERE CHANGES TO THAT, WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE AS FAR AS NUMBER OF TEACHERS, NOT TO SAY SAY THE COST.
IF WE DRAW UP KINDERGARTEN FROM 25-1 TO A 20-1 RATIO,
[00:55:06]
WE WOULD LOOK AT ADDING 16 CLASSROOMS WITH THE TEACHER AND AID AT A COST OF 1.2 MILLION.SECOND AND THIRD GRADE AT BOTH OF THOSE DROPPED 23-1 TO 20-1, WOULD BE ADDING 8 CLASSROOMS AND 13 CLASSROOMS AT A COST OF ABOUT 1.8 MILLION AND IT MIGHT LOOK ODD BECAUSE BOTH ARE GOING FROM 23, BOTH ARE GOING DOWN TO 20.
ONE'S ADDING 8, ONE'S ADDING 13, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE CIRCUMSTANCES COULD CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, IT'S HOW THE NUMBERS ARE HITTING IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
WE COULD ALSO, IF WE WERE TO DROP THESE AND KNOWING THAT THE NUMBERS AREN'T WORKING OUT PERFECTLY MATH-WISE, WHERE YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HIT ON THIS CLASS AVERAGE, WE COULD BE CREATING ISSUES WHERE IN THE PAST WE'D USE TITLE 1 DOLLARS TO ASSIST WITH CLASS SIZE REDUCTIONS.
WE MAY HAVE SUPPLANTING ISSUES WHERE WE'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO USE TITLE 1 DOLLARS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
I SKIPPED THIS PART BUT HOPEFULLY WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE CAN ADDRESS A LOT OF THE CLASS SIZE ISSUES, THE CONCERNS, AND HAVE SMALLER CLASS SIZES WITH CAP BEING ALONE.
BUT EVEN WITH A CAP, IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE IT OPEN-ENDED, SO THERE WERE SITUATIONS AND WE BUDGED IT BASED ON THE CAP, WE HAVEN'T BUDGETED WITH A DECREASE IN PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS.
BUT IF WE GET TO THE MIDPOINT OF THE YEAR AND ONE SCHOOL WAS TEETERING ON WHETHER OR NOT TO GET AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER OR NOT, ONE STUDENT PUTS YOU OVER.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WHEREVER THE CAP IN NOVEMBER, WE WANT TO ADD A THIRD CLASS.
NOW, WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT UP THESE CLASSROOMS. I DON'T THINK WE WOULD WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE.
SETTING SOME "HARD DATE" AND SAYING, THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE WANT TO MONITOR AND WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE HIT THE CAP AS OF THIS DATE AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THINGS DURING THE YEAR, BUT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADD ANYTHING.
NOW, WE HAVE A FEW SCHOOLS THAT WE COME BACK FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK AND SOME FAMILIES HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA AND THEY SEE A NICE LITTLE BUMP AND ENROLL IN JANUARY AND THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE HAD TO ADD CLASSES ON OCCASION.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT, BUT I'M NOT SURE WE WANT TO PUT OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE AFTER A CERTAIN POINT, WE SAY, NO MATTER WHAT, WE'RE ADDING A CLASS, IF WE SEE DECKS NUMBER.
>> BEFORE WE LEAVE THAT SLIDE, MY QUESTION IS, ON AVERAGE, HOW MUCH TITLE 1 FUNDS DOES AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN AIKEN COUNTY HAVE? I KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO VARY.
I'M LOOKING AT YOUR THIRD BURGER DOT AND I'M JUST THINKING, I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW FOR SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY AREA, IT DOESN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH.
YOU COULDN'T HIRE A LOT OF TEACHERS WITH THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE, SO WHAT'S YOUR AVERAGE TITLE 1 FUNDING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
>> IF WE COULD GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.
>> JUST EMAIL ME AND THE BOARD, PLEASE..
>> WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ON AVERAGE, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DON'T GET A LOT IN FACT.
IT IS DEPENDENT ON THE AMOUNT THAT EACH SCHOOL HAS, OF COURSE IS DEPENDENT STUDENTS ALLOCATION BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON PER PUPIL RATIOS OR PER PUPIL ALLOCATIONS, I SHOULD SAY.
BUT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IF IT'S SMALLER, OF COURSE YOU WON'T HAVE IT VERY MUCH.
I WAS JUST TALKING TO A HIGH-SCHOOL TODAY THAT USES ALMOST EVERY PENNY THEY HAVE FOR TWO TEACHER ALLOCATIONS.
WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT, IT'S ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, SO YOU ONLY GET ONE OR TWO AT THE MOST FOR EACH AND THAT WOULD CONSUME ALL OF THE TITLE 1 MONEY.
BUT I CAN GET YOU EXACT NUMBERS PER SCHOOL AND I'LL DO THAT FOR YOU.
>> WELL, I DON'T HAVE FY '24 NUMBERS.
I DO HAVE '23, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THAT
[01:00:02]
200,000 RANGE OWNED DOWN TO SOME THAT ARE MUCH LESS THAN 100,000. IT DOES BEAR.>> SOME OF THE SCHOOLS, YOU COULDN'T EVEN HIRE A FULL-TIME TEACHER WITH IT.
>> YOU WOULD BE EXTREMELY PRESSED TO HIRE A FULL-TIME TEACHER AT SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
>> APPRECIATE YOUR PHONE UP AND GETTING THE EXACT NUMBERS TO US AND I APPRECIATE THE ROUGH ESTIMATE FROM WHAT YOU'VE GOT THERE, MR. TRAXLER.
I THINK MR. SALAS HAD A COMMENT OR A QUESTION.
>> QUESTION. MR. TRAXLER, I BELIEVE UNDERSTOOD YOU TO SAY YOUR BUDGET CURRENTLY INCLUDES THIS HARD CAP STRATEGY?
>> IS THERE ALSO SOME CONTINGENCY BUILT-IN FOR THESE POSSIBLE CHANGES THAT ADD A CLASS HERE OR THERE THAT YOU MENTIONED COULD HAPPEN OR IS THAT GOING?
>> IT'S DIFFICULT TO BUDGET FOR THAT BECAUSE, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THINGS OUT WITHIN A SCHOOL.
