We have heard a lot of talk regarding the state coming in and “taking over” the District if the budget is not balanced. Why is it necessary to balance the budget, maintain a fund balance and what if the District failed to comply?
Unlike the Federal Government, businesses, and households, school districts are required to operate within revenue and fund balance resources each and every year. Following discovery of our inability to do that, we petitioned OSPI for permission to use future receivables to operate this year. We were granted permission to do so, with strict and binding conditions designed to improve the district’s financial condition. Included in the provisions is the requirement that our Educational Service District Fiscal Officer, Steve Nielsen, is the assigned administrator of the binding conditions. If we are unable to meet the binding conditions, including adoption of a non-deficit budget in August of this year, the state may withhold funds and investigate the reason for noncompliance.
If we are unable to meet the conditions, an investigation will be predicated upon decisions we have made that caused an ongoing problem. We will be judged positively for providing state basic education services and programs and on repaying the state for loans received. We will be judged negatively for running a budget deficit by maintaining programs that have been a traditional expectation of our community, yet are not required by state law.
If we fail to abide by the binding conditions our local decision making will become severely restricted. Instead, decisions will be made by our administrator and OSPI. So while the state will not technically “take over” the district, in a functional manner all major budget decisions will be made by our administrator and OSPI.
The law also allows OSPI to withhold funds from a district if the district is non-compliant with the above process, if that happened, a district would not have resources to stay in business.
(Statutory citations: RCW 28A.505.110, WAC 392-123-060 and 392-123-065)
Does the Shoreline Schools demographic study take into account the multi-family housing units anticipated to be built in the North City area over the next several years?
Yes, the District’s Demographic study from last fall took into account that housing units in Shoreline are expected to increase but the average household size will decline. The projections for the North City service area anticipate a decline of 20 students between now and 2012.
What does the District plan to do with its surplus property, particularly the old Kellogg site?
A Facilities Task Force committee has begun meeting to discuss recommendations for the future of the District’s property holdings, including the old Kellogg site should it be determined that it is no longer needed.
What would happen to the North City or Sunset buildings if they were closed? What about the North City playground, the only one of its kind in that neighborhood? And the Memorial Garden at Sunset?
There has been no decision made as to how North City or Sunset would be used should either or both facilities be closed. The Facilities Task Force will be discussing these issues for possible recommendations. Committees comprised of students, parents and staff will be formed to make decisions about special and unique items at any school closed.
Why weren’t the students in the Highly Capable, ELL and Special Education programs “counted” in the District Advisory Committee’s deliberations?
Initial data represented all students attending schools whether from within resident boundaries or attending magnet programs. In its final deliberations, the District Advisory committee chose to limit that criterion to the number of students impacted residing in their attendance area and attending their neighborhood school, without special programs, but including resident ELL students. Although the committee recognized that all students are impacted, the committee felt this was the most appropriate way to consider students most directly impacted by a potential closure.
What are the plans for relocating students in the Highly Capable, ELL and Special Education programs?
District staff will be making those decisions in the coming weeks in consultation with the Boundary and Transportation Committee. That committee is expected to begin meeting later this month.
Why was the District Advisory Committee provided only the “outdated” Meng analysis of building conditions?
The Meng Analysis was commissioned in preparation for the February 2006 District bond issue and the committee was apprised of the improvements made at North City and other sites. The report is dated March 2005, which is considered quite current by most standards.
Was the condition of the burned North City portable included in the Meng analysis? What happened to the funds from the insurance settlement?
No. The funds from the insurance settlement were deposited in the District’s general fund. The portable was not replaced because it was not needed, the childcare is now located inside the main North City building due to the fact that there was space available.
What additional positions have been added to District office staff in the past year?
On the contrary, in building the FY 2006-07 budget, approximately $4.7 million in reductions were made, mostly in staffing. From last year to this year, Shoreline has reduced 4.5 administrative positions, 2 in the school sites and 2.5 at the District Office.
At this time, we have the following administrators:
- 23 administrators at our K-12 school/program sites
- 1 administrator for our Shoreline Children’s Center - (Preschool and Extended-Day Programs)
- 17 administrators at the District Office
Total: 41 administrators (40 for comparison to K-12 systems)
How do students enrolled as out-of-boundary exceptions contribute to the District’s finances? Will out-of-boundary exceptions continue to be accepted in the District if these schools are closed?
Out of district boundary exception students generate the same state and federal funding as in district students, except in special education where Shoreline exceeds the state cap of 12.7 percent. However, parents of out of district students do not contribute to the local Shoreline/LFP taxes that generate the local funds in the District’s general fund or capital/bond fund.
How would North City students be affected by the different math and literacy programs in other schools in the District?
The "curriculum" in Shoreline is our state standards for and grade level expectations for reading and mathematics that all teachers are required to follow. The district has purchased board approved core curriculum in reading and mathematics at the elementary level that best matches these standards and expectations. Lake Forest Park uses a different elementary math curriculum than the other schools in the district and has been given the approval to do so. The literacy curriculum is the same across all elementary schools in the district, although, building to building, and classroom to classroom, you would see some variation in how it is used.
How will the District help our North City and Sunset students deal with the emotional and social aspects of changing schools?
The comfort our community can find is that each of our schools provide outstanding instructional programs and are equipped to serve all students both academically and socially/emotionally. Children are incredibly resilient and will adjust quickly if they feel secure and welcome. We are committed to supporting students, families and staff in the implementation of any decisions.
Why is the District considering purchasing new school buses at the same time there is a budget deficit?
Our bus fleet is aging, with 25 buses over 20 years old and in need of replacement. Funds for this purpose come from the District’s Transportation Vehicle Fund, which can only be used for the purchase of buses. The funds in this account come from the state as an annual allocation based upon a depreciation schedule. Once a bus reaches a certain age on the schedule, no state funds are generated. Replacing older buses on a regular schedule generates more income into the account and decreases the expenditures from the general fund required for maintenance. In addition, new buses are more cost efficient and the fuel savings is also relief to the general fund.
If Sunset were closed, would students have to cross busy Aurora Avenue North?
The Boundary and Transportation Committee will be examining this issue. As is the case for students that currently need to cross Richmond Beach Road and other main arterials, the safety of our students is our paramount concern, and we would transport children across Aurora by bus if that were the decision.
Why was 500 targeted as the ideal number of students for elementary schools when published research shows the optimal to be 300 to 400 children?
Whether the size of an elementary school is 500 or 400, the proposed closures have no impact on class size, nor will they impact elementary program offerings. In fact, school consolidations and/or closures are proposed to protect these resources. Most of our school sites were built to accommodate more than 500 students. In schools of this size, support staff and PE and music staff can be used more efficiently.
Won’t the remaining schools on the West Side of the District be too crowded if Sunset if closed?
We have studied classroom capacity District-wide and are confident that all students can be accommodated in the remaining nine elementary schools if Sunset and North City are closed. We also believe that the Shorewood and Shorecrest feeder patterns can be balanced in this plan.
Can you address the reports of mold at Briarcrest Elementary?
At the District’s request, the firm of IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group recently conducted a building assessment at Briarcrest. The representative from this company have been asked to present their final report at the March 5 school board meeting.
Why was the school closure policy only updated in November?
When the District Advisory committee began its work in October, the superintendent asked the committee to consider program consolidations and/or closures. Because the District has not closed a school in more than 20 years, the policy was revised to more closely reflect the language of current state statute, in the event it was needed.