Deferred Needs

The following chart represents funding needs of the school system in the operating budget which have not been included in the Official Budget 2001-2002. Due to budget reductions and cuts, many necessary and important needs will not be funded. In our effort to be reasonable and responsible in presenting our local needs to the community and the county, we are compelled to share these additional items. Cost data, if available, is provided. There are no totals since some items were costed and others were not.

Items are not listed in a priority order.

Elementary School Principals

Item

Cost

Administrative salary equity/issues

N/A

Increase in per pupil allotment

N/A

Middle School Principals

Item

Cost

Instructional Resource Teacher for each middle school.

There should be flexibility at each school to use this position to best meet the school and system goals.Ex: coaching teachers, training teachers in best instructional practices, coordinating the mentor program, or helping with testing.

N/A

Assistant Principals

Additional assistant principals.  Revisit allotment formula.

N/A

Resources for students with behavior problems

Additional resources for students with severe behavior problems.  More teachers, lower class sizes, more alternative settings.

N/A

Counselors

Additional resources for counselors; making all counselors eleven or twelve month employees.

N/A

Resource Officers

A resource officer in all middle schools, city and county.

N/A

Accountability

Additional resources and leadership related to academic accountability/promotion standards.  Teachers are stressed and feel accountable but not supported.

N/A

High School Principals

Item

Cost

Instructional supply funding

Reinstate per pupil instructional supply funding and increase allocation to reflect two years inflation.

N/A

High School Assistant Principal Formula

Establish new high school assistant principal allocation formula.  We propose a formula of 1:400 ADM, with minimum base of 4 assistant principals per 9-12 high school.

N/A

Staff Development Funds

Increase staff development funds per teacher

N/A

Lower Class Size

Provide 2 additional teachers per school to lower class size in core academic areas.

N/A

Extra Duty

Increase number of extra-duty positions and extra-duty stipends.

N/A

Textbooks

Increase textbook allocation per pupil.

N/A

Interscholastic Athletics

Provide support for the interscholastic athletic program per school.  Provide a base amount of $10,000 to financially support each school’s athletic program (funds can be used to offset increased cost of insurance, security, transportation, and free staff admission to athletic events).

N/A

Photocopier Expense

Increase allocation for photocopier expense.

N/A

SAT Coordinators (3)

East Wake, Fuquay, Garner High Schools

$165,538

Technology Division

4 Senior Programmer Analysts

Additional support for Oracle business applications.  Proposed salary is above mid-range for administrator due to the required experience and knowledge.

$285,364

Operator

To support 24/7 operation of the computer room

$37,684

1 Senior Administrator

Additional support for Oracle business applications.  Proposed salary is above mid-range for senior administrator due to the required experience and knowledge.

$77,080

Processors for Student Information

$400,000

Instructional Support Technicians (7)

To assist in attaining the Wake County Board of Education’s Goal and Strategies to ensure an inviting and optimal learning environment and to provide comprehensive instructional technology, we will need to significantly increase our headcount in order to minimize the amount of downtime and interruption to everyday learning.  Schools are requesting we have one technician per school in order for them to go about their business of educating students.  With this budget, we are requesting an increase of headcount that will give us one technician per three schools.

$386,767

Senior Programmer Analysts (3)

Additional support for Oracle business applications.

$165,758

Senior Administrator – Oracle Applications (1)

Additional support for Oracle business applications.

$71,436

Instructional Support Technicians (6)

To assist in attaining the Wake County Board of Education’s Goal and Strategies to ensure an inviting and optimal learning environment and to provide comprehensive instructional technology, we will need to significantly increase our headcount in order to minimize the amount of downtime and interruption to everyday learning.  Schools are requesting we have one technician per school in order for them to go about their business of educating students.  With this budget, I am requesting an increase of headcount that will give us one technician per three schools.

$331,514

Maintenance and Operations

Item

Cost

Lease of Replacement Vehicles

Leasing of additional replacement vehicles to increase the pilot program of school-based maintenance.

$106,392

Maintenance and Operations

Adjustments to increase to 1.5% of NCDPI's building replacement value for WCPSS.

$3,516,238

Operational Services

Item

Cost

Customer Services Representatives

Position was added in 2000-2001 in the Community Services budget.  Requesting to shift the position to local dollars.

