Over the past three months I have had the opportunity to meet with the Superintendent and the Director of Finance in group and individual settings to discuss finances for the district. Much of the information in EDLD 5342 has been previewed in these meetings or applied to real life as the district leadership team has worked to ensure that all stakeholders understand the budget issues. Currently, in Huntsville I.S.D., salaries comprise 72% of the district budget of $48,000,000. With the financial situation facing our district, the need to cut approximately 10% of the budget, approximately 50% of the proposed budget shortfall is being absorbed in the area of salaries. Approximately 40 teaching positions at an average of $50,000 per teacher will make up approximately $2 million in budget shortfall, and this will hopefully be realized through attrition. No teacher in HISD is losing a job for the 2011-2012 school year. They may lose THE job they have but they will have A teaching job in the district. However, some teachers and administrators are being told that in the 2012-2013 school year they will not have A job. In that way, they are able to use the next year to job hunt. Regarding the implementation of furlough days as a savings to the district, salaries cost the district about $180,000 per day. (Dr. Steve Johnson, Superintendent, Huntsville I.S.D., April 19, 2011,1:30 PM; Lois Ann New, Director of Finance, Huntsville I.S.D., April 28, 2011, 10:30 AM) Communicating with all stakeholders (internal and external) regarding the impact of salaries within the overall district budget is essential to understand where we are and to work together to seek solutions that are sustainable in nature. To think that the current budget crisis is only for the next two years would be wishful thinking. We must recognize that our reduction in state revenue may well be at least four to six years, or longer. District leaders must confront head-on the budget crisis facing districts and do what needs to be done in a manner that will have minimal, if any, impact on the children we serve.
The impact to Huntsville I.S.D. in implementing a five percent teacher salary increase would be significant. Currently, that would be impossible to implement due to the execution of the plans needed to address the state budget shortfall. However, when funds are available, salary increases are important in honoring the work of the staff and professionals. The process for investigating the implementation of the salary increase is thoroughly outlined in this week’s video lecture by Dr. Lu Stephens. She states that the
“…Superintendent should determine and then communicate information to the Board of Education, professional/staff and stakeholders as to whether the proposed salary increase will:
· promote or deter a goal driven budget that addresses Board of Education, District Improvement Committee and Campus Improvement Committees goals and priorities.
· require an ad valorem/property tax increase.
· place salaries at level comparable to area/regional districts.
· retain the best teachers in the district.
· reduce the fund balance to an unacceptable level.
· cause personnel salaries to exceed 80% of the Maintenance and Operations
· budget.
· reduce the ability of the district to maintain established educational programs
· be received positively by the teachers and staff.
· be received positively by parents, key stakeholders and the general public.
· create an undesirable impact on any district function or activity.
Once these and other questions are answered, communicated, and discussed; the
Superintendent, with the assistance of central office staff, should prepare a final
recommendation to the Board of Education concerning a salary increase for the
coming school year.”
(EDLD 5342, Week 4 Lecture Notes, page 2)
No comments:
Post a Comment