SO AGAIN, A SITUATION WHERE WE MAY FIND THAT WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER IN SECOND GRADE, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE A THIRD GRADE TEACHER FROM WITHIN THE SAME SCHOOL TO THAT SECOND GRADE.
WE LOOK AND SAY, WE HAVE A SCHOOL WHO IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER PROJECTIONS FROM WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE AT FOR WHATEVER REASON.
WE HAVE THIS OTHER SCHOOL THAT IS OVER, THEY NEED TEACHERS.
THIS SCHOOL HAS TEACHERS THAT IT COULD PROVIDE, AND WE'VE MOVED TEACHERS IN-BETWEEN SCHOOLS.
MOST OFTEN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS IT IN THAT MANNER WITHOUT HAVING TO ADD ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.
>> JUST BASED ON HISTORY, THEN YOU'RE HEDGING YOUR BETS THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO BUDGET FOR WHAT? WAS IT $130,000 HIT PER CLASSES, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING?
>> TYPICALLY WHERE WE MAY FIND ISSUES IS IF WE HAVE TO ADD A KINDERGARTEN CLASS AND MAYBE IT'S SOMEBODY MOVING FROM FIRST GRADE TO KINDERGARTEN.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO ADD IT IN AID ALLOCATION.
BUT MOST OFTEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THOSE SHIFTS OUT WITHIN A SCHOOL OR WITHIN AN AREA BETWEEN SCHOOLS.
>> SHOULDN'T BE ENOUGH DISTRESS ANYTHING THEN. THANK YOU.
>> NO, SIR. THERE ARE SO MANY VACANCIES RIGHT NOW AS WE DO ANY TIME OF YEAR.
WE WERE ESTIMATING WHAT THE SALARY AND WHAT THE FRINGE COST WILL BE, THE INSURANCE FOR THESE POSITIONS TOO.
HISTORICALLY, IT COULD GO EITHER WAY.
BUT WE'VE FOUND IN RECENT YEARS WE'RE ABLE TO WORK IT OUT WITHIN THE CURRENT ALLOCATIONS, JUST SHIFTING WITHIN THE SCHOOL OR BETWEEN SCHOOLS.
>> I MAY HAVE THE ORDER WRONG, BUT DR. HANKS AND THEN DR. BRADLEY.
>> MINE IS JUST A QUICK QUESTION, MR. TRAXLER.
SO THE CAP THAT WE'RE REFERENCING, THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN PLACE IN THAT STATE MANDATED, CORRECT?
>> THE STATEMENT DATE IS JUST FOR THE 4K.
WE'RE WELL BELOW THE STATE CLASS SIZE MAXES.
FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THE CAT THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO IS JUST WHERE THE BOARD HAD DISCUSSIONS FEW MONTHS BACK AND SAY, WHATEVER WE SAY THAT NUMBER IS, WE DON'T WANT IT TO GO ABOVE THIS AMOUNT.
>> OKAY. I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE INTO CAP, OBSERVE OR SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND SHIFT MODE.
>> YES, MA'AM, AND THAT'S HOW WE BUILT THE BUDGET TO THIS POINT.
CAP NET AND LOOKING AT THE CLASS SIZE AVERAGES AND SEE WHERE WE HAVE SOME NICE LOW NUMBERS, EVEN WITH THAT CAP.
>> I THINK THE CAMP WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO SAY THAT THE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO AS IT EXIST, WHICH IS WHAT WOULD BE CAPPED, IS HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE.
WHEN I MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION, I RECOMMENDED THAT WE'D ENGAGE IN REDUCING THE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIO AND CAPPING IT.
I REALIZE THAT THAT'S A FINANCIAL IMPOSSIBILITY RIGHT NOW.
[01:05:05]
BUT I DO THINK CAPPING IT IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD.BUT WHAT SCARES ME ABOUT DOING IT AT THE CURRENT LEVEL IS THAT I CAN SEE A SLIPPING ONE-CHILD HERE, ONE-CHILD THERE, AND THE NEXT THING WE'RE PRETTY WELL OUT OF BALANCE.
I DON'T THINK THE TOLERANCE IS SO GOOD THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO MUCH OF THAT. I AGREE WITH MR. TRACKS THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO SET THE DROP-DEAD DATE, WHICH THE COUNTY DAY IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE.
EXCEPT I WOULD BUILD IN A CONTINGENCY THAT IF IT GOT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE LARGER OR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STUDENTS LARGER, THAT WE HAVE A POOL, MAYBE MAKE IT PART OF THE GENERAL FUND BUT AGREED THAT WE WILL TAKE MONEY OUT OF THAT GENERAL FUND TO ADD A TEACHER DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IF NECESSARY.
I COULD SAY SOME SHIFTS IN POPULATION WHERE YOU MIGHT END UP WITH TEN EXTRA KIDS IN A TWO-CLASS SCHOOL.
IF YOU GO OUT THROUGH A RAY THREE, OF COURSE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THEY'VE GOT LOW NUMBERS NOW, BUT NOT WHERE THE GROWTH IS.
I CAN SAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE MOVING INTO A BUILDING.
I DROVE BY THAT DAY ON THE WAY TO ADJUST IT.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW THEY'RE BUILDING BUILDINGS DOWN THERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S GOING UP OVERNIGHT.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME PROVISION IN THERE WHERE WE COULD, SAY IF WE KEPT THE FIRST GRADE CLASS AT WHAT IS IT? 16?
>> WE ENDED UP OVER A GRADUAL INCREASE WHEN IT GOT TO 25 OR 22 OR SOME NUMBER THEN I THINK WE OUGHT TO SAY THIS IS THE SUPER CAP AND WE DO HAVE TO DO IT.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT AT THAT POINT BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE IN SOME OF THESE AREAS WHERE WE'RE GOING.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY GUIDE SO THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE ANY GROWTH WHEN I SEE ALL THESE HOUSES COME ON. [LAUGHTER].
>> IT DEFIES LOGIC THAT TO SAY THAT.