$30,599

New Buses – Transportation

10 new buses – have not added any buses in 2 years.

$500,000

Updated Phone Directories – Communications

$8,500

Security – Vehicle for Security

$20,000

Associate Superintendent Professional Memberships

$730

Repair for Cameras and Intellikey – Security

Additional supplies for repairs for cameras and Intellikey systems.

$10,000

Transportation Computer Hardware

$25,000

Food for System Functions – Associate Superintendent

Food purchase to pay for system functions for which we get billed.

$1,850

Annual Report – Communications

Reinstitute Annual Reports.

$20,000

Insertion of WCPSS Information in N&O – Communications

$12,000

Reinstate news summaries for Cabinet – Communications

$4,000

Workshop/travel for Associate Superintendent

$683

Bus Drivers and Training

Green Hope Operations Manager, 10 additional Bus Drivers, 2 additional Team Leaders Green Hope, and 5 hours additional training per driver.

$455,783

Administrative Services

Item

Cost

Implement Baldrige/Continuous Quality Initiative

$200,000

Provide Training/Equipment for Webster Center

3 Scanners - $1,000

3 Network Printers - $2,000

Sound system with mics - $5,000

2 Projector screens - $500

2 Podiums - $250

Furniture setup for one currently vacant meeting room - $5,000

15 PCs for third computer lab - $30,000

2 LCD projectors - $5,000

$48,750

Upgrade Current Extra Duty Schedule

$500,00

Upgrade Current Safety Officer to Senior Administrator

Request that the position of Safety Officer be upgraded to Sr. Administrator/Safety Section.  This change is necessitated by the expansion of the section and the increase in duties and responsibilities associated with the requirements set forth in the board quality improvement goal to reduce the number of safety violations in schools and departments.  The attainment of this goal will require a dramatic increase in internal safety inspection frequency and systemwide training requirements. 

The school system's increased attention to OSHA compliance has materially increased the safety officer's direct involvement in various departmental safety and compliance functions.  In the Auxiliary Services are alone, the safety officer is now a member and advisor to eight new safety committees, a number which is expected to grow as a result of ongoing OSHA compliance evaluations.  This involvement also requires the safety officer to take actions which, in reality, amount to indirect supervision of other staff personnel over whom he has no direct control.

Recommend that the current position be upgraded to Sr. Administrator, band 3, which would require an annual salary increase of approximately $16,000.

$16,000

Delivery Truck with Lift

$40,445

Create 10 permanent substitute teacher positions with benefits

$343,245

3 MOE Employee Relations Secretary

Increase a 9-month secretary to 12 months.  This position handles clerical duties for our policy director, workers'compensation processor, and our two HR investigators.

$5,894

Cargo Van for Courier

$17,810

Additional Classroom Furniture Due to Growth

$30,000

Increase the Secretary/Claims Processor position to 100%

This request is to increase the current position of secretary/claims processor in the risk management division from 50%, shared with accounting, to 100%.  The increase in the number of claims associated with system growth and the requirements to maintain more detailed records associated with performance-based budgeting and the board goals dictate a full time position.  The expansion of record keeping requirements associated with the board quality improvement goals, and increased attention to OSHA compliance systemwide will require a material increase in clerical services provided by this position.

$14,000

Additional Furniture for Administrators

$20,000

Assist schools with emergency staffing issues

$68,649

Fire-Safety Inspector/Trainer (1)

Current staffing is at the same level as it has been for more than twelve years, during which time the school system has almost double in size.  The lack of adequate staff has placed the division in the position of "putting out fires"rather than proactive intervention.  The addition of a Fire-Safety Inspector position is required to comply with the board quality improvement goal, reduce the number of safety violations in schools and departments. The objective is a reduction of 5% per year. The method of accomplishing this goal will be to more than double the internal fire and safety inspections currently conducted.  The section must be also develop and implement a systemwide fire and safety training program.  The recent attention to OSHA compliance further dictated the addition of this position.  An additional benefit that could reasonably be expected from the safety program improvements, would be a reduction in insurance cost for property, liability, and vehicle coverage.

$37,671

Instructional Services

Item

Cost

After School Assistance

$114,640

Middle School Language Arts Lead Teacher

This position is needed for school level support.  Currently one program administrator provides training and school support for all middle school language arts teachers.  State mandates, Goal 2003, ALP and Project Achieve will require greater support from the middle school literacy staff.

$56,000

Elementary Math Lead Teacher

This position is needed for school level support.  Currently one program administrator and one lead teacher provides training and school support for approximately 3,500 teachers for all elementary schools.  State mandates, Goal 2003, ALP, and project Achieve will require greater support from the elementary math staff.

$56,000

Transition Asst. (2) OCS

Two Special Education teacher assistants for transition are needed to implement the state expansion of the Occupational Course of Study (OCS).

$42,000

Media Collection

Required to meet SACS Accreditation Standards.

$100,000

Physical Therapists (2)

Two physical therapists at 12 months:

  • No new PT positions have been added since 1986 due to the scarcity of PT applicants. Thus, our current PT staff cannot meet the demand of services for students as caseloads have ballooned.

  • Because PT’s regularly serve students with severe physical disabilities, safety issues as well as IEP compliance issues are seriously undermined by the staffing situation.

  • PT applicants are currently more available than in previous years, so we are now requesting positions that have been needed for quite some time.

$112,000

Audiologist (.5)

Audiologist (.5 position at 12 months.):

  • Only 1.5 audiologist positions have been added since 1994, during which time audiologists' caseloads have increased dramatically.

  • The wait time for audiological evaluations has increased, which causes delays in completion of the special education eligibility process, as well as delays in appropriate regular education programming decisions.

  • Our inadequate staffing leads to an inability to complete evaluations within the required 90-day timeline, thus noncompliance with state requirements.

$23,000

Special Ed. Reading Teacher (5)

Five Special Education teachers/reading support teachers (10 positions at 10 mos.at 50%.):

  • These positions are needed to support the Special Education Services Reading Initiative.

  • Five special education teachers who have been trained in the teaching of reading will provide support through classroom visits, individual conferencing, coaching and training to special education teachers throughout the county.

  • This is phase one of an implementation plan designed to assure coaching/support for teaching of reading throughout the WCPSS.

$280,000

Occuptional Theraapists (2.5)

$126,000

Social Worker (1)

$52,000

Summer Training

Stipends and extended contracts.

$371,000

Mid Year End-of-Grade Printing

Print sufficient mid-year EOG tests to allow students to write in test booklets.  This will allow students to take mid-year exams under the same conditions as they take spring EOG tests.  This standardization will reduce the chances of a student being confused about test-taking instructions in the spring and also enable each student to demonstrate their best mastery of the material, rather than how well they can adapt to the testing conditions.

$30,870

Psychologists (2)

  • Only one terminating contract position has been funded (through Medicaid) over the past two years, when 13 new schools opened. Psychologists thus had to take on additional schools, which has eroded the amount of time they can be at each of their schools.

  • The additional school load results in larger evaluation caseloads and difficulty adhering to required 90-day timelines between referral and placement (evaluation must be done within that process).

  • Schools are relying heavily on psychologists for crisis intervention services following student deaths, particularly suicides. These services are considered invaluable by school staff. With heavier evaluation loads, however, it becomes difficult to fulfill other responsibilities and adhere to 90-day timelines. In the 1999-2000 year, a total of 153 psychologist workdays were devoted to crisis intervention (total staff response days). This is an important service, but is difficult when staffing is not increasing.

  • In addition to the approximately 3,200 evaluations done yearly, psychologists provide other services to support Goal 2003. For example, last year they provided a total of 11,051 consultations to school staff and parents. Time for these important services is limited as school loads grow.

$116,000

BELC

Elementary/middle school training and materials.

$25,000

Special Education Sr. Administrator (1)

  • To maintain support to schools in the implementation of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and in delivery of services to students receiving special education.

  • Over the past two years (1998-2000), the number of students in special education has increased by approximately 1,000 students per year. The December 2000 headcount is expected to total over 14,000 special education students.

  • Over the past two years (1998-2000),ten additional schools have opened and currently over 110 schools require onsite support from specialeducation services administration staff.

