The Board of Supervisor approved an assessment rate of $1.14 earlier today.  As they have done so often before, the Supervisors backed into the tax rate rather than review the services provided by the different county organizations. The Superintendent has published a list of recommended cuts totaling $48,737,891 (See Below). The Capital Asset Replacement Program budget was also reduced by over $2 Million. A public hearing will be held on Thursday, April 3rd at the School Board Admin Building in Ashburn to allow the public to comment on the cuts and make recommendations. The School Board will meet on Monday, April 7th to finalize the Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget.  Should any changes be made or is the list below OK?

• Item /Amount
• Group Health Insurance Adjustments / ($2,590,000)
  Based on a March 25, 2008 renewal meeting with CIGNA, and a review of recent claims experience, it is believed that the 14% increase proposed in the School Board Budget can be reduced to 11%.
• Salary Adjustments / ($13,300,000)
  Eliminate the 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) funded in the School Board Proposed Budget.  Employees will receive an average step increase of 3%.  A longevity step of 2% has been added to all salary scale lanes to ensure that all employees get a salary increase in FY 2009.
• Paid Holiday Initiative / ($685,000)
  Delay the implementation of four additional paid holidays for 12 month classified employees. This would have been the second year of a program leading to 12 paid holidays; four paid holidays were added this year (FY 08).
• New Initiatives FTE (28.0) / ($1,751,387)
  New initiatives included in the School Board Proposed Budget are recommended for reduction
  including:
• Eliminate 14 extra secretarial positions for large elementary schools (January 2009 start date) /  FTE (14.0) ($351,261)
• Eliminate full day kindergarten expansion at Aldie, Lincoln, Hillsboro, and Middleburg / FTE (4.0) ($213,823)
• Eliminate new substitute custodian positions / FTE (10.0) ($386,648)
• Eliminate new student allotment for Career & Tech Ed / ($128,989)
• Use a revised methodology to provide a living wage to custodians / ($670,666)
  Custodians on steps, 1, 2, and 3 will be moved to step 4 ($11.89 per hour)
  making certain that all employees will earn no less than a living wage as defined for Loudoun County.

*All positions savings include salary and fringe benefit costs.

• Class Size Increase of 1 Student / FTE (100.0) ($7,326,500)
  Increase average class size from 22 to 23 at elementary schools, 21.6 to 22.6 at middle schools and 25.6 to 26.6 at high schools.  This change will not involve a reduction in force (RIF).
• * Elementary School teacher reductions  (44.0) ($3,223,660)
  * Middle School teacher reductions        (26.0) ($1,904,890)
  * High School teacher reductions           (30.0) ($2,197,950)
• English as a Second Language (ESL) / Staff FTE (36.0) ($1,924,848)
  ESL positions are filled as needed.  The dramatic leveling off of ESL enrollment coupled with efficiencies of scale allow for a reduction in new staffing in both teacher and assistant positions supporting the ESL program.
• * ESL Teachers (18.0) ($1,318,770)
  * ESL Assistants (18.0) ($606,078)
• Textbooks / ($4,200,000)
  Delay purchase of Science Textbooks
• Instructional Technology / ($3,600,000)
  Delay upgrade of instructional networks and peripherals
• Department of Instruction / FTE (24.0) ($1,761,854)
  Reduce new positions as follows:
• English Resource Teacher (1.0) ($73,265)
• Gifted Resource Teacher  (1.0) ($73,265)
• Science Resource Teacher (1.0) ($73,265)
• Health & Phys Ed Resource Teacher (1.0)($73,265)
• Social Science Resource Teacher(1.0)($73,265)
• Teacher, Mandarin Chinese(1.0)($73,265)
• Teacher, Math Resource Elementary (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)
• Teacher, Math Resource Middle (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)
• Teacher, Physical Education(5.0)($366,325)
• Teacher, Reading Elementary (enhancement)(3.0)($219,795)
• Teacher, Reading Middle (enhancement)(2.0)($146,530)
• Teacher, Reading High (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)
• Instructional Coach - Elementary(1.0)($73,265)
• Instructional Coach - High(1.0)($73,265)
• Instructional Coach - Middle(1.0)($73,265)
• Instructional Specialist, Math(1.0)($109,842)
• Program Analyst - Research (January 2009 start date)(1.0)($40,182)
• Total     (24.0)($1,761,854)
• Department of Pupil Services /  FTE (8.0) ($621,929)
  Reduce new positions as follows:)
• Speech Therapist(2.0)($146,530)
• Social Worker(1.0)($90,523)
• Education Diagnostician(1.0)($90,523)
• Eligibility Coordinator(1.0)($109,842)
• Data Analyst (1.0)($71,244)
• Program Assistant (1.0)($59,879)
• Secretary II(1.0)($53,388)
• Total(8.0)($621,929
• Department of Support Services / FTE (16.0) ($1,023,034)
  Reduce new positions as follows:
• Safety and Security Specialists(5.0)($284,727)
• Communications Tech - Safety(1.0)($59,879)
• Communications Tech - Support Svcs(1.0)($59,879)
• Communications Tech - Trans(1.0)($59,879)
• Engineering Technician(1.0)($71,244)
• Mechanical Engineer(1.0)($132,507)
• Project Manager(1.0)($63,434)
• Telecomm Analyst(1.0)($71,244)
• Bus Driver Instructor(1.0)($43,937)
• Dispatcher(1.0)($56,546)
• Driver Instructor – Transportation (1.0)($59,879)
• Lead Bus Driver(1.0)($59,879)
• Total(16.0)($1,023,034)
• Department of Personnel / FTE (2.0) ($128,934)
  Reduce new positions as follows:
• Resource Nurse - Personnel(1.0)($75,546)
• Personnel Secretary(1.0)($53,388)
• Total (2.0)($128,934)
• Department of Business and Finance FTE (7.0) ($479,842)
  Reduce new positions as follows:
• Account Clerk III - Accounting(1.0)($56,556)
  Bid Specialist(1.0)($36,278)
  Coordinator, AIT(1.0)($109,842)
  Financial Analyst(1.0)($71,244)
  Network Engineer(1.0)($71,244)
  Payroll Spec III(1.0)($63,434)
  Risk Analyst(1.0)($71,244)
  Total(7.0)($479,842)
• 5.8% Reductions to Non-position Accounts in Department Budgets  / ($6,604,563)
  Senior Staff members were asked to identify 5.8% of selected non-position accounts to meet the total reduction.  The amounts are listed below:
• Instruction($3,398,800)
• Pupil Services($400,200)
• Support Services($2,882,600)
• School Board($5,800)
• Superintendent($4,234)
• Deputy Superintendent($20,010)
• Planning($67,454)
• Public Information($25,230)
• Personnel ($194,880)
• Business & Financial Services($171,680)
• Total($7,170,888)
• Virginia Retirement System (VRS) & Group Life Adjustments / ($2,740,000)
• The General Assembly took action on March 13, 2008 lowering the rate for the VRS contributions resulting in a savings to local jurisdictions. Although the state budget is not yet final, it is believed that the assumptions used in deriving the rates will remain at the reduced levels.  The Group Life rate was lowered slightly by the VRS Board on March 26, 2008.
• Total Recommended Reductions FTE (221.0) ($48,737,891)