Brian Crosson
ELPS 6024: Public School Budgeting and Management
Dr. William Glenn
Fall 2009
Narrative and Justifications for Dry Branch Elementary School Proposed FY 2011 Budget
I. General Background Information
Before detailing the elements of the proposed budget, it is important to outline a few
basic facts that greatly influenced the budget committee’s thinking during the budget
development process. First, based on last year’s increase in the student population, it was
assumed that the population would increase again this year. Because there was an increase of 28
students last year, and because of the new housing development, the budget committee is
estimating an increase of 31 students. This means that the budget was written with an
assumption of 490 enrolled students at the outset of the school year.
Secondly, when estimating the per-pupil allotment, the committee based its calculations
on the FY 2010 allotment and then increased it by 1% per pupil. The increased school allotment
leaves the school with $10,780.00 ($22.00 X 490) this year. It has been decided that this
allotment should be directed exclusively towards technology-related expenses.
Finally, it should also be noted that the committee was concerned about the possibility of
losing Title I status because of the increased enrollment. However, it was ultimately determined
that the increase in student population would still not be significant enough to threaten Dry
Branch’s Title 1 status.
II. Priority Goals Overview
After carefully considering the budget goals outlined by the school board, the budget
committee decided to focus its attention on three major areas of concern: goals 1, 3, and 6. Goal
1 calls for the improvement of the quality of instruction, which is always a key area of
improvement for any school. A brief glance at Dry Branch’s SOL scores will make clear the
need for improvement in this area. Goal 3 requires that the school can “assure a safe and secure
learning and work environment for students and employees.” Dry Branch has had some
significant problems with bullying and tense relations between students of different backgrounds.
The budget committee has decided that now is the right time to attack these problems. Goal 6
requires that the school “continue to enhance technology in the schools and administrative area.”
Technology is always changing, and it is a facet of American life and worldwide communication
that requires a high level of competence. The budget committee insists upon Dry Branch
Elementary School being a place where technology is taught and used in practical, effective, and
realistic ways.
Speaking generally, these goals were chosen because the budget committee believes that
improving in these areas will lead to the fastest and most lasting improvement to Dry Branch
based on current circumstances and because they are consistent with the 2008-2014 SCPS
Comprehensive Plan.
III. Priority Goal 1: Improve the quality of instruction
This budget explicitly addresses deficits that exist in the achievement of Dry Branch’s
Hispanic population, as well as the straggling achievement (in general) of students with
disabilities. Regarding the population in general, a need clearly exists to raise student
achievement on the Reading SOL. In order to address each of these problems, the budget
increases reading supplies by 30%. The budget for LD needs has increased by 17% due to low
scores on the reading and math SOL exams, although it should be noted that the ED budget
decreased because of an increase in the special education population of LD students. Regarding
the LEP population, a half-time ESL teacher has been added to the baseline budget for teacher
staffing. A line for LEP instructional materials was added to the budget in the amount of $350
for the same reason. Library and Instructional Supplies have been increased as well ($413, 6%)
in order to support an increase in SOL results.
As well, two general education teachers have been added to the budget in order to
account for increased enrollment. With these additions, the committee found that Dry Branch
can maintain an average ratio of 17.67:1 for K-2 and an 18.58:1 ratio for grades 3-5.
It should be noted that Physical Education funding decreased by $100 (14%) in order to
offset the some of the increases in areas intended to support SOL scores.
IV. Goal 3: Assure a safe and secure learning and work environment for students and
employees.
In order to address bullying and strained relations, increasingly serious problems at Dry
Branch, and in order to provide prevention strategies, several strong measures have been taken.
A budget line in the amount of $27,159 has been added for the purpose of hiring a school
security officer. This increased security presence will serve to improve the overall level of
student safety. The budget for guidance has been increased by 17% in order to expand existing
anti-bullying programs to include training for peer mediation and conflict resolution. Dry
Branch will continue to utilize county resources to develop seminars that discourage bullying.
V. Goal 6: Continue to enhance technology in the schools and administrative area
With regards to technology, the FY 2011 budget supports the continued implementation
of the 2008-2014 Comprehensive Plan which calls for the following:
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providing technology instruction beginning in kindergarten and continuing through the
twelfth grade.
ensuring that technology instruction will be kept current with the inclusion of new and
emerging technologies as they occur.
ensuring that technology will be used to enhance instruction throughout the curriculum.
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encouraging professional staff to demonstrate knowledge of the use of technology in
instruction and related educational activities while adhering to the Standards of Learning.
In order to meet these goals, the budget includes the regular computer and server upgrades and
replacements in the amount of $40,000. A/V Media supplies will be increased by 2%. As well,
supplies for the ITRT will increase by 2%. Computer software purchases will remain at $3000
in order to allow for the purchase of current educational software in the classrooms. In addition,
the budget committee is requesting that the ITRT position be expanded from a 0.5 position to a
0.7 position, including a 2% raise. The expectation is that the ITRT will provide school-based
training through staff development. (The budget committee recognizes that such an increase is
potentially problematic in that Dry Branch currently shares the ITRT with Lovely Valley.) In
addition, all student allotment funds will be put towards general technological purchases that
arise throughout the year.
As a result of these increased expenditures, a few offsets are included in the budget.