  • Support includes staff development and training, interpretation of rules and regulations governing programs and services for children with special needs, participation in I.E.P. meetings, and identifying resources for servicing children with complex needs.

$80,000

SAP Coordinators (7)

Seven student assistance program counselors (7 positions for 10 mos./100%):

  • •  In 2000-2001, salaries for these seven student assistance counselors were funded by the Safe and Drug Free School Grant. Application for this grant will be submitted again in the Spring 2001 as in past years, however there is concern that grant monies may not be awarded for covering the costs of these positions.

  • •  The SAP positions have become an integral part of the student services program at all high schools, providing in-depth counseling for high needs students.

$431,000

Speech Pathologists (5)

$275,000

ESL Lead Teacher

The number of students served over the past four years has increased as follows:

1997 – 1,480

1998 – 2,038

1999 – 2,601

2000 – 3,261

The ESL population represents 3.3% of our total school population. This program is managed by one program administrator who also oversees the foreign language program K-12. This position is critical to the support of Goal 2003 and our local Promotion and Intervention Policy.

$56,000

Computer Equipment Related Services

Computer equipment:

  • Currently, less than half of the Related Services staff have computers (out of 166 staff members, only 51 have computers).

  • The request for $50,000 represents the first year of a multi-year process for purchasing computers for all Related Services staff.

$50,000

14 Special Education Services Teacher Assistants

14 positions for 10 months at 100%:

  • School principals have voiced, individually and collectively, concern about the time required for special education teachers to complete day-to-day tasks in implementing IDEA.  They have requested that a clerical assistant position be assigned to each school site to help with these duties.

  • The responsibility of the clerical assistant would include maintaining student files, arranging IEP meetings (i.e. contact participants, locating meeting space, having necessary forms available) and completing reports such as teacher schedule forms and roster verification.

  • We are requesting fourteen clerical assistant positions to be assigned to high school special education departments as a pilot program.

  • School principal feedback and documentation of timely and accurate reporting of school data will be among factors used to evaluate program success.

$294,000

Wake Technology Academy

Curriculum development

$55,000

AP Exam

Cover costs of A.P. exams for WCPSS students, except for a small copayment by each student. Many school districts pay for or subsidize the cost of Advanced Placement exams, but WCPSS has not typically done this.  A.P. coursework fosters academic excellence, is strongly linked to SAT performance, and also can help students and parents save considerable money on tuition in college.  Based on the number of exams in previous years in WCPSS, we estimate 3700 exams, at $76 each. Costs budgeted here as expansion items assume each student would still pay $15 per exam, unless they met criteria for a low-income subsidy from the state and ETS. The $15 charge to students is important to ensure that only students who are seriously seeking Advanced Placement credit take the exam.

$221,900

High School CTE Certification

Pilot program – student fees for technical certification

$7,500

Fulbright Exchange

$10,500

Separate Public Special Education Elementary School

Day Treatment Program to serve 32 elementary students K-5.

$510,000

2 months of Counselor per MS

Extra two months for 22 middle school counselors.

  • Principals and student services departments at traditional schools have indicated that they need counselors in the summer to handle registration, placements, scheduling, and to meet other counseling needs.

  • At each middle school this would transfer either one counselor to 12 months employment or two counselors to 11 months employment.

$187,000

Special Education Senior Administrator (2)

$160,000

Transition Asst.

$273,000

Phillips Extended Academy (1)

One teacher for Phillips Extended Academy.

$50,166

Student Services

Item

Cost

Special Education Teachers (5)

Special Education Teacher to coordinate/provide itinerate services to students with hearing impairment, Orientation, Mobility Specialist for students with visual impairment, Assistive Technology Specialist, Adapted Physical Education Specialist, and a Transition Teacher.  The above positions are needed to serve the increase in numbers of students in disability categories requiring the services of highly specialized staff.

$282,801

Speech Pathologists (4)

  • Speech caseloads have grown steadily over the past several years. Students receiving speech services totaled 5,818 on last headcount, and the numbers are expected to be higher when the year's headcount is complete.

  • We have only added five new positions this year, after having opened 13 new schools in two years and seen the speech headcount grow significantly over that time.

  • Currently our speech therapists are spread so thinly that services mandated in I.E.P.'s are jeopardized, which could result in noncompliance with state and federal laws.

