LCPS Hears Suggestions from Independent Review
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Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Loudoun County Public School system could save more than $2 million over the next five years if they accept the recommendations of an independent audit, according to the report's findings that were presented at Tuesday's school board meeting.
The independent review suggested that if the school system made a list of changes, including cutting back on board meetings and providing non-monetary compensation for some overtime, they could save funds in what is becoming an increasingly tight budget.
The review was conducted by MGT of America Inc., a company hired by the Virginia Department of Education to conduct audits at the request of a school system.
The audit, which began in February of last year, was based on interviews with board members, administrators, teachers, public forums, and documents obtained by MGT. Consultants also visited schools within the system to verify the feedback they received from community members.
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LCPS is not required to adapt any of the recommendations put forth by MGT, but in several months, the governor's administration is required to revisit the contractor's findings and see how they were implemented, if at all, into LCPS.
Some other recommendations included hiring another director of elementary education, establishing multiple salary schedules and creating an energy coordinator position to oversee energy management. MGT suggested that LCPS review their high teacher attrition rate, yet they also noted the large number of faculty members who will be up for retirement in the next few years.
Board members said they were grateful for MGT's recommendations, but school board Chairman Robert DuPree cautioned that it might take a while for officials to sort through the data, compiled in a packet that is more than 300 pages long.
"This will take some time to go through," DuPree said. "It will take some work to flesh through all of this."
MGT also had a long list of praises for LCPS, including the school system's effective transportation training program and the student-to-computer ratio, which they calculated at four-to-one.
On Tuesday evening board members also reviewed the proposed bylaws for the Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee. Community members had criticized the proposed bylaws for not stating clearly that committee members must have children in LCPS. The board voted to include a passage that would require schools to nominate a representative with a child currently in the system.
Tagged: Loudoun County Public Schools, meeting, school board, schools
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At a board meeting it was put forth that they should cut back on board meetings to save money. Thats priceless! Of course they are going to have to meet to discuss this option.
Posted by sydnorg (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 5:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it rather remarkable that they could only find $2 million in savings over the next five years. To me that says that LCPS is operating fairly efficiently. Yes, $2 million is real money, but LCPS critics would have us believe they are throwing money in the garbage can every day. As for the high attrition rate, LCPS does not pay the highest salaries in the region while it has more workdays and requires a higher level of performance for teachers than surrounding districts. LCPS , like all entities, has its flaws and its assets. People still move here because of the good schools, so we should all work together to make our schools as efficient and as good as we can in order to maintain everyone's home values, the commercial tax base, and the caliber of our neighborhoods.
Posted by octamatilda (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Octamatilda, people move here for more affordable housing.....schools are secondary. No one who can afford to live in Fairfax chooses to move here "because of the good schools".
Posted by quietobserver (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I beg to differ. My son and his family, and several of the young families on his street, moved here specifically for the schools. They talk about it all the time, are deeply involved in the schools, and are even more deeply concerned about them, as am I for the sake of my grandchildren. Certainly I can only speak from my own experience, but I think that it is not that unusual an experience.
Posted by octamatilda (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
octamatilda,
LCPS pays the second highest salaries in the region, $97 less then FCPS. LCPS has some of the highest per student expenses in some demographics in the state and the highest supervisor to student ratio in the state. This is all in the MGT Analysis.
Posted by cakkallen (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That's not the whole story. LCPS teachers work a longer year than other Metro area districts:
Fairfax 194 days
http://www.fcps.edu/DHR/salary.htm
Montgomery County, MD 193 days
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/depar...
Prince Georges 192 days
http://www1.pgcps.org/WorkArea/showconte...
Loudoun 197 days
http://cmsweb1.loudoun.k12.va.us/8053203...
As for average teacher salaries, the WaPo has different statistics:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
So I still think my statement is correct: LCPS teachers work more days for less money than some of our competing districts.
Posted by octamatilda (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe octamatilda lives somewhere in Loudoun besides Sterling Park, because it's pretty well known that the schools in Sterling Park are the worst in the county. Here's a question for WaPo to look into... How many schools in Sterling Park met AYP last year? The answer is not pretty.
Posted by ronin718 (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Since those 3 additional work days don't correlate to increased test scores and only add to unnecessary expenses, we should eliminate them from the school year so we can do apples-to-apples comparisons with FCPS.
WaPo is a news publication with no responsibility concerning the accuracy of the information it reports. MGT is paid directly by VDOE and has a responsibility to the tax payers of Virginia. MGT numbers are more accurate. If they weren’t LCPS would be asking WaPo and not MGT for recommendations.
Posted by cakkallen (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cakkallen: Could you please provide a link to the MGT study? I went to their site, searched for Loudoun County, but got no results. I'd be very interested in reading their report.
Posted by octamatilda (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 4:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think $2m is a bit inaccurate. I have to wonder how comprehensive the review was with such a relatively small number. Were they just looking for low-hanging fruit?
Why not do it like businesses do, and set budget requirements that mandate operation with X% fewer dollars? I'll bet we'd start finding some fat to trim really quick if it was between everyone taking a 15% salary cut, or finding ways to reduce costs internally... but why bother with pesky fiscal responsibility, when you have the prerogative to screw the taxpayers?!
Posted by Hoqenishy (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As mention in the article...the audit was based on interviews that included school board members, teachers, administrators, etc...
Are they really going to say that a certain amount of cash being used is unnecessary for the proper function of LCPS?
Posted by mazman128 (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You can't treat a school system like a business. A business can choose to cut back on services or sever unprofitable locations. Schools have an obligation to all county residents. Just look at the outcry when LCPS suggested closing schools out west in the name of efficiency!
There are many services which are mandated by federal and state law. These include ESOL, special education, & vocational training. The "optional" services are the football fields, marching band, and other after school activities. I've never seen a protest for less football to balance the budget.
Between the school board members (county taxpayers), administrators (county residents), and principles (mostly county residents), there are many interest parties in "trimming the fat". Stop thinking of this country as a corporation and start thinking of it as a community. Then you'll realize how rich we really are!
Posted by danwpnews (anonymous) on August 13, 2008 at 10:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The review is available here:
http://cmsweb1.loudoun.k12.va.us/loudoun...
Posted by anon (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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