See the Budget Crisis Blog for the latest information on the budget crisis.
Please log any campaign related activities using the 2010 Budget Campaign Activity Log. The information will help us show progress and provide evidence that of concern for this issue in our community.
Save Our School Budget! Act Now! CRS sustained cuts in the 2009-10 school year budget, which adversely impacted class sizes in our first and fourth grades. Now, we hear that much deeper cuts may be on the way for next year. We need to act immediately to prevent proposed FY10-11 cuts from becoming a reality.
The prospective 2010-11 budget deficits are significant: FCPS is projecting a shortfall of at least $171.5 million. This projection assumes that the schools will receive decreased funding from the State and a level amount of spending from the County (which equates to a “per student” loss, given increased enrollment). However, this best case scenario could worsen significantly because several Fairfax County Supervisors are now rumored to be considering slashing County school funding.
How could this affect Churchill Road Elementary and your children? Having reviewed all the potential program reductions and eliminations, I have highlighted those that may directly impact CRS:
- Increase in class size (by one student): Average class sizes up from 26.25 to 27.25
- Increase in AAP class size (by an additional two students): Average class size up from 26.25 to 29.25
- Possible loss of Assistant Principal
- Loss of school-based Technology Specialist
- Loss of guidance counselors
- 15% reduction in instructional supplies
- Loss of instructional aides
- Elimination of the elementary band and strings programs
- Reductions in custodial staffing
- Reductions in office staff
So, you ask, what can I do as a CRS parent?
GET INVOLVED! We need to contact as many state and county officials as possible to demand an increase in educational spending. Once allocations are submitted by the state, which should occur early next year, it will be too late—at that stage, the FCPS Board can only allocate what funds are available. If state funding does not address a deficit, cuts will be made.
We have attached the contact information of all our federal, state, and county officials and examples of what to say in a phone call, email, or letter to make as much of an impact as possible.
We are asking 100 percent of CRS families to participate in this effort to contact Richmond and ask for an increase in FCPS funding. There will also be opportunities to walk petitions through your community and other grassroot strategies for making our needs heard by the state. The PTA will communicate on developments in these efforts via the Churchill Chatter, VIP folders and the PTA website.
Cat Lippman, CRS PTA President