MY POINT BEING IS THAT IF WE DO AGREE TO CAP, TO GO WITH PROJECTIONS THAT ARE CAPPED HERE, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY PROVISO SOMETHING IN THERE WHERE IF WE REACH A CERTAIN POINT, WE STOP ON DROP DEAD DATE AT THE CAP.
THAT NEED TO BE KEPT. AND THEN IF THE NEXT DAY OR A WEEK LATER WE HAVE ONE MORE KID COME IN OR SOMETHING OKAY, BUT IF WE GET FIVE OR WHATEVER NUMBER WE AGREE ON THAT COME IN, THEN WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT AND I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT NOW SO WE CAN SET ASIDE A LITTLE MONEY.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'D BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT, BUT SO SAD SOMEBODY IN THE GENERAL FUND SO THAT WE COULD PULL IT OUT WITHOUT A BUNCH OF OREGON AND MAYBE RAISING KANE AND ALL THAT STUFF BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TAKING MONEY OUT THE GENERAL FUND.
BUT I DON'T WANT US TO THINK WE FIXED THE PROBLEM IF WE DO THIS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE, ALL WE'RE DOING IS ENFORCING THE RATIOS THAT ARE ALREADY TOO BIG.
THEY JUST KEEPING THEM FROM GETTING BIGGER.
>> I AGREE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING THAT YOU DID ALREADY SAY.
BUT IT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BECAUSE OF THE RATIO OF LIKE 25 TO ONE IN KINDERGARTEN IF WE KEPT THAT.
I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS OUT THERE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE HAD A CLASS OF 26, 27, 28 STUDENTS.
AND YOU MAY NOT THINK SO, BUT IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IF YOU COULD TELL ME.
>> SO YOU'RE RIGHT. I CAN REMEMBER, IS THAT THE TENTH DAY OF SCHOOL BUT THERE YOU GO.
IF WE KNOW EVERYBODY'S AT THE CAP OR BELOW, THAT'S A GOOD START.
BUT I LIKE YOUR SUGGESTION, DR. BRADLEY, THAT IF THINGS GET WAY OUT OF WHACK, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TROUBLE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
BUT WE HAD TRIED TO DO SOMETHING.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE EDITORIAL REMARK AND THEN I'LL SHUT UP.
I THINK WE'RE REACHING A POINT AND WE'LL FIND OUT IN A FEW MINUTES WHEN WE GET TO THE BOTTOM LINES.
BUT I THINK WE'RE COMING UP ON A TIME THAT I EXPERIENCED BEFORE 30 SAME YEARS IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHERE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE PROGRAMS IN COMPETITION NOW? WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING.
ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS LOOK AT THE LIST THAT THE BOARD GENERATED A MONTH, SO AGO AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START LOOKING AT PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN EXISTENCE PERHAPS, AND TRYING TO SAY WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT, WHAT IS OUR PRIORITY? TO ME OUR PRIORITY IS TO TEACH KIDS TO REWRITE, COMPUTE, AND THINK.
[01:10:03]
I THINK THAT WE DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT WITH THE RESEARCH INDICATES ONE TO 15 IS PRETTY WELL.AFTER THAT, THINGS START TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IT'S NOT TOO IMPORTANT UNTIL YOU GET TO THAT AT 15 NUMBER.
BUT YOU GOT TO GET THE 22 BEFORE YOU CAN GET TO 15.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO START PREPARING OUR MINDS AND DELIBERATIONS HERE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD A POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS AND I HAVE TO CUT PROGRAMS WHATEVER WE CERTAINLY NEED TO JUSTIFY IN A NEW PROGRAM.
I'D PROBABLY HEARD SOME FEELINGS IN LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN I WENT ON AND ON ABOUT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM.
AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE THE SUMMIT PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST THAT I THINK THAT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT ADDING ON MORE PROGRAMS AND MORE MONEY, WE BETTER LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE GOT TO KEEP TO DO OUR PART EMISSION AND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF NEEDS.
WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OUR NEEDS.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE.
THAT'S ENOUGH SAID. THANK YOU.
>> THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I CAN SAY TO THAT.
THANK YOU, SIR. MR. TRACKS, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, SO PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS A GOOD SEGUE TO THIS NEXT SLIDE.
SO I LOOKED AT A FEW EXAMPLES OF IF WE HAD THE CAP IN PLACE AND IF PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS WERE LOWERED IN THIRD GRADE IN THIS EXAMPLE, WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE.
SO CURRENTLY 23: 1 IF WE LOWERED IT TO 20:1 AT MILL BROOK, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ONE STUDENT OVER SEVEN TEACHERS WE WOULD BE ADDING AN EIGHTH, THE AVERAGE WILL GO TO 17.63.
GRANITE VILLE, CURRENTLY 21 WITH THREE TEACHERS.
IF WE IMPLEMENTED THE CAP AT 20, WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER DROPS TO 15.75.
GREEN DALE, WE'RE CURRENTLY OVER BY ONE STUDENT WITH TWO TEACHERS, WE WOULD ADD A THIRD WITH THAT HARD CAP AVERAGING 13.67.
IN SOME SCHOOLS, CLASSROOM SPACE ISN'T GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
IN SOME SCHOOLS, IT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
WE GET INTO OTHER BUDGET PRIORITIES AND REQUESTS.
THIS IS A PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW WE ASK SCHOOLS, WEST DEPARTMENTS, AND PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE THEIR BUDGET REQUESTS VIA SURVEY.
OFTENTIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, IS NARRATIVE FORM.
THERE AREN'T DOLLAR FIGURES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT WE RUN COST ESTIMATES TO THE BEST VIABILITY AND LIST THOSE, WE DISCUSS IT IN CABINET WORK TO PRIORITIZE THOSE ITEMS. DR. BRADLEY SAID A MOMENT AGO, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER ALL OF THE REQUESTS THE BOARD REQUEST OR ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS, BUT WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND AT LEAST CONSIDER.
THE TOP PART IS THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR HOURLY AND SALARY EMPLOYEES.
WE'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON THAT.
SOME AMONG THE BOARD REQUEST, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER ITEMS LISTED HERE ESTIMATED COST IS 6.4 MILLION.
