Differing perspectives, a common goal for county public schools

School Superintendent Greg Drescher makes his case on priorities in the FY 2019 public school budget. Photos/Roger Bianchini

FRONT ROYAL – While no hard final totals were presented, lots of financial subcategory numbers were during the first joint Warren County Board of Supervisors and School Board budget work session for Fiscal Year 2019. Also at the forefront of power points presented from the county and public school perspectives were variables and budget goals that will impact those final numbers.

At the top of those lists from the public school side were rising health care costs and a desire to increase operational funding, particularly to make teacher salaries more competitive with surrounding localities. A health care hike estimated at 20-percent was impacted by 19 large claims last year, school administrative staff noted. As for about $2 million in staff salary increases, the number is a result of the system remaining behind surrounding localities in average teacher salaries.

Of one non-personnel, operational increase of $32,000, Drescher said, “I bring this up because of what happened last week in Florida.” His reference was to the semi-automatic weapon attack on a Parkland Florida high school that left 17 students and teachers dead. That budget item was to increase door security at Warren County’s schools.

Summarizing system operational needs, including moving toward a 1-to-1 student-computer ratio (cost estimate $133,300), bringing desired new system funding to about $4 million, Schools Superintendent Greg Drescher lamented, “We know that’s not possible.”

It is at least in part not possible because the county supervisors have a stated intent of keeping taxes, particularly revenue-driving real estate taxes, flat in the coming budget cycle. The county’s current real estate tax rate is 65-cents per $100 of assessed value, which is comparable (60-cents to 71-cents) with surrounding communities other than Fauquier County’s rate of $1.04.

On the bright side, Drescher pointed to about a million dollars in revenue that will come available to the school system through the retirement or defection of longer-tenured teachers. While that still leaves the system about a million dollars short on desired pay hikes, he also suggested the use of some unspent, carryover funding.

Drescher noted that as the County has been at the forefront of school system capital improvements over the past 10 to 12 years, it has continued to lag behind in operational and staff funding.

County Administrator Doug Stanley noted the trend in his presentation, preceding Drescher’s. Stanley presented numbers showing that Warren County ranked seventh of seven neighboring localities in operational funding of county public schools. Shortly after presenting those numbers, Stanley said county government, “Understood the need to shift focus to addressing operational needs of the school system over the next five years,” at least till the next capital improvement project – a new elementary school becomes a priority.

Drescher pointed out that of surrounding, western Shenandoah Valley communities, Warren ranked ahead of only Page County in average instructional staff salaries. He added that with all surrounding county governments considering 2-percent to 3-percent salary hikes for staff, Warren was in danger of falling further behind if it does not at least match other county government hikes in teacher salaries. Teacher attrition to higher-paying school systems remains on ongoing concern for Warren Public Schools.

The school superintendent also observed that a recommended 10-percent hike to supplemental salaries totaling about $46,000 targeted stipends for extracurricular activities like coaching. No increase in those supplemental salaries has been given since 2003, Drescher noted.
“The point I’m making is that we need to make increases to personnel budgets beyond cost of living and STEP increases,” Drescher told county supervisors and staff.

North River Supervisor Dan Murray injected that he felt that any pay hikes in the school system go to teachers, rather than administrators. – “Sometimes leaders must sacrifice for their staffs,” Murray said, adding, “The reason I’m bringing this up is that I’ve lived through it.” Murray is a retired Interbake departmental manager.

“That is a valid point,” Drescher replied.

The superintendent concluded his presentation as he began it, pointing to a common goal for all in the room. “There is not anybody in this room who doesn’t want to do what’s best for this community,” he said.

To open his presentation Drescher noted past cooperation between the boards on school capital improvements, preceding the consequent need to increase operational funding to keep new and renovated school buildings staffed and working to their utmost potential.

“I know we may have different needs – but we will be there with you (developing the FY 2019 public school budget) with the best interest of our kids and our community in mind,” Drescher said to those in control of the county’s funding streams.