Schools

Dale Accelerates Full Day Kindergarten, Reduces Teacher Raises In Proposed Budget Adjustments

Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent offers three options to account for $3.5 million shortfall.

The Fairfax County School Board will consider three options from Superintendent Jack Dale at its work session tonight as it tries to balance a fiscal 2012 budget that is $48.8 million less than

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the same amount it authorized for 2011.

Though the schools will receive some more funding from state and federal sources, that amount won't pay for all of— including his proposed— or cover other costs that have surfaced since then, such as the roughly $2 million in revenue the system would have gotten before

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dale's recommended budget changes include the implementation of full-day kindergarten in the 36 county elementary schools currently without it; a 1 percent scale adjustment for all employees and step increases for eligible employees; and according to school board documents.

Dale has also recommended using part of the system's Virginia Retirement System (VRS) reserve, leaving $60.6 million to cover required repayments and rate increases "in 2013 and beyond."

Find out what's happening in Restonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dale's proposal accelerates the implementation of full-day kindergarten. The board directed a three-year roll-out, ending by the 2013-14 school year. The superintendent's plan would put the program in place during the school year that begins in August. Full implementation would require 151.5 positions, according to a cost breakdown released by FCPS earlier this winter.

The salary increase — the first for school employees since FY 2009 — is half what Dale proposed in January. Funding disciplinary reform was not on the board's radar when it advanced its budget to the county in February.

Cost To Implement Full-Day K At FCPS Schools
Ranked in order of need. (Information provided by FCPS)

School name Additional K.Teachers
Additional  Art/Music/PE Teachers  
Additional K Instructional Assistants
Additional Other*
Total Operating Cost Ravenswood 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Greenbriar West 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Virginia Run
1.5 .2 1.5 .5 $189,163 Canterbury Woods 1 .2 1
$116,991 Hunt Valley 1.5 .2 1.5 .5 $189,462 Stratford Landing 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Vienna 1 0 1
$102,907 Union Mill
1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Sherman 1 .2 1
$116,991 Willow Springs 2 .4 2
$233,982 Navy 2 .4 2 .5 $254,999 Orange Hunt 2.5 .4 2.5 .5 $306,453 Fairview 1.5 2 1.5
$168,445 Waples Mill 2 .2 2 2 $355,801 Louise Archer 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Spring Hill 2 1.4 2
$304,402





Kent Gardens +
3 .6 3 1.5 $466,157 Oak View+
1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Armstrong +
2 .4 2
$233,982 Cherry Run+ 2 .9 2 .5 $290,209 Fox Mill + 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Silverbrook +
2.5 .4 2.5
$285,436 Wakefield Forest +
2 .2 2
$219,898 Floris +
1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Haycock +
1.5 .2 1.5 .5 $189,462 Oak Hill +
2.5 .9 2.5 1 $362,381 Sunrise Valley +
2 .4 2 .5 $254,999 Churchill + Road 1.5 .2 1.5 .5 $189,462 Flint Hill +
2.5 .4 2.5 .5 $306,453 Crossfield +
2 .7 2
$255,108 Forestville +
1.5 .2 1.5 1 $210,180 Chesterbrook +
2 .4 2
$233,982 Sangster +
1.5 .4 1.5 2 $256,752 Colvin Run+ 2 .4 2
$233,982 Great Falls+ 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Wolftrap+ 1.5 .2 1.5
$168,445 Total 63.5 12.5 63.5 12 $8,012,489

+ indicates those schools that would be implemented in 2012-13 under Dale's "Option B," which would create a two-year plan for FDK

To address the $3.5 million shortfall that remains after these adjustments, Dale has offered three options:

  • Option A: "Increases the beginning balance for FY 2012 by redirecting funding previously set aside for the beginning balance for FY 2013.  A total of $5 million was set aside at the FY 2011 Third Quarter Budget Review, and Option A will reduce this amount to $1.5 million." Dale recommends this option.   
  • Option B: "Implements full-day kindergarten over two years.  As a result, 16 schools would receive full-day kindergarten in FY 2012, and the final 20 schools would receive full-day kindergarten in FY 2013."
  • Option C: "Provides employees with a one percent bonus in place of a market scale adjustment."

Fairfax Education Association President Michael Hairston, whose organization represents about 4,000 teachers, said the group would like to hold the school board to the 2 percent raise plus step increase that was outlined in the advertised budget, but understands that a flat transfer from the county makes that difficult.

"An increase in the transfer probably would have afforded that [more easily]," he said.

He said Dale's "Option C" — which would give employees only a one-time bonus — would do little to help.

"A bonus is a one-time thing. It doesn't affect retirement or anything long term, like pension or future earnings, so you always shoot for the raises and the step increases. That's what we'd like to see," he said.

If the board does decide to go with a 1 percent raise, Hairston says he hopes the board will explore ways to compensate.

"If that's where we end up after tonight's work session, that's where we end up, but I'd at least like to see a break on workload and and something on the issue of time," he said. "Time is very valuable and our folks would be glad to see some type of reprieve in that area, in addition to an increase in compensation."

Members of , a parent and community advocacy group formed this budget season to advocate for the program's implementation, sent out a plea to its Facebook followers Saturday, asking for their support at the first public budget hearing May 17.

"Given the Superintendent recommendation for full implementation, we can absolutely have FDK in all schools this year," the group wrote. "We must ensure that a two-year phase in via Option B is not adopted!"

The School Board will conduct a budget work session Monday night, and also on May 16. It will hold public hearings May 17 and  May 18. After a final work session on May 19 the board will formally adopt a 2012 budget on May 26. 

Which budget options do you support?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here