News from the Superintendent: March 9, 2009

Message on 2009-10 Budget

March 8, 2009

Dear APS Community Member,

As you may recall, one of the district’s eight essential goals toward better education is to transition APS from a site-based to a district-based budgeting process. The idea is not to make all schools look alike, but to provide an equal and equitable method for distributing district resources.

To help achieve this goal, we put together a Budget Transition Team made up of representatives of our finance and human resources departments as well as school principals and representatives from all bargaining groups.

After months of hard work, the team has come up with a budget plan that provides equitable funding for schools based on projected enrollment for the 2009-10 school year. During the first 10 days of the school year, each school’s enrollment will be reviewed and school budgets will be adjusted. APS is anticipating little or no growth for the new school year, so no additional funding is expected from the state.

Every school will receive discretionary money that may be used to pay for additional positions or other operating expenses. The amount of this fund for each school is based on student needs. Such demographics as free and reduced lunch, mobility and English language learners were considered when allocating the discretionary funds.

Programs funded by grants, Title I or Special Education will not be affected by the district’s new funding formula.

Shifting to this budget plan will allow the district to save about $3 million. Some of that money will be set aside to help cover unanticipated school costs. Requests for additional funding will be made by schools to the finance and human resources departments and ultimately approved by the appropriate associate superintendent.

Under the new budget plan, school staffing across the district will be more equitable. Every elementary school, for example, will now have money for at least a part-time librarian, music teacher, art teacher, PE teacher and counselor.

All middle schools will have money for at least one assistant principal, band and orchestra teachers, a librarian and the same number of counselors as this year.

All high schools will have funding for three assistant principals, band and orchestra teachers, a part-time athletic trainer, a full-time librarian and librarian assistant, three campus assistants, two JROTC instructors, an activities director and the same number of counselors as this year.

Schools that choose not to fill one of these positions must get a waiver from the district.

Each school will receive its 2009-10 budget in mid-March.

During these tough economic times, we are fortunate to be able to come up with a budget that is fair for all schools, that emphasizes quality education for all students, and that is transparent and balanced.

School districts around the nation are struggling. When I read about districts laying off employees – as many as 750 in Dallas—or increasing class sizes – by an average of 2 and a half students per class in Virginia – or cutting salaries – by 4 to 5 percent in the Lancaster school district –I am even more appreciative of the Budget Transition Team for coming up with a plan that as of now will not require layoffs.

Though I believe we’ve come up with a good budget plan for the new school year, we can’t escape the reality of this recession and the possibility that we will be facing more difficult financial decisions ahead.

Sincerely,

Winston Brooks, Superintendent
Albuquerque Public Schools