On Thursday, the School Board passed the FY 2019 Combined Funds Budget and FY 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Program Budget (PDF). The budget for next school year is focused on ensuring all classrooms have the teachers and materials they need to match growing enrollment, while attracting and retaining good teaching staff for the future.
The $299.7 million FY 2019 Combined Funds Budget and $474.7 million Capital Improvement Program Budget were approved in a process that has been viewed as an indication of increasing alignment between Alexandria City Council and the School Board. In May, the City Council approved 99.5 percent of the original School Board approved budget and accepted the Capital Improvement Program Budget with minimal changes. This year the City operating appropriation will be $14,053 per student, an increase of 1.9 percent from last year.
Read the news release issued on Friday.
What does the budget mean for you?
Salary Changes
Eligible employees will receive an increase equivalent to one step in their salary scale for the 2018-19 school year, but the step number will remain the same as in 2017-18. This change to the salary scale will provide a pay increase equivalent to one step for as many employees as possible, including those at the top of their pay scale. The change, which goes into effect with the 2018-19 school year budget, will allow staff more opportunities to advance and ensure that our salaries are attractive to external candidates. Those on a “hold” step will receive a one percent bonus instead of the step adjustment. View the details.
Health Insurance and VRS Changes
Employees will see the cost of their health benefits increase next year (9.5 percent for Kaiser, 15 percent for United Healthcare). Virginia Retirement (VRS) contributions will remain the same as last year. Increases in health benefits will be offset by the step raise and employees should still see an overall increase in their take-home pay.
New Positions
The budget creates 67 new positions for FY 2019-2020. The majority of these are tied directly to enrollment increases, one is tied to the recommendations that came out of the Talented and Gifted Evaluation, and two are connected to a reorganization of Operations. If you have questions about these positions, please contact your school’s or department’s budget liaison.
Classroom Reading materials
This coming school year’s Operating Funds Budget supports the purchase of a new K-5 literacy program. The current program has not been updated since 2004. The new textbooks and materials will be aligned with current Virginia Standards of Learning. While the School Board originally approved $1.2 million for the purchase of a new K-5 Literacy program, including textbooks and materials in February 2018, the City Council appropriation on May 3 left a gap in the Operating Budget. Schools and Central Office departments rallied to pull together additional funding needed from this year’s budget on top of the funds approved in the FY 2019 budget to ensure the reading program can be updated this coming school year.
The new comprehensive reading program will include a strong emphasis on diversity and cultural relevance and ensure a level of consistency, as students in our highly transient population do not always stay at one school from kindergarten through fifth-grade.
Safety
The School Board has approved an additional $37,000 to support Violent Intruder Training and the rollout of ALICE.
Sports
The School Board has approved stipends for the head coach and assistant coach of the girls and boys rugby teams at T.C. Williams High School.
High School Planning
The City Council approved $5.2 million for high school planning. ACPS is looking to begin the consultation, design and planning around resolving high school capacity issues in the fall. The City Council also approved $30 million to be held in reserve for property acquisition. This may or may not be connected to the high school capacity project.
Elementary Modernization
The School Board approved a study around high school capacity to take place next school year, as well as $8.7 million for the design and project management for Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in 2022 and $44.6 million for the construction in FY2023. The City Council approved an additional $30 million to be held in reserve for property or land acquisition. Modernization for George Mason Elementary School and Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology are also in the ten-year Capital Improvement Program Budget. A gym for the new Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School is scheduled to be ready for 2021.
View the full Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget
View the Combined Funds Budget
Watch the FY 2019-2028 Capital Improvement Program Budget and FY 2019 Combined Funds Budget discussions from the June 7 School Board Meeting.