Lynn Moody, Ed.D., Superintendent
♦ The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education Strategic Plan maps out our district’s direction over the next several years. The components of the strategic plan indicate how we will equip our students with the necessary learning experience, tools and skills they will need to be successful in the future.
Our budget process has been redesigned to support the initiatives of the strategic plan through repurposing existing funding to supply personnel and support strategies and objectives for achievement of strategic plan goals. We have transformed from an expansion budget approach to a zero-based budget approach to ensure we use existing funding in the most efficient and effective manner.
Two focus areas are identified in the strategic plan:
1. Reading and Literacy will bring our students to reading on or above grade level and achieving or exceeding one year’s growth annually.
2. Engaging Work & Instruction will occur through problem-based learning and critical thinking; a digital conversion; and through professional learning communities and collaboration.
Three system priorities are identified in the strategic plan:
1. Maintaining School Safety
2. Recruiting, Developing and Retaining quality employees, and
3. Engaging our Community
Our focus areas and system priorities are maintained in our budgeting process.
While much repurposing has been accomplished through the planning process, the strategic planning process has identified additional areas for which new funding needs to be secured.
To support the goal of recruiting and retaining qualified staff, consideration of a 2% salary increase is requested. Although 2015-16 FICA and mandatory retirement match rates are not known at this point, $2.4 million is the projected cost of supplying an increase of 2% for all Rowan-Salisbury School System employees. The Board of Education also has a plan to adjust athletic supplements to reach comparability with others in our region that will require $55,000.
In addition, the Board of Education is requesting funding in the amount of $1,883,570 to add 65 teacher assistant positions. This will bring the level of teacher assistant support to where it was prior to 2014-15 by providing allocations to cover all Kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade classrooms.
While salary increases, supplement increases and teacher assistant positions are identified as the district’s priorities with new operational funding, capital needs continue to accrue. Where sales tax recently provided approximately $1.5 million after reduction for debt service, recurring capital needs have been identified at $5,956,200 for 2015-16. Consideration of funding the needs versus simply passing along sales tax funding, specifically identified for school systems, is requested for 2015-16.
As discussed at the April 29th retreat with the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, the system has also compiled additional long range needs currently totaling $88,330,439. These amounts pertain to:
* Athletic capital needs
* Asphalt paving
* Knox Middle School renovations
* Roofing
* Safety, and
* A consolidated elementary school in the western area of the county.
The Board of Education looks forward to continued discussions with the County Commissioners on how to address these capital needs that will require a long-range plan and commitment.
The Board of Education is appreciative of the progress made with the relationship between both boards over the past year. Open communication and working together for our citizens and students are welcome components in this relationship. Although shifts among the existing mediation agreement projects may be required as discussed at the April retreat, the Board of Education would like to continue exploring a revision allowing access to the:
* $12 million draw down scheduled to be available in 2015-16
* $500,000 that was to be made available in 2014-15 for school planning expenses, and
* Amount remaining after the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year of the $6.5 million financing required for completion of the Wallace Educational Forum.
To summarize, the 2015-16 total request of operational funds is $36,528,014 including an increase of $4,338,570 to apply towards salary/supplement increases for all employees, change the athletic supplement schedule and place teacher assistants back in all of the system’s 2nd grade classrooms. The total 2015-16 request for recurring capital funds equates to $5,956,200. The board also acknowledges a long-range commitment/plan must be crafted to address over $88.3 million of additional capital needs.
The schools are very appreciative of the effort and commitment of the County Commissioners to our children and I appreciate your efforts in helping us meet our goals.