Reference Materials are decreased by 21% because of the push for online reference access.
Similarly, funding for periodicals is decreased by $25 (4%), and funding for maps and globes
decreased by $452 (30%). A slight decrease ($83, 2%) to computer supplies was factored in
because replacements for headphones, mice, and keyboards were not as necessary as previously
calculated.
VI. Personnel Requests Overview
It should be noted that the budget spreadsheet as submitted actually contains two budgets.
The Requested Budget spreadsheet includes all expenditures requested by the Dry Branch
Budget Committee. The Base Budget spreadsheet includes only the expenditures which fall
under the 2% limit mandated by the school board. The budget committee believes there is a
compelling case for these additional expenditures, which are specified below. For the sake of
compartmentalization, new personnel requests that fall within the mandated 2% are briefly
outlined in section VII, and requests that fall outside the 2% are detailed in section VIII.
VII. Personnel Requests within the Mandated 2%
In order to reflect the committee’s desire to focus on security and increased student
performance in problem areas, the above-mentioned half-time ESL teacher and the security
officer were budgeted to fall within the 2% increase mandated by the school board. This is
because are considered to be indispensable to the budget committee’s efforts to meet Goals 1 and
3. That is to say, if Dry Branch Elementary School is to address its most pressing problems, it
must address the serious deficiencies within the LEP population and the bullying problems that
persist within our classrooms.
VIII. Expenditure Requests outside the Mandated 2%
Because of increased enrollment, the budget committee is recommending the following
staffing expenditures that will fall outside the overall budgetary increase mandated by the school
board. These expenditures, if accepted, will cause a total increase of 12% when added to all
other expenditures in the budget. However, the budget committee adamantly supports these
expenditures.
In order to keep student-teacher ratios acceptably low, Dry Branch will require two new
classroom teachers (named above as part of Goal 1), one of which will need to be housed in an
additional modular classroom. The possibility exists that the school will become less
academically stable if the population change is not met head-on. Moreover, the projected
enrollment, 490, is an estimate. It could be higher, and will increase as the housing development
moves closer to completion. For this same reason, the budget committee has included in the
budget a half-time music teacher and a half-time art teacher, as well as a 2% increase in the
budget for art supplies. Unless the school district plans to make these programs less accessible,
an increase in staffing in the arts will have to accompany the increased enrollment.
The increased student population will also create a need for an increase in Dry Branch’s
capacity to use technology in education. Therefore, the budget committee is requesting a 0.2
increase to the ITRT position (noted above as part of Goal 6). In addition to meeting the needs
of an increased population, the budget committee feels this addition to the budget is consistent
with the school board’s stated goal of technology expansion.
While a half-time ESL teacher is included in the budget as an indispensable addition
(noted above in Goal 3), the budget committee feels that the LEP population of Dry Branch
would be best served with a full-time ESL teacher. The LEP population will likely continue to
grow with the general population. The budget committee feels it is extremely important to get
out ahead of the needs of this population, as they can so easily “fall through the cracks,”
particularly if student-teacher ratios become less favorable. An additional half-time ESL teacher
would greatly alleviate that problem.
IX. Notes on Other Goals
Below is a bulleted list of notes regarding the other budgetary goals of the school board
and how they were addressed by the FY 2011 Budget.
Goal 2: Provide a salary increase and/or enhanced fringe benefits to employees
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The budget will reflect a 2% increase for COLA, VRS Pension contributions, and life
insurance contributions.
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Substitute funding will be cut due to the emphasis on teachers in the classroom and
professional development.
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Administrative leave will be left to the principal’s discretion.
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The principal has cut back on dues and travel by $800 to help maintain the overall budget
Goal 4: Provide funding for on-going operational and maintenance needs
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The budget line for mowing was decreased by $4500 by planning to mow every 3-4
weeks instead of every 2 weeks.
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Dry Branch has created a partnership with the Cool Springs Youth Club in which the
CSYC will take on part of the mowing expenses in exchange for usage of Dry Branch’s
grounds. A memorandum of understanding outlining the agreement between Dry Branch
and the CSYC is in effect.
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Building Repairs will remain at $30,000.
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Building Supervisor will get a 2% raise
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Funding for custodial substitutes is being decreased by one hundred dollars.
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The addition of two new telecommunication lines (for two new classrooms) will require a
1% addition in the telecommunications budget.
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Due to increased use of technology in the school, the budget committee anticipates that
electricity charges will increase by 1.5%. The budget reflects such an increase.
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The budget for operational supplies continues to be based on student enrollment.
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Expenses for furniture will remain at the same level as FY 2010.
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Because of the anticipated increase in postage, the budget committee has increased the
budget line for office equipment expenses to $1052.
Goal 5: Emphasize staff development to maintain a trained and motivated work force
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The administration of Dry Branch will endeavor to make staff better aware of
underutilized tuition reimbursement opportunities offered through the county.
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The increased role of the ITRT is included in the budget in large part to address staff
development needs in the area of technology.
Goal 7: Respond to the needs of the changing community that is Stewart County
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The architectural and engineering evaluation has been postponed two years in order to
account for more immediate student needs. The budget committee anticipates that this
evaluation can take place within two years as a result of an increase in the property tax.