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A tale of two counties: Fauquier, Culpeper face school-opening challenges
If you thought you had it bad...look at your neighbor. Good advice, perhaps, when it comes to the costs of opening new schools in the fall.Possible real estate tax increases for Fauquier look pretty tame compared to those facing Culpeper County, which, like Fauquier, is opening a new elementary and a new high school in September.
Both systems' schools are similar in size — in square footage, acreage, and seating capacity. The costs to build the main buildings are almost identical.
But huge differences exist in the number of dollars it will take to open the schools and what it will take to operate the rest of each system.
Last week, Fauquier Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Lewis presented a proposed school budget of $142 million to the school board. There were no new programs and no new staff in the proposal, and it asked for a modest increase of 3.17 percent from last year, mostly for compensation increases.
That's without consideration of Kettle Run High School and Greenville Elementary.
Factor them in, and Lewis said he needs an increase totaling 9.97 percent.
Culpeper superintendent Dr. David Cox is asking for $85.5 million. If that sounds thrifty, consider that it represents a 24 percent increase over last year's budget. Much of the hike is also due to the opening of two new schools.
In dollars and cents, Lewis is asking for a total budget increase of $12.9 million. His Culpeper counterpart is asking for a whopping $17 million increase.
According to Marla McKenna, public information officer for Culpeper County Schools, when the $85.5 million budget proposal was presented at public hearings, only two or three residents spoke to the issue of higher taxes. The current real estate tax in Culpeper is $.56 per $100 of assessed value. If the proposed school budget passes in its current form, the tax rate would jump $.29 to $.85.
Fauquier's current real estate tax is 64.5 cents. If the school budget were to pass as proposed, it would add approximately 12 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Culpeper County's larger budget request is due in large part to its higher cost of opening the new schools, at least as those costs compare to Fauquier.
Kettle Run and Greenville operating costs are projected to be $5.7 million, plus a debt service of $3 million. Culpeper County, however, is eying $12.7 million in operating costs, plus $2 million in inflationary costs in order to open Eastern View High School and Yowell Elementary School. Worse yet, this figure does not include debt service for the two new Culpeper schools.
Staffing for the new schools is quite different, as well, across county boundaries. While 85 new positions are needed in Fauquier, Culpeper anticipates the need for 144 positions. McKenna attributes some of the additional staffing needs to career and technical courses to be offered at the high school. While Culpeper strives to maintain a class ratio of 20 students per teacher in the elementary schools and 25 to 1 in the high schools, the State Department of Education caps career and technical courses at a lower class size.
Fauquier County sets goals for K through second grade as 21 to 1 and 25 to 1 for grades 3 through 12 (science and English classes are set for a ratio of 24:1).
Although Fauquier County has experienced some growth, Culpeper County underwent tremendous development in the recent past. But with the housing market in the doldrums and the general economy slowing, our southern neighbor is suffering quite a negative financial impact.
The county administration has not previously had solid figures on revenues for FY 09, but will meet Wednesday night to make determinations on programs and revenues.
Cox originally asked for programs that are likely to be cut: foreign languages beyond level 3; Advanced Placement courses; advanced electives; dual enrollment, full-day kindergarten, enrichment, sports and after-school activities. McKenna said that school officials are now looking at an option to cut as much as $9 million out of a proposed $17.7 million school budget. Not only may programs be cut, but staffing, and even salaries may be reduced, as well.
Culpeper has other problems. While redistricting associated with the new schools went fairly smoothly, according to McKenna, the school system's transportation program seems to be the hot issue for parents. The administration is hoping to shorten student commutes; some students have to wait for one hour before they can even get on the bus to go home.
Another issue still facing Culpeper schools is “senior choice” for preferred attendance at the two high schools. McKenna said the question facing administrators is whether it is possible to allow seniors a choice without having an impact on the budget, programs, the number of certified teachers and transportation.
Culpeper has a great many decisions to make in a very short period of time.
Pastures are not always greener on the other side.
E-mail the reporter: afelts@timespapers.com.
Comparison of Fauquier and Culpeper County Schools
Category | FCPS | CCPS |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
School Population | 11,346 | 7,383 |
Enrollment growth since 2001 | 1,671 | 1,564 |
Total Proposed Budget FY 2008-2009 | $142.4 million | 85.5 million |
Increase from FY 07-08 | $12.9 million | $17 million |
% of increase | 9.97 % | 24% |
New Elementary School sq footage | 80,400 | 82,000 |
New High School sq footage | 230,000 | 260,000 |
New Elementary School acreage | 23 | 21 |
New High School acreage | 95 | 67 |
New Elementary School seating capacity | 600 | 650 |
New High School seating capacity | 1200 | 1500 |
New Elementary School staff | 23 | 63.5 |
New High School staff | 63 | 80.70 |
New teacher salary, proposed | $40,250 | $40.000 |
New HS main building cost | $31 million | $37.8 million |
New HS cost per sq foot | $134.50 | $134.55 |
New Elementary School opening operating costs | $1.3 million | $4.5 million |
New High School opening operating costs | $4.3 million | $$8.1 million |
Current real estate tax | $.645 | $.56 |
Possible real estate tax if school budget proposal funded in full | $. .755 | $.85 |
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