Kids Not Cuts Updates
The Board has now smushed today's Executive Committee of the Whole together with the Work Session. Agenda here.
Kids Not Cuts is planning to listen in, hoping the Board may talk about the current staffing issues. The meeting starts at 4:30 pm so be there by 4:15 pm if you want to sit with the group.
To the meeting topics:
- Preschool - there is some delusion out there that City's pre-K program is both going to expand in SPS as well as trump before-after school program space. Given the two classrooms that are City-enrolled and way under capacity, I find it hard to understand how the district could choose to take on more.
- Alliance for Education. This should be interesting, given how bad the relationship has been for the past year.
I observe that the Alliance's own "Beliefs" page says nothing about being a partner with SPS. Their last blog entry is from June 2015. Haven't heard about the "Our Schools Coalition" in probably a year or more. Here's the first entry - with their own URL - that comes up if you Google them:
A corporate based front dedicated to fostering higher academic achievement by all children in the Seattle Public Schools. Offers information about programs, ...
- Work Session is about Board Governance Priorities, Superintendent SMART goals, and the "Superintendent Evaluation Instrument." I tell you that the Board and senior management love to talk these items into the ground because if you go back and review various Board meetings, you'll see these topics, over and over. I don't get it.
I hope the Board, while reviewing the Superintendent's performance, does NOT give the slightest thought to giving him a bonus or raise.
To note, at some point during the Work Session, the Board will go into Executive Session to "evaluate the performance of a public employee" (presumably the Super).
And, in "One of the Good Guys" category, the ever-polite Ken Gotsch sent a prompt reply to my queries about the staffing issues. I will make no comments, but readers, do chime in with yours.
Gotsch: In response to your request for information,
Me: In Jan of 2014 you said this:
Gotsch: The WSS committee which includes both Central Office and school staff, examined the WSS formula, which makes up 53% of school funding. We looked at deciding on the best revisions to WSS if we have to make school-based reductions ranging between $3 million, $6 million and $9 million this year.
Gotsch: The WSS committee which includes both Central Office and school staff, examined the WSS formula, which makes up 53% of school funding. We looked at deciding on the best revisions to WSS if we have to make school-based reductions ranging between $3 million, $6 million and $9 million this year.
Gotsch: NOTE: In early 2014, the Business & Finance Office worked in collaboration with SEA reps to recognize and use annual district unspent funds to close the projected budget gap and not make the dramatic reductions to WSS budget allocation.
Also note that budget staff reported in the March 29, 2015 Board Budget Work Session, District contributions to the school WSS formula has grown:
Fiscal YR…..Amount…Per Student Headcount
2011-12…..$290.8 M…..$5,996
2012-13…..$305.9 M…..$6,135
2013-14…..$329.8 M…..$6,465
2014-15…..$356.0 M…..$6,848
2015-16…..$378.3 M…..$7,111 (As of March 19, 2015) $s up 6.3%, Per HC up 3.8%)
2015-16…..$380.2 M…..>$7,111 (As of today.)
Me: What is the current WSS formula being used? I tried to search for it at the SPS website but cannot find it.
The WSS formula is in the “Gold Book” or FY15-16 Budget Development Instructions on the web. Users can navigate to the Budget department web page, or follow the link below.
The WSS model starts on page 11.
Me: 2) I note that Superintendent Nyland said at the Board meeting that hiring and trips are to be curtailed at headquarters. Could you be more specific about what that looks like - are trips being cancelled or just not scheduled, does that apply to STR, the Board, the Superintendent and senior staff? What kind of money will that save?
Gotsch: Asst Supt for HR, Brent Jones and I are in the process of preparing personnel and non-personnel cost curtailing recommendations for Supt Nyland. We will be first targeting reducing the district’s share of the $4.3 million lost revenue due to drop in school enrollment and then looking for ways to close the current year (FY 2015-16) $3.3 million budget gap due to the new teacher’s contract.
Me: 3) And clearly, hiring will continue (I see there are still jobs today at the SPS website) so what does "curtailing" hiring look like?
Me: 3) And clearly, hiring will continue (I see there are still jobs today at the SPS website) so what does "curtailing" hiring look like?
Gotsch: As mentioned above, we’re in the process of determining recommendations for Supt Nyland.
Me: 4) What the less-than-anticipated enrollment will actually cost (not just the lost revenue; but the net after not providing for those students)?
Me: 4) What the less-than-anticipated enrollment will actually cost (not just the lost revenue; but the net after not providing for those students)?
Gotsch: This is an excellent question. Budget staff have not calculated this yet.
Me: 5) What are the implementation costs to the cuts - having fewer teachers for lunch/playground supervision, loss of instructional time, kid anxiety over classroom switches, decreasing resources for high-need kids. How is that all being calculated?
Me: 5) What are the implementation costs to the cuts - having fewer teachers for lunch/playground supervision, loss of instructional time, kid anxiety over classroom switches, decreasing resources for high-need kids. How is that all being calculated?
Gotsch: I think it’s important to note that these are not cuts, but staff transfers /moves between schools. There are no budgetary costs to teacher re-assignments.
Me: 6) Parents understand that because of the under enrollment of about 589 students, the district is not getting money it anticipated. What they don't understand is how the cuts can be made (to save money) and yet the teachers/staff are retained and placed elsewhere (which is continued spending).
Gotsch: We have less enrollment, less revenue, so less staff to assign. Transferring teachers saves the District money:
- From under enrolled to schools with enrollment above projections: District does not have to hire the additional new teachers
- From under enrolled schools to permanent substitute teachers: District does not have to hire/pay additional substitute teachers.Seattle Schools Community Forum: Kids Not Cuts Updates: