Gwinnett County Public Schools on Tuesday proposed a $1.7 billion budget, balanced by a possible school meal price hike and staffing reductions that could lead to slightly bigger class sizes.
Declining property tax revenues, state funding cuts and the loss of federal stimulus dollars have contributed to an anticipated $75 million shortfall for a district prepared to welcome more students in the fall. Enrollment is expected to increase by 1.1 percent to 162,459 students while the general fund that pays for school operations shrinks by $38.9 million.
However, Gwinnett has a reserve fund to fall back on.
The proposed 2012 fiscal budget indirectly will be balanced by $30.8 million the district saved after using federal money awarded nationally to it and other school systems faced with laying off staff and dealing with reductions to keep budgets afloat. Some metro Atlanta school systems used the federal money to provide bonuses for teachers; Gwinnett schools used it to pay regular salaries, and then placed general fund money normally used for salaries in reserve to cover expected revenue shortfalls.
“We knew even before this time last year what the [fiscal 2012] budget was going to look like,” said Rick Cost, Gwinnett schools chief financial officer. “We needed to use this money that was freed up to offset the deficit. We didn’t want to give a dollar in [2011] to take two dollars away in [2012].”
The juggling has resulted in some staff improvements and no recommended property tax increase for homeowners, despite a $43.1 million or 8-percent decline in the digest. This is the seventh consecutive year that the district has kept its millage rate steady.
Teachers won’t see raises or step increases, but they may see more money in their pay. Three furlough days could be cut to two for next school year, finance officials said.
Donna Aker, Gwinnett County Association of Educators co-president, however, said that money easily could be absorbed by the state’s benefits problem. Georgia’s government employees, teachers and agency retirees might see their insurance premiums jump 20 percent to fill a $250 million shortfall in the state’s health benefits program.
“We are not getting a cost of living raise and the cost of living is going up,” said Aker, a South Gwinnett High School math teacher. “We are going to have one less furlough day, but ... if the state says we have to come up with 20 percent more for our health insurance premium, it kind of equals out. It will especially impact younger teachers and teachers with families. If you have one bad year, you could be in a tough spot.”
The average teacher in Gwinnett Schools -- who holds a master’s degree and has 13 years of experience -- will earn $55,208 next school year. A beginning teacher working 188 contract days would earn $37,609.
The budget also includes 72 growth positions required to support 1,715 more students and the restoration of $2.7 million in school funds campuses can use for supplies and other materials cut in prior years.
General fund teacher positions will fall to 9,892 from 10,384 over the previous year, according to the budget proposal. The district could save $47.8 million from 650 positions lost through attrition and retirement. A hiring freeze will continue except for critical needs positions, bringing another savings of $4.3 million. Classrooms could gain at least one more student on average as a result.
For the first time since the 2007-08 school year, students and faculty will have to pay more for cafeteria meals. Prices were raised by a quarter for students and staff. Kids will pay $2 for lunch in elementary school and $2.25 in middle and high school. Breakfast prices will be $1.25 for all students. Adult breakfast prices will go up a quarter to $1.50 and lunch will remain at $3. School officials said the hike is in response to federal meal pricing mandates and increased operating costs.
“Our school nutrition fund is self-supporting,” said Sloan Roach, Gwinnett schools spokeswoman. “All costs of the program including food, labor and supplies, are funded by cafeteria revenues and also the federal and state reimbursements.”
increase by 1.1 percent to 162,459 students while the general fund that pays for school operations
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