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August 24, 2009
School board agrees to 3 percent raises
The Austin school board on Monday approved a $940 million budget for the 2009-10 school year.
The budget — which includes money for operations, food service and debt service — included an average 3 percent raise for all employees. The district made over $14 million in cuts, which included reductions in travel, supplies and equipment in various departments. Even with those cuts, the district still faces a budget shortfall of up to $10 million.
During their deliberations Monday, trustees discussed whether all employees should get a raise and whether or not to support Superintendent Meria Carstarphen’s proposal to save $500,000 by reducing the amount of money campus principals are allowed to roll over each year.
The board ended up adopting the budget as proposed by Carstarphen, with trustee Vincent Torres abstaining on a vote to give raises to all employees and trustees Robert Schneider and Torres voting against the $500,000 cut to campuses.
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August 21, 2009
Trustees Monday to consider 3% average raises for all AISD workers
State lawmakers this year approved a pay raise for educators including teachers, librarians, counselors and speech pathologists. The raise of $950, plus an additional so-called step increase of $100 to $600, is mandatory for public school districts statewide. The raise, 3 percent on average, would not affect salaries of administrative employees or other non-teaching staff such as cafeteria workers.
The Austin school board on Monday is set to approve a 3 percent raise for non-teaching workers as part of the proposed $940 million 2009-10 budget, which is scheduled to be adopted no later than Aug. 31. The board discussed the raise with officials from Education Austin, which represents about 4,000 district employees, and the Austin Association of Public School Administrators.
The raises would cost the district about $4.5 million. (Read our previous coverage of this issue here.)
Also on the agenda Monday:
Trustees are scheduled to hear a report on the district’s performance as measured by federal accountability standards. Although, more schools received excellent marks, Austin, as a district, did not meet federal standards for the first time due to the performance of special education students in reading and math. As part of the report, administrators have come up with a high school plan and a middle school plan for improvement.
Trustees are scheduled to vote on whether to reduce the number of regular board meetings from two to one per month. (Read our previous coverage of this issue here.) Critics have said the move could stifle public participation in the district’s governance; school board President Mark Williams said the move is meant to help the district run more efficiently. The policy change is on the board’s consent agenda, which contains items for which there typically is no discussion before a vote is taken.
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June 1, 2009
Report: Closing schools, slashing jobs would save AISD millions
The Austin school district could save $24.8 million in the coming school year and another $78.6 million in 2010-11, according to a $455,000 financial efficiency study presented to trustees today.
MGT of America, the consulting firm hired to vet the district’s $865.2 million operating budget last year, stopped short of recommending any of the cuts included in the report. Savings options included slashing about 350 classroom and administrative positions in the 2009-10 school year and more than 1,350 jobs by 2010-11. The district currently has about 11,000 employees.
Facing as much as a $45 million deficit in the current fiscal year, which ends in August, the district froze hiring for certain administrative positions. Administrators say all non-teaching, professional contracts will be renewed as one-year agreements.
The highlighted cuts in today’s report point at places the district appeared to be overstaffed and indicated areas where changing certain district policies or eliminating programs that aren’t required by state law would save money.
Administrators were quick to point out, however, that the report is just one tool to help prioritize and reduce spending.
“The report calls for the elimination of several positions,” Superintendent Pat Forgione said a the school board meeting today. “Since 85 percent of the district’s budget consists of personnel costs, it is not surprising that so many of the options presented by MGT call for reductions in staff positions.
“We want to take this opportunity to emphasize to both our employees and the public that such decisions will not be made lightly and we wish to caution against over-reacting to any particular efficiency options,” he said. “In reading the study, no employee should assume that her/his position will be cut.”
The biggest savings in 2009-10, $3.8 million, could gleaned from eliminating the district’s strategic compensation program, according to the report. The program offers bonuses to educators for things such as self-improvement, seeking out national certification and having their schools hit targets on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
Trumpeted as a way to improve student performance particularly at lower income schools, the merit pay program has been jointly supported by both the Austin Chamber of Commerce and Education Austin, a organization representing more than 4,000 teachers and staff.
Cutting “extra duty pay” for extra work performed by some central office workers could save another $3 million this year, the consultants said. Echoing the results of an earlier study, the report said streamlining custodial services could save about $2.3 million. Another $1.8 million could be saved by closing the district’s supply warehouse and allowing schools to order their own supplies as needed from office supply stores, the consultants said.
