Understanding Site-Based Budgeting and Resource Allocation in the Verona Area School District

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Understanding Site-Based Budgeting and Resource
Allocation in the Verona Area School District
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Chris
MurphyBusiness ManagerMichelle
NummerdorElementary PrincipalJason Olson
Director of Human ResourcesKathy PielageSchool
Board Member
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Presentation Outline

• Overview of Verona Area School District Site
  Based Budgeting and FTE Allocation Model
• Principals Perspective
• School Board Members Perspective
• Q A

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Verona Area School District (VASD)

• 4800 students
• Previous fast growth now stable/slow growth
• Diverse student population

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VASD Site-Based Budget History

• Very decentralizedSite-Based Shared Decision
  Making means site-based!
• Early 90s original structure driven by
  charter schools
• Have evolved to FTE from Model

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Budget Cuts at VASD

• 2005-06 cuts of 600K
• 2006-07 cuts of 1.5M
• 2007-08 no cuts
• 2008-09 cuts of 1.1M
• 2009-10 cuts of 450K
• 20010-11 cuts of 1.2M

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VASD Site Based Budgeting Main Components

• Supportive Governance Structure
• Board, Admin, Staff and Community are involved
  and committed to the process
• Align Authority with Responsibility
• Not all Budgets are at Site
• Empowerment
• Power Shared is Power Squared

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VASD Site Based Budgeting

• Vast majority of the districts resources are
  controlled by the sites
• Paid site council positions allocate site FTE and
  operating budgets
• Board is apprised of decisions made throughout
  the process

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VASD Budget Process

• UW-Applied Population lab generates enrollment
  projections
• Enrollment changes drive site budget
• Last Years Prediction to Actual
• Next Years Prediction
• FR population also factored into model
• FTE Creep

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Budget and FTE

• Site level budgets include
• Admin, Teacher and Support staff FTE
• Operating Budget
• Site councils can move FTE between budgets must
  tie out to bottom line
• Key concept FTE Conversion Ratios

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VASD Conversion Ratios

• Administrators 108K (1.9 of a teacher)
• Teachers 57K (1.0 of a teacher)
• Support Staff 42K (.73 of a teacher)
• Operating Budget 57K (1.0 of a teacher)

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Principals Perspective

• Country View Elementary Demographics
• Total Enrollment 515 (budgeted for 525)
• Free/Reduced 26
• Minority Enrollment 28
• English-Language Learners 9
• Special Education 4.8

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Budget Changes Over Time

• Multiple Years of Budget Cuts
• Site Council as Decision-Making Team
• Adequacy/Evidence-Based Model

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Budget Decisions
Budget Year Area of Impact 05-06 (3.33) fte 06-07 (5.78) fte 07-08 (0.68) fte 08-09 (0.78) fte 09-10 0.48 fte 10-11 (4.77) fte
Configuration -2.5 -1.0 1.0 -2.0
Educational Assistants -0.50 -2.19 -0.30 0.06 -0.94
Operating Budget -0.25 -0.08 -0.32
Extra-Curricular -0.05 0.11 -0.53
Health Assistant -0.46
Secretaries
Related Arts -0.83 0.27 -0.50
Building Leadership -0.50
Technology Assistant -0.15
Ed Tech Coordinator
LMC Assistant -0.37 combined
LMC Director -0.20 combined
Reading/Math -0.06 0.83 0.10 -0.80
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Board Members Perspective

• Strategic Planning Goals to set vision for
  district
• Board stays informed through
• Site council minutes
• Presentations to Board
• Board/Administrative retreats

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Challenges

• School enrollment needs to increase to avoid
  budget cuts.
• Attendance area boundaries

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VASD Model Pros

• Board delegation sends message of trust
• True site based decision makingthose closest to
  impacts of decisions get to make most decisions
• System is fluid based on district needs and
  adjustments
• During the last 6 years of budget cuts (0 to
  1.5M per year), there have been 0 budget related
  public comments at board meetings

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VASD Model Cons

• A school system or system of schools?
• Now Site SMART Goals aligned with District
  Strategic Priorities
• FTE movements hard to track
• Cut years are difficult on site councils
• No Board of Education to blamemore site
  accountability

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VASD Model Cons (cont.)

• Perceived Supt/BOE lack of control
• Central Office/Board typically dont override
  site budget actions
• Not always as cost effective
• Additional recordkeeping
• Each Site Council has its own personality

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Questions?