WE PROVIDED THE BOARD A LISTING OF THOSE VARIOUS SCHOOL DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAM REQUEST.
SEND YOUR PURPLE FOLDER WITH COST ESTIMATES.
AS WE'VE WORKED TO DRAFT THE BUDGET, WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THE REVENUE SIDE, WE WERE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
WE LOOK AT GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE, NOT AN INCREASE IN OPERATING MILEAGE.
THE LAST TIME THAT WE INCREASED OPERATING MILLAGE WAS THE 2013, 2014 SCHOOL YEARS SO GOING ON 10 YEARS.
WE INCREASED PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE COUNTY WHERE THEY'VE NEGOTIATED ARRANGEMENTS WITH A VARIETY OF COMPANIES THAT HAVE LOCATED IN OUR DISTRICT.
BASED ON THAT TREND THERE WE BUMPED UP THAT REVENUE.
[01:15:01]
WE HAVE STATE REVENUE, ADDITIONAL STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS. NOW THE STATE GIVES IT TO US IN TWO LINE ITEMS. THEY GIVE IT TO US FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND AND I'LL SHOW YOU A LINE ITEM MOMENTARILY FREE IT.BUT THEY ALSO HAVE MONEY COMING FROM THE STATES EIA FUND THAT FUNNELS INTO OUR GENERAL FUND TOO BUT YOU'LL SEE TWO SEPARATE LINE ITEMS AND THAT INCREASE.
WE HAD AN INCREASE IN THE STATE RETIREMENT ALLOCATION.
WE ESTIMATED THE INCREASE IN BUS DRIVERS' SALARIES FOR THAT 20% INCREASE IN THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE PLUS $2,500.
WE'RE STILL AWAITING A GOOD NUMBER ON THAT, 388 ALLOCATION GOES UP EVERY YEAR WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE AND THEY PROVIDE AND IT SAYS THIS IS THIS YEAR'S ALLOCATION, THIS IS NEXT YEAR'S ALLOCATION, AND YOU'RE PROJECTED TO RECEIVE THAT.
WE'VE BUILT THAT INTO THE BUDGET AND AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE FLICKS FUNDING.
THIS IS SIMPLY A DRAFT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
AGAIN, THE BUILDING IN AN INCREASE HERE FOR GROWTH AND THE TAX BASE LOOKING AT WHAT COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE TREND HERE, PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAX, WE BUILT IN AN INCREASE IN INTEREST REVENUE.
THIS LINE ITEM FROM THE STATE, WE'RE LOOKING AT 5.4 MILLION, THAT'S STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS, SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS 667,000 IS THE ESTIMATED INCREASE THAT I'M LOOKING AT, AGAIN THIS IS BOLDED BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M CONTINUING TO WATCH.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET SOME GOOD INFO ON THAT SOON.
THIS IS OUR ACT 388 ALLOCATION, SO 2.9 MILLION.
I MENTIONED THE SECOND LINE ITEM, STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS FROM THE EIA.
THAT'S 19 MILLION SO BETWEEN THAT STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS AND THIS ONE WERE 115-ISH.
LAST YEAR, WE USED THIS TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET ZERO NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE NO FLAGS, NO FLEXIBILITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE TO BE 244.8 MILLION FROM 229.7.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT THE NURSE FUNDING, THE CAREER SPECIALIST FUNDING, THE HEALTH AND FITNESS FUNDING THOSE HAVE ROLLED UP AND THEN WE HAD INCREASES FROM THE STATE.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT EXPENDITURES, BUILT-IN A STEP INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES? SAY A $2,500 INCREASE IN EACH CELL ON THE TEACHER SCALE, JROTC, OT, PT, NURSE PSYCH PAY SCALES.
WE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE BUS DRIVER PAY SCALE INCREASES, THE RETIREMENT INCREASE, HEALTH INCREASE.
WE SHIFTED ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE IN THOSE FUNDS THAT WILL NO LONGER LISTED, NO LONGER EXIST INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE LOOKED AT STAFFING ALLOCATION SO AS WE HAD THOSE MEETINGS WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AS WE LOOKED AT BLOCK SCHEDULING, WHAT THE STAFFING ALLOCATIONS WERE THERE, BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
AGAIN, USING THAT CAP FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
BUT A VARIETY OF SHORTFALLS THAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY ABSORBED IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND WE'VE DONE SO AGAIN WITH OUR 4K FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND READING COACHES, WE HAD THE NEW POSITIONS FOR UNENCUMBERED TIME.
WE HAD HIGHLANDS SPRINGS TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET.
WE HAD INCREASES FOR WORKERS COMP PROPERTY INSURANCE.
WE BUILT IN A $75,000 INCREASE IN JANITORIAL SUPPLIES.
THE REQUEST WAS FOR MORE AND IT'S LISTED, BUT WE WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE WITHOUT 75,000 WAS A GOOD START.
WE HAVE A DEBT SERVICE LINE IN THERE WHERE WE HAD TO PAY DEBT SERVICE ON THE ABM PROJECT THAT COMMENCED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
WE BUILT THAT INCREASE IN AND THEN THERE ARE SOME SMALLER CHANGES IN THERE.
SOME OF IT JUST SHIFTS BETWEEN ONE LINE TO ANOTHER.
[01:20:07]
AGAIN, A DRAFT VERSION OF THE BUDGET.OUR PROJECTED EXPENDITURES RIGHT NOW BASED ON ALL OF THE ITEMS I JUST MENTIONED ARE 245.3 MILLION.
BASED ON THIS DRAFT, IT'S AN APPROXIMATE SHORTFALL OF 525,000. KEY TAKEAWAYS.
THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE A COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT AT THIS POINT FOR NON TEACHERS, IT INCLUDES A STEP INCREASE.
TEACHERS, THOSE TEACHER LIGHT POSITIONS, BUS DRIVERS RECEIVED THOSE OTHER INCREASES.
OTHER GROUPS OF NON TEACHER EMPLOYEES, IT INCLUDES A STEP ONLY.
STEP INCREASES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES.
IT'S 2% INCREMENTS FOR HOURLY EMPLOYEES GOING FROM ONE STEP TO ANOTHER AS 1.5% FOR SALARY EMPLOYEES.