In 2010-11, the district could save $15.3 million by cutting elementary art, music and PE programs. About $9.5 million could be saved by cutting in half the number of classes with fewer than 15 students. Eliminating about 240 professional support positions would save $11.7 million, according to the report.
The proposed cost-savings options varied in justification and specificity. MGT said it based its suggestion for eliminating the central supply warehouse on an analysis of what other districts had done. Consultants said cutting 240 professional support positions would bring the district back to 2003-04 staffing levels, but didn’t specify which jobs to cut.
The report also said $7.1 million could be saved by closing seven elementary schools and one middle school, but it didn’t recommend which ones.
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January 6, 2009
Economic slump major bummer for Texas cheerleaders
The Dallas Morning News reports that the economic slump could be responsible for the lower than usual turnout at a major cheerleading competition:
More than 3,000 cheerleaders from 17 states participated in the two-day National Cheerleaders Association senior and junior high school national championship, which concludes Monday. About 5,000 people are expected to view the event at the Dallas Convention Center.
Both numbers represent declines from 2007 attendance figures, organizers said. They cited the stumbling economy as the reason several out-of-state teams didn’t come to Dallas.
Still, the Lake Travis team, right, cheered to a first place finish in the “Intermediate Medium Varsity” category, economy be darned.
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November 3, 2008
Report: Austin school district could save millions
Austin-based Gibson Consulting Group in a report last week said the district could potentially save about $270,000 this year and more than $3 million over the next three or four years by cutting food service and custodial staff positions and through energy conservation.
The savings represent less than 1 percent of the district’s $865.2 million 2008-09 budget, but the report comes just as the district asks voters for a property tax increase to pay for a 3 percent teacher raise.
“Every dollar is important. The Gibson report is the first of several to help trustees establish the most effective budget priorities so the overwhelming number of our young people will graduate college- and work-ready,” said Drew Scheberle (at right), the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s senior vice president for education.
“This doesn’t change that Austin ISD employees only receive a pay raise if voters approve AISD Prop 1. The Gibson report identifies 0.03% of current spending which, over time, can be reallocated to higher priorities,” Scheberle said.
If today’s ballot measure passes, the overall tax rate would increase to $1.202 per $100 of assessed value. The owner of an average value home, $233,324 after exemptions, would pay $2,805, a $343 increase, and the raise, a workers’ compensation increase and current health insurance costs will be funded. Proposition 1, which amounts to a 3.9 cents per $100 of assessed property value tax increase that would generate about $17.7 million. The election is required under new state school finance laws because the district is already at the highest tax rate that can be set under state law without voter approval.
If the proposition fails, the average homeowner would see a $252 increase in property taxes this year and teacher salaries would not go up. District officials said they will pay for continued health insurance and an increase in workers’ compensation, regardless of the election outcome by dipping into reserves.
Scrubbing the budget — the Gibson report
Austin school district administrators asked private consultants to find ways for the district to cut spending. Among the recommendations:
Immediate
Turn off computers. A $270,000 technology upgrade would allow the district to schedule networked computers to automatically turn off and on, while still allowing necessary systemwide updates. The district has 24,000 computers; 18,000 remain on 24 hours a day connected to a network. Turning those computers off when not in use could save the district more than $500,000 a year in energy costs.
Over two to four years
Streamline food and custodial Services. Cutting 43 employees and changing the hours that staff in those areas work could save $2,756,000. In addition, Gibson suggested:
* Cutting the number of paid vacation days. Food service workers now get five paid days off.
* Closing high school campuses for lunch. Open campuses to allow students to buy lunch elsewhere.
* Increasing the number of high school lunch periods to improve efficiency.
* Cutting 34 positions if the number of students buying school lunches does not increase. Doing so would save the district $725,000.
* Reviewing menu options to better take advance of the federally supported school lunch program.
* All Austin custodians work 260 days a year; by reducing the number of workdays to 193 days for 10 percent of custodians, the district would save $412,000. By cutting nine permanent positions through attrition, the district could save $250,000.
Other suggestions
Increase teacher workloads. Taking into account the impact on students at low performing schools, the district should consider requiring Austin teachers, who now work five of seven periods in the school day, to work six of seven periods.
Require contributions to health insurance premiums. Requiring employees to contribute $30 a month would save the district $3.5 million a year.
Cut the number of paid holidays for all non-teaching staff. The Austin district provides more paid holidays off than other area districts, Gibson said. For food service staff alone, reducing the number of paid holidays off could save the district $1 million a year.
