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Superintendent Hatrick on next year's budget
Edgar Hatrick, Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, took some time at the Loudoun County School Board meeting Oct. 13 to address the fiscal year 2011 budget.
Specifically, Hatrick said he disagrees with the fiscal guidance for next year's budget outlined by members of the Board of Supervisor's Finance Committee last week (For more on this read THIS article). Hatrick sent a memo to members of the Board of Supervisors (prior to the full board vote expected next week).
I didn't receive a copy of the memo, but here are some of the more interesting statements from Hatrick's discussion of it:
"The guidance being suggested would at best provide no additional dollars for Loudoun County Public Schools next year, and in two other scenarios, would provide a local transfer reduction of $38 million or $71 million."
"I believe some of these estimates for reduction might be high, but they are real. The net effect of all of this is that when you combine the potential reductions, we would be looking at budget reductions of $69 million, $107 million, or $140 million, and that's off a base budget of $732 million -- as much as a 20 percent reduction in one year in the budget even though we're going to increase by three schools and welcome over 3,000 new students next year."
"We think these reductions would be drastic. The two tiers of reductions not taken last year because things on them were so objectionable... those two tiers only totaled $53 million. In every scenario we're looking at -- we've got growth occurring, schools opening and the potential for a reduction in school budget year to year. We'd be talking about reducing our cost per pupil to levels less than we spent in the 2006 - 2007 school year."
"It is my sincere hope that the Board of Supervisors will reconsider the recommendation made by the Finance Committee. We all realize we're living in difficult economic times, but there are many indicators that tell us we may have an improving economy here in Loudoun County. There are also indications the economy throughout the country is recovering. This level of reduction would in fact change the way we do business to an extent that I don't think people would recognize the new school system. I don't believe people would see the programs that are in place now that go a long way to making this a good school system."
Why does Superintendent Hatrick seem to think that the school system is above budget cuts? I understand that we have more schools opening, but who says that have to be built like the Taj Mahal?? I believe there is a problem when 70% of the local budget goes to the school system. It's time for the school board to tighten the purse strings, just like the citizens of Loudoun County. If Superintendent Hatrick can't see that, then maybe it's time for him to be replaced.
Posted by ConfusedInLoudoun
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