IF YOU'RE AN EMPLOYEE THAT WAS HIRED AN HOURLY EMPLOYEE, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WAS HIRED IN FEBRUARY, YOU DON'T QUALIFY FOR STEP.
THIS PERSON'S HOURLY RATE WOULD BE UNCHANGED NEXT YEAR IF THERE IS NO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
WE DIDN'T ADD A STEP TO THE TOP OF THE TEACHER SCALE.
THIS DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD OR ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES, WE'RE ALREADY 525,000 IN THE WHOLE.
WE HAVE OPTIONS AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO DISCUSS THOSE.
BUT TO THIS POINT, IT'S REALLY A BARE-BONES BUDGET.
OPTIONS, AND IT WAS TOUCHED ON A FEW MINUTES AGO.
WE CAN LOOK AT PROGRAMS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE MAY ALREADY BE DOING.
ARE THERE SOME REDUCTIONS ARE THERE SOME REVISIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO THOSE PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN ELIMINATE SOME COST AND USE THOSE TO ADDRESS OTHER NEEDS? WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AND EXPLORE THOSE.
WE CAN KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING.
OF COURSE, WE'RE MONITORING THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS, IT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
BUT IF THE SENATE VERSION CLOSELY MIRRORS THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION, I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
THERE. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE CHANGE AS FAR AS EDUCATIONAL FUNDING FROM THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET TO THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
THIS LAST ONE WE TAUGHT LAST YEAR AT LENGTH ABOUT THE NEW STATE FUNDING FORMULA AND WE'RE AT ITS MERCY.
OUR FUNDING LEVELS AREN'T GOING TO BE BASED JUST ON WHAT ITEMS IN AIKEN, IT'S GOING TO BE ANY CHANGES THAT WE HAVE ARE GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.
LAST YEAR'S ESTIMATE THAT THE STATE GAVE US BASED ON OUR 135TH DAY NUMBERS WERE USED FOR PRELIMINARY FUNDING THIS YEAR.
AIKEN'S ENROLLMENT NUMBERS WENT UP AT THE 45TH DAY.
HISTORICALLY, WE WOULD SEE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASE OF A COUPLE OF HUNDRED STUDENTS.
INSTEAD, AIKEN WAS ONE OF 13 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHOSE ENROLLMENT WENT UP AND WHO'S BLENDING WENT DOWN.
LUCKILY, WE ONLY LOST 57,000, I BELIEVE 57,000 58,000.
IT'S RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO SOME OTHER DISTRICTS.
BUT WE WERE ONE OF 13 WHOSE ENROLLMENT WENT UP, WHO STAYED AID TO CLASSROOMS, FUNDING WENT DOWN.
WE'RE THE SLICE AND NOT THE PIE NOW.
WE'VE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE EXCEED THE STATE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THAT EXCEEDS THOSE SCALES HAVE THE OPTION TO GO UP WHATEVER AMOUNT IT CHOOSES.
[01:25:05]
WE BUILT THIS BUDGET.WE DRAFTED IT BASED ON 2,500, BUT WE AREN'T REQUIRED TO GO UP 2,500.
IF WE LOOK AT A $500 REDUCTION PER CELL.
INSTEAD OF INCREASING 2,500 USING 2,000 FOR EACH OF THOSE SALES, THE SALARY AND FRINGE SAVINGS IS APPROXIMATELY 1,145,000.
WE MAY LOSE SOME COMPETITIVENESS, BUT ANY SAVINGS THERE COULD HELP US WITH THE SHORTFALL AND ADDRESS SOME OF THESE OTHER PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
ALSO WANT TO MENTION TOO THAT THE BOARD DID APPROVE THAT $1000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR TEACHERS IN MAY THAT SIGN THEIR CONTRACT.
I FAILED TO MENTION THAT TO THIS POINT.
THAT LAST TAX INCREASE, 2013, 2014.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT TAX INCREASES YEARS AGO, SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVED A PERCENTAGE.
IT COULD GO UP IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT CHOSE NOT TO GO UP ANY OR ONLY GO UP A FRACTION, IT WAS A USE IT OR LOSE IT PROPOSITION.
YOU EITHER WENT UP OR DIDN'T GO UP OR USE SOME OF IT, BUT THAT WAS JUST FOR THAT YEAR ONLY.
SEVERAL YEARS BACK, LEGISLATION PASSED THAT SAID YOU COULD USE THIS YEAR'S TAX INCREASE AND GO BACK THREE YEARS IF YOU HAD NOT USED IT TO RECAPTURE IT.
IT WASN'T A ONE-YEAR USE IT OR LOSE IT.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THAT SCENARIO AND IN THIS TOP NUMBER IS HOT OFF THE PRESSES, WE RECEIVED A LETTER TODAY SAYING THAT BASED OFF OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CHANGES, CHANGES IN OUR DISTRICTS POPULATION, WE COULD GO UP 9.77% IN OPERATING MILLAGE THIS YEAR, 5.77 A YEAR AGO, 2.17 TWO YEARS AGO, AND THEN THAT THIRD YEAR, THE LOOPBACK 2.62, ALL OF THAT TOTALS UP TO 27.2 MILLS POSSIBLY.
THIS CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED FOR SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE.
JUST A REMINDER, PRIMARY RESIDENCES AREN'T TAXED ON SCHOOL OPERATING MILLAGE AS A RESULT OF THE STATEWIDE PEANUT SALES TAX THAT YOU BUY AT 388, OTHER PROPERTY WOULD BE IMPACTED THE APPROXIMATE VALUE OF A MEAL.
THE REVENUE THAT THIS WOULD BRING IN ABOUT 490,000 PER ONE MILL.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE COST TO THE TAXPAYER PER 100,000.
OR IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT VEHICLES PER 10,000 PER MILL.
WE DID INCLUDE A SLAB BEYOND 23', 24' TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER.
