Budget Reductions Possible for Guilford County Schools

The district aims to cut costs and redirect funds while minimizing impact on the classroom

Contact: Laurie Hogan (336) 370-8307
Created: 3/26/2009 6:55:26 PM

As Guilford County Schools (GCS) continues to prepare its 2009-10 budget, district leadership is discussing ways to cut expenses while accommodating anticipated budget reductions and to redirect resources to support the strategic plan. District leaders anticipate having to reduce or redirect approximately $22 million in the 2009-10 budget. About $13.1 million would come from central administration. However, since most of the district’s resources are at the school level, the budget cuts will likely include school-based cuts as well. The district anticipates that $8.9 million would come from school-based budgets. At this time, the district is not considering a change to formulas used to allocate K-12, classroom teachers to schools.

Working with the Superintendent’s Principals Advisory Committee, district leadership is considering reducing or redirecting school-based budget dollars in two ways – first by withholding approximately 50 percent of the discretionary Weighted Student Funding dollars, which would yield about $6 million. The Weighted Student Funding formula is the calculation used to tie additional budget dollars to individual students based on specific needs. At this time of year, the district typically holds back 25 percent of these dollars. Secondly, certain positions have been withheld from the planning allotments sent to schools, yielding a potential savings of about $2.9 million. These positions include middle school instructional technology facilitators, media assistants, some English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and some high school testing coordinators.

In all, 90 school-based positions may be eliminated through targeted budget cuts although the actual number of individuals impacted would likely be less due to vacancies, retirements, etc. For example, the district believes the 7.5 ESOL positions at the elementary school level considered for elimination would be absorbed through attrition, not job loss for individual ESOL teachers. Additionally, principals may choose to buy back some of the targeted positions using discretionary school-based budget dollars. Some additional positions may be cut or added through position exchanges made by principals as well, a process that occurs every year. The district will work with any impacted employees to find new positions in the organization.

If approved by the Board of Education, the targeted position cuts would become effective for the 2009-10 school year. GCS’ new fiscal year begins July 1. The superintendent will present his budget to the Guilford County Board of Education on April 7. The school board will hold work sessions and a public hearing during May. The school board must present its budget request to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners by May 15. GCS Human Resources personnel and senior staff met this week with employees who may be impacted by anticipated budget reductions and redirections. The district added a special section to its Web site for these employees - www.gcsnc.com/hr/rif/index.htm. This site also may be helpful to employees whose spouse or family members experience job loss at other employers.

One reason the district is considering these budget reductions and redirections is in response to Governor Perdue’s proposed budget, which includes a reduction in the amount of money budgeted for local school districts. While some line items in the Governor’s budget are increased, others are reduced. For example, the Governor’s budget, if ultimately adopted, includes a discretionary cut that could cost Guilford County Schools approximately $7 million. Also, county officials have asked GCS to provide a flat budget for local funding. A flat budget would not include any increases due to rising energy costs, health benefits or transportation. If final budget reductions required by the state or other funding sources are less than anticipated, the district intends to return resources to schools first, rather than to central administration.

At this time, GCS anticipates receiving funds tied to specific categories like Title I, IDEA (special education) and educational technology. The timelines for receiving the funds and the rules for spending those dollars are not yet clear. The Governor and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction have indicated that federal stabilization funds, also part of the stimulus package, will be used to balance the state budget.

To help explain the budget situation in more detail and to keep employees, parents and the community updated as more information becomes available, GCS created this Web site, http://www.gcsnc.com/superintendent/budget.htm. Please click on the link below to view the 2009-10 budget update presentation.

http://www.gcsnc.com/superintendent/pdf/0910BudgetUpdate3609.pdf

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About Guilford County Schools

Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina serving more than 71,000 students at 120 schools. With approximately 10,000 employees, the district’s mission is to graduate responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice. 

Guilford County Schools is a national leader in providing specialized schools and instructional programs designed to meet the educational needs of a culturally diverse citizenship.  For more information, visit the district’s Web site at www.gcsnc.com.