Standardize bell schedules districtwide. Some schools already are aligned on staggered bell schedules to improve transportation efficiency.
Change attendance zones every three to five years. Doing so would balance capacity at campuses and reduce the need for portables and new schools.
The district has paid Gibson almost $50,000 for its report (found here). The company has been paid more than $1.3 million for its services since November 2001.
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October 7, 2008
Financial bailout includes over $800 million for education
The $700 billion credit market bailout approved by Congress last week includes more than $800 million for education funding nationwide among $150 billion in additional provisions, including items that will obviously help stabilize the credit markets like an extension of economic development credit for American Samoa, establishment of a seven-year cost recovery period for race tracks, and the exemption of all-wood arrows from the excise tax. Really.
But back to schools. The Senate Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008:
-Renews a program that gives school districts counties which contain national forests additional federal aid, about $400 million a year through 2011, to make up for reduced timber-tax revenues. In 2007, Texas got $4.7 million from the program.
-Extends a program that provides $400 million a year in tax credits to people who own bonds used for school renovation and other items.
-Extends the $250 income-tax credit that teachers can use to buy markers, glue sticks and other classroom supplies.
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August 19, 2008
Central Texas districts cut bus stops
Round Rock officials have cut 1,000 bus stops from the 14,000 stops they make on their daily routes, because the district expects its gasoline costs to rise 39 percent, to $2.5 million, in 2008-09, district spokeswoman JoyLynn Occhiuzzi said today.
Elementary school children will walk no more than a quarter of a mile to get to a school bus stop under the new policy, she said. Middle school and high school students will walk no more than half a mile. Occhiuzzi said transportation officials estimate an elementary school child can walk a quarter of a mile in 10 minutes, the same length of time it takes a middle school or high school student to walk half a mile.
For Round Rock school bus route information, visit www.roundrockisd.org.
The Hays school district has cut five bus routes from their schedule to save fuel. School officials said trimming the routes will save 5,000 gallons of gasoline and eliminate 20 hours of driving a week. Parents can find the closest bus route to their children’s school by visiting the district’s Web site, www.hayscisd.net.
Austin school district officials say they have not made any major alterations to their bus routes because of fuel prices.
What do you think: Have the Round Rock and Hays school districts gone to far in cutting costs by expecting students to walk farther for a ride to school? Or have local media made much ado about nothing?
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August 18, 2008
Groups discuss possible school tax increase
Various local groups are sharing their opinions on the Austin School district’s proposed budget and 3.65-cent tax increase including the Downtown Austin Alliance, a downtown business group, and Austin Interfaith, a coalition of 30 congregations, and schools.
Leaders of Austin Interfaith have advocated for several additional expenditures including increased family health insurance coverage, a five percent salary increase and an increase to the minimum wage for hourly employees a teacher pay raise. Those proposals are supported by Education Austin, which represents over 4000 teachers and school employees in Austin
From Austin Interfaith:
“Teaching is no longer a middle class job in Austin,” said Pastor Fred Krebs of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. “A first year teacher making $40,000 has to pay $12,000 out of pocket to insure his or her family on AISD’s health plan. A teacher who wants to insure one’s family in effect is earning $28,000/year which is not a professional salary in Austin. It also puts clerical, custodial, and cafeteria workers among the ranks of the working poor.”
The Downtown Austin Alliance says it has not taken a position in favor of or in opposition to AISD’s proposed rate increase but has expressed concern about the negative financial impact of raising the tax rate on properties that have also increased in assessed value.
From the Downtown Austin Alliance:
On average, property values within the school district have gone up 12% over the last year. Most other taxing jurisdictions will lower their tax rates and still produce more revenue next year. But because of state law, AISD is not allowed to keep and use the majority of the revenues generated from increasing property values. They must return about 97% of those revenues to the state’s general fund. The only way AISD can increase its budget without a change in state policy is to raise the ad valorem tax rate.
A systemic problem exists in the way that school taxes are collected by the state… This situation creates an unfair burden on commercial property owners that do not have the protection of a 10% homestead cap. The Downtown Austin Alliance will work with other local and statewide business organizations to urge state lawmakers to reexamine how public schools are financed.
There will be a public hearing on the budget and tax rate tonight at 7 p.m. in the Carruth Administration Center, 1111 West 6th St. The district is expected to adopt a budget on August 25th.
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