BUT AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT LIES AHEAD NEXT YEAR WITH THE END OF ESSER, THERE LIKELY COMPONENTS THAT WILL LOOK TO CONTINUE IN SOME MANNER THROUGH SOME FUNDING? WE TOOK SOME MEASURE WITH ONE-TO-ONE LAPTOPS, SETTING ASIDE SOME FUN BALANCED, DESIGNATING IT AND HOLDING IT UNTIL THE TIME FOR REPLACEMENT COMES.
WELL, SO HAVE SOME MILLS OR FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR IT THAT WE HOPE TO USE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE RECURRING THAT THERE WILL BE DISCUSSING IN THE FUTURE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM BUDGET AND HOW TO DO THAT.
OUR NEXT STEPS, WE'VE GOT THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET NEXT WEEK AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING A BALANCED BUDGET TO YOU.
WE COULD USE SOME GUIDANCE ON OWN IDEAS HOW TO DO THAT, BUT WE WILL BE BRINGING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK.
THERE ARE ANY SCENARIOS THAT ARE, THROWN OUT TONIGHT OF COURSE WE'LL RUN THOSE COST ESTIMATES FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
[01:30:04]
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE STATE PROCESS.DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING NEW UNTIL NEXT WEEK SOMETIME, AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT'LL BE AFTER NEXT WEEK'S FIRST READING.
BUT AND IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES IN THE SENATE VERSION, WE'LL LIKELY WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR SOME NEW ESTIMATES FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON AIKEN, AND THEN BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HOUSE VERSION AND THE SENATE VERSION, THOSE WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT THROUGH COMPROMISE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE SO IF THERE ARE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE BUDGET WE'LL UPDATE THOSE WE'LL PLAN FOR THE MAY BUDGET HEARING WHERE THE SECOND AND FINAL READING AT THE BAY.
DO WANT TO MENTION ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE TRACKING.
I DIDN'T LIST IT HERE, BUT THERE'S LEGISLATION AT THE STATE THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED NOW ON PAID PARENTAL LEAVE, PROVIDING UP TO TWO WEEKS OR SIX WEEKS OF PAID LEAVE AT THE DISTRICT'S COST FOR MATERNITY, ADOPTION OF A CHILD, I THINK FOSTERING OF A CHILD.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MONITORING THERE AS FAR AS WHETHER IT PASSES WHEN IT MAY TAKE EFFECT.
BUT AGAIN, RIGHT NOW THE LEGISLATION IS WORDED THAT THIS WOULD BE AT THE COST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IN ESSENCE, FOR FOLKS THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH IT, THIS WOULD BE PAID PARENTAL LEAVE OUTSIDE OF ACCRUED LEAVE THAT SOMEONE EARNS.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR GO BACK.
>> IN REFERENCE TO THAT LAST ITEM, THAT WAS HOUSE BILL 3908?
>>DO WE HAVE ANY PROJECTED, YOU KNOW, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT MANY TIMES DURING A YEAR, BUT WE HAVE A PROJECTED IMPACT ON THE PARENTAL LEAVE THAT WOULD BE TAKEN COST TO THE DISTRICT.
>> WE ESTIMATED THAT WE WERE GIVEN THAT HEADS UP BACK IN FEBRUARY.
THE DIFFICULTY THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE WERE BASING IT ON OUR HISTORY OF THOSE LEAVES.
WE COULD MORE EASILY ESTIMATE AND LOOK AT HOW MANY MOTHERS WERE OUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT MAYBE NOT AS MANY FATHERS TO LEAVE THAT WOULD NOW BE YET IT'D BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE AND IT COULD CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
THAT ESTIMATE IS BASED ON IF THOSE FOLKS ARE OUT DURING A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, SIX WEEKS, WHAT OUR COST WOULD BE TO HAVE A SUB IN THAT CLASSROOM OR IN THAT POSITION IF A SOAP WAS REQUIRED DURING THAT STRETCH OF TIME.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
IN THE HANDOUT YOU GAVE US, I KNOW WE GOT THE SUMMIT PROGRAM WE GOT LISTED AS A HIGH PRIORITY.
IS THAT JUST A HIGH PRIORITY AS A REQUEST OR IS THAT BAKED INTO THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE?
>> IS NOT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET IS OUR TOP PRIORITY IS THE PAY INCREASES FOR EMPLOYEES.
BUT BUT YES, THERE IS JUST AMONG THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPLORING, TRYING TO SEE.
SURE. JUST IN GENERAL, WHAT, ELSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IN THE BUDGET.
>> THAT HELPS CLARIFY. IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE SLIDES THAT THERE'S NO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT BAKED INTO THE DRAFT OF THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
I WASN'T SURE IF THE SUMMIT PROGRAM WAS OR WASN'T.
I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU IF IT WAS, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION OF WHERE TO CUT.
THAT RELATIVELY PEOPLE MAY NOT AGREE.
IT WAS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
TO ME ANYWAY IT WAS AND IT JUST PROBABLY CHEAPER WAYS TO DO IT OR SCALE IT BACK AND IT JUST ONE PERSON'S OPINION.
I WOULDN'T. BUT YOU SAID IT'S ALREADY NOT IN THE BUDGET.
JUST A GENERAL COMMENT BEFORE NEXT WEEK FOR ME, IS THE CAP ON THE ELEMENTARY CLASS SIZES THAT ARE IN THERE, RIGHT?
I THINK THE PRIORITY AROUND A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. IT MAKES SENSE.
[01:35:06]
WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT.WHATEVER NUMBERS YOU WANT TO USE.
WE'VE HAD 78 PERCENT INFLATION, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
IT'S HARD TO COMPETE WITH OTHER JOBS AND THEN IT'S HARD TO GET BY IF YOU'RE IN THOSE JOBS, IF YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT INFLATION.
BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE PUT IT AS A TOP PRIORITY.
THAT'S ALL I HAD. QUESTIONS, DR. BRADLEY?
>> ARE WE GOING TO GET A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU PRESENT TO US NEXT WEEK.
IS IT GOING TO BE A LINE ITEM FOR EXAMPLE.
I'VE GOT THE LIST OF PRIORITIES THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE BOARD AND BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY HAVE SOME PRICING IN THERE.
ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET OR DID WE ASSUME THAT WHAT'S IN HERE IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE BUDGET AS WELL.
>> WELL EVERYTHING YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON THAT SHEET.
[OVERLAPPING] DR. BRADLEY IS NOT AT THIS POINT. BUT.
>> THE ONE THING I SAY FOR SURE OR THE ADJUSTMENTS TO POSITIONS AND YOU HAVE A DOLLAR FIGURE OUT BY THEM.
>>THOSE ARE JUST THE ESTIMATED COST THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
NOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOU THIS LISTING.
HISTORICALLY THOUGH, WE PROVIDED SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THIS.
I'VE OFTEN PROVIDED LITTLE FOOTNOTES ON WHAT IT INCLUDES, AND WE'VE OFTEN HAVE COME IN AND PROVIDED MAYBE A TWO OR THREE SLIDE PRESENTATION MORE IF NEEDED, BUT JUST DETAILING WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET SO IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR.
>> ARE YOU PLANNING TO PRESENT US A BALANCED BUDGET?
>> SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.
WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE DECISIONS NEXT WEEK ON CUTS TO THE BUDGET?
YEAH. BUT WE WILL BE PROVIDING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
>> BALANCE MEANS WE WILL HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
>> THEY WILL BE EQUAL AND IT WILL NOT BE THROUGH USE OF FUND BALANCE.
>> THE PLAN AS TO HOW WE WILL GET THIS ON FRIDAY THE COPIED A BALANCED BUDGET? I JUST HONESTLY DON'T NEED TO HAVE A TIME, BUT LOOK AT THIS THING BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WALKING IN HERE AND PICKING IT UP AND LOOKING AT AN INHIBITED VOTE ON IT IS NOT SATISFACTORY, AND THAT'S NOT A CRITICISM OR ANYTHING.
I'M JUST MY BRAIN IS SUCH THAT I CAN'T PROCESS ALL OF THIS IF EVERYTHING ELSE IS GOING ON I JUST NEED TO SPEND AN HOUR TO IT. IT'S SOMEWHERE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY A QUESTION GOING BACK TO OUR SCHEDULE.
YOU'RE RIGHT. THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE FIRST READING ON THE CALENDAR WE SET UP A LONG TIME AGO, WAS THE FIRST READING WAS A WEEK FROM TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WORK YOU HAVE TO DO.
>> WE CAN PULL IT TOGETHER PRETTY FAST.
I HAVE PRINT OUTS, THE BACKUP THE NUMBERS THAT I'M SHOWING HERE.
I MAY HAVE TO PENCIL IN SOME THINGS BECAUSE GOING IN AND CHANGING THOUSANDS OF ACCOUNTS TAKES TIME AND IN SOME BOARD DECISIONS MAY CHANGE THAT AGAIN, BUT WE'LL HAVE EVERYTHING READY PRIOR TO THE AGENDA GOING OUT FRIDAY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE JUST A BRIEF POWER POINT SUMMARIZING IT SAYS IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
>> MR. TRAXLER COULD YOU BRING UP THE SLIDE WITH THE CALENDAR ON IT? I'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
>> GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FIRST ONE PLEASE.
>> WHAT I'M SUGGESTING BY BRINGING UP THE SLIDE AND HAVING DISCUSSION IS I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE COMING FROM.
I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSED ADJUSTING THE DATES IF NECESSARY.
>> YEAH, I DON'T HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE SCHEDULE.
WHAT I HAVE PROBLEM WITH IS SEEING THE INFORMATION BEFORE THE VOTE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO INFORM MYSELF BEFORE THE VOTE.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE GET COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT,
[01:40:01]
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE BUDGET AND HAVE AT LEAST AN HOUR OR TWO.>> NO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE HOW MUCH SO YEAH.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME WAS NEEDED WHEN MR. TRAXLER ARE TO GET IT TO US AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CALENDAR.
MR. TRAXLER WHEN WOULD YOU THINK YOU'D HAVE THE BUDGET TO THE BOARD?
>> FOR SURE I CAN EMAIL THAT OUT AND IT WOULD ALSO BE ATTACHED THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF.
I MENTIONED THAT WE CAN PUSH THAT ALL THE WAY OUT INTO JUNE 13TH.
IT CAUSES SOME ISSUES ON OUR END, ESPECIALLY WITH A SHORTENED SUMMER THIS YEAR.
BUT WE HAD THE BUDGET HEARING.
WE HAD TO HAVE A BUDGET ADVERTISEMENT 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET HEARING, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE STATES THAT WE HAD TO BE MINDFUL OF.
BUT YES WE'LL HAVE THAT FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE AGENDA.
>> THAT EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT THE HEAD OF THE FIRST READING.
>> IN THIS TIME FRAME, THE COMMENT I'LL MAKE AND THAT'S ALL IT IS IS A COMMENT.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT BEFORE WE HAD TO HAVE A BUDGET AT LEAST IN MY OPINION IS THAT, AS DR. BRADLEY SAYS, IS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE MAYBE MORE DIFFICULT CHOICES, LIMITED RESOURCES, AND A LOT OF NEEDS.
WE SHOULD MAYBE MAKE AN ATTEMPT AT A ZERO-BASED BUDGET.
BUT I DON'T SUGGEST WE DO THAT IN APRIL AND MAY.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXERCISE I THINK WE NEED TO GO THROUGH IN THE FALL IN PREPARATION FOR BUDGET SEASON.
OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
>> I REALLY WISH IT'S NOT BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.
I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT OR YEP ABOUT IT ENOUGH BACK WHEN WE HAD THE BOARD BUDGET PRIORITIES.
BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US BUILDING AN EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR THESE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. USING NATIONALLY NORMED REFERENCED ACHIEVEMENT TEST.
SHAME, IT IS NOT SOME HOMEGROWN STATE MEASURE OR SOMETHING.
SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NEW ONES ARE.
IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I LOOKED AT ONE, BUT FOR THE 37 YEARS I WAS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION BEFORE THIS AGO AROUND WE USE THE CALIFORNIA TEST, THE BASIC SKILLS, OR SOME TESTS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT'S A NORM-REFERENCED [INAUDIBLE] TEST.
IT MEASURED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT INTO BASIC CORE AREAS.
IT GAVE YOU A RATING OF HOW THAT STUDENT COMPARED WITH HIS CLASSMATES, WITH HIS SCHOOL AVERAGES, WITH THE DISTRICT AVERAGES, WITH THE STATE AVERAGES, AND WITH THE NATIONAL AVERAGES.
HE REALLY KNEW WHERE WE WERE IN RELATION TO NOT ONLY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, STATE, AND THE NATION.
I THINK IF WE HAD THAT KIND OF DATA, WE CAN TRY TO ARRANGE IT SO THAT WE CAN ASSESS THE VALUE OF SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO FUND.
IT COULD HELP US, IT COULD HURT US.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I JUST DO NOTE IT WHEN I ASKED HIM TO SPEND THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS ON PROGRAM.
I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IT'S DOING ANY GOOD OR NOT.
THAT'S HARD, THAT IT PARTICULARLY IS THE COMPETITION FOR THE DOLLAR INCREASES.
IT'S GOING TO BE AN INCREASING THING.
I HEAR THAT'LL COST I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY COST NOW.
IT WILL COST US A FEW DOLLARS.
>> RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY WITH MAP, WHICH IS A NATIONALLY NORM TEST.
THAT DOES GIVE US THE COMPARISON, LIKE YOU SAID, BETWEEN STUDENTS, BETWEEN CLASSROOMS, BETWEEN SCHOOLS, AND NATIONALLY.
IF ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS NEEDED ANSWERED.
>> I'M NOT SURE ABOUT MAPS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
IT DIDN'T EXIST WHEN I WAS IN EDUCATION BEFORE.
IT MAY DO WHAT I'M ASKING IT TO DO, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT BEING USED THAT WAY.
[01:45:01]
THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS, BUT I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF DECISIONS ABOUT OUR TESTING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM ON A STATEWIDE BASIS WAS MADE POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS.IT WAS NOT MADE FOR ACADEMIC EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATION.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT CONTAMINATED WHOLE PROCESS.
BUT I'D NEVER WORKED IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I'D WORKED IN THREE BEFORE I QUIT.
THAT DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG INTERNAL EVALUATION SYSTEM USING THE STATE.
THESE NATIONALLY NORMED TEST AND THINGS CHANGE AND I'M SLOW TO CHANGE.
BUT I DON'T SEE THIS AS BEING A VERY COSTLY THING, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED AN EVALUATION PROGRAM FIRST OF ALL, AND MAKE BETTER UTILIZATION OF IT.
>> MR. SILAS, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
>> YES. BACK TO HIGHLANDS SPRINGS REAL QUICK NOT TO BELABOR THIS EFFORT, BUT THE 1.278 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE IS THE BUDGET FOR HIGHLANDS SPRINGS'S OPERATING EXPENSE.
YOU MENTIONED ALLOCATION TRANSFER.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE ALLOCATION TRANSFER OR DOES IT NOT?
>> THAT'S CONSIDERING ALL NEW TEACHERS.
>> THIS WOULD BE THE ESTIMATE FOR THESE POSITIONS.
NOT INCLUDING TEACHER POSITIONS.
>> IS THAT AN OVERSTATED NUMBER BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PULLING TEACHERS FROM SCHOOLS?
>> THIS COST IS FOR EVERYTHING LISTED HERE.
>> TEACHERS AREN'T PART OF THAT TEACHER'S COST.
>> TEACHERS' COSTS ARE IN ADDITION TO IT.
BUT AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT, WE'D PULL TEACHER COSTS OFF OF PAUL KNOTTS, NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE, LBC, AND LABELLE.
>> IT COULD BE A BIT OF A WASH HANDS AND IT'S NOT NEW.
>> SOME, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME TEACHER POSITIONS LIKE THE BAND, LIKE THE PE THAT THERE WERE ADDED ON TOP OF THAT.
BUT THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN TEACHER ALLOCATION AT THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS.
>> I JUST DIDN'T NOTICE THAT TEACHERS WERE PART OF THAT, SO THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? MR. TRACKS I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
I KNOW THE LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU'VE PUT IN AND YOUR STAFF.
I'M GETTING THIS MATERIAL TOGETHER AND FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO [LAUGHTER] COMING WEEKS.
WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, SIR.
WE DO NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT, AND WE NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING MATTERS IN SUCH ORDERS THE BOARD DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
YOU HAVE A STUDENT MATTER, WE HAVE A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA THREE AND LEGAL MATTER, AND UPDATE ON STUDENT MATTER.
FOLLOWING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE IN REGULAR SESSION TO ANNOUNCE THE MATTERS CONSIDERED AND TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO GO INTO? MOVE ON, DR. BRADLEY.
IS THERE A SECOND BY MR. REINHARDT JACKSON, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ENTERING EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE MATTERS LISTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS MOTION CARRIES.
PLEASE BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[02:58:42]
WE'VE HAD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.[02:58:44]
WE DO NEED A MOTION TO LEAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND RE-ENTER A REGULAR SESSION.[02:58:49]
MOVED BY MS. REINHARDT JACKSON, IS THERE A SECOND?[02:58:52]
[02:58:53]
>> SECOND BY MR. SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION?
[02:58:55]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.[02:58:57]
AS UNANIMOUS WE ARE NOW BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.[02:59:01]
THE FIRST ITEM WAS WE HAD A STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA 3.[02:59:08]
IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE STUDENT APPEAL FROM AREA 3?[02:59:12]
>> I MOVE THAT WE UPHOLD RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DISCIPLINE HEARING.
[02:59:17]
>> MR. SMITH HAS MADE THE MOTION TO UPHOLD
[02:59:20]
THE DECISION FROM THE HEARING. IS THERE A SECOND?[02:59:23]
[02:59:24]
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR UPHOLDING THE DECISION FROM THE HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AS UNANIMOUS THE MOTION CARRIES, THE PREVIOUS DECISION IS UPHELD.
WE DID DISCUSS SOME LEGAL MATTERS WHILE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NO ACTION IS NECESSARY ON THEM.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> MOVED BY MR. SMITH, SECONDED BY MS. REINHARDT JACKSON.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.