Looking at the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget

DeKalb County Schools have a long history of proposing budgets which are difficult to understand. The tentative budget which the Board of Education will approve this evening continues that tradition. Despite repeated requests for more transparency for the public, the administration has made no attempt to provide more information nor answer any questions about the tentative budget.

The confusion starts on page one. Look at the line for Clerical Personnel, object #142. It shows a $90,000