$270,476

Occupational Therapists (2)

  • Occupational therapists caseloads increased 20% from last school year to the present year, primarily due to students moving in with OT on their I.E. P.'s.

  • Referrals for OT evaluations have increased 50% over the past two school years.

  • Increasingly, regular education teachers are requesting consultative services from OT's for help with students who have motor problems affecting production of written work. The availability of OT support for such problems supports Goal 2003 as well as students and teachers.

$115,862

Speech Pathologists (2)

  • Speech caseloads have grown steadily over the past several years. Students receiving speech services totaled 5,818 on last headcount, and the numbers are expected to be higher when the year's headcount is complete.

  • We have only added five new positions this year, after having opened 13 new schools in two years and seen the speech headcount grow significantly over that time.

  • Currently our speech therapists are spread so thinly that services mandated in I.E.P.'s are jeopardized, which could result in noncompliance with state and federal laws.

$113,748

504 (2)

This allocation is requested to support the current needs of students with 504 plans.  Student needs identified next year will again be covered by Medicaid funds until the following budget cycle.  Since 504 has no federal funding, schools that incur cost for failure to follow a 504 plan will be expected to pay them from school funds.

  • Two teaching assistants are needed for students with IDEA plans to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; 1 critical diabetic and 1 quadraplegic.

  • Ancillary equipment (auditory trainers) for as many as ten hearing impaired students. Equipment generally costs $2,000.00 per unit.

$62,189

OCS Curriculum Materials

Special Education instructional supplies and materials to implement the expansion of the Occupational Course of Study.

  • These funds are needed to purchase curriculum materials for 9th and 10th grade special educationstudents enrolled in the Occupational Course of Study.

  • Examples of curriculum areas are occupational English, occupational math, and occupational preparation

$60,000

Human Resources

Item

Cost

Building Level Baldrige "Quality Schools" Effort Senior Administrator (1)

$71,436

Data Specialists (4)

$238,276

Staff development funds specifically related to effort at: Combs, Longview, Enloe, and Centennial schools

$50,000

Girls'Golf Coach Team Supplement

Girl's Golf Coach for each high school

  • Adding this position will give each high school 12 varsity sports for boys and 12 varsity sports for girls.

  • Nine Wake County high schools had the sport this year

  • The NCHSAA started sanctioning this sport in 1997-98

$23,000

Extra Duty Pay Scale Adjustments

 

$350,000

Outsourced Substitutes

The current WCPSS TSSI fill rate is approximately 84%.  Sixteen percent of WCPSS classrooms on average are covered daily by other teachers and teacher assistants.  84% Fill Rate costs $4.0 million.  Projected cost at 100% fill rate is $4.7 million.  100% Fill rate contracted with 38% markup would be $6.0 million.

Organized abandonment that could occur with outsourcing of substitutes: Recruiting, screening/criminal records checks, hiring, orientation and training, scheduling including all TSSO functions, payroll processing, personnel management, quality control, and retention.

Positive aspects:

Fill rate increased to 90-95% (based on the nationwide experience of one contractor), better trained substitutes, larger pool of substitutes due to provision of benefits and weekly paychecks, fewer teachers and TA's required to cover classes not filled by substitutes, TSSI operation and maintenance (including personnel) assumed by contractor, building level effort reduced/eliminated, and effort in HR/Payroll reduced/ eliminated.

Negative aspects:

Increased costs; may be mitigated by efforts to better manage professional development activities.  Fewer substitute days available from staff development funds allocated to schools.   Effort in Accounting is increased.

$1,245,220

Curriculum and Instruction

Item

Cost

Healthful Living Assessment

Fitness Assessment – SBE/WCPSS Policy Mandate

$60,000

K-2 Literacy Teacher

This position is needed to maintain the PK-2 ALP program at its current level of support.  This program is critical to the support of Goal 2003 and our local Promotion and Intervention Policy.

$63,976

Pre-K Materials

$71,000

CRISS (6-12) Training Materials

$121,600

Grade 5-6 Transition

$25,000

Grade 3 Mathematics Training and Materials

$27,573

ALP Teacher (3-12) and Character Education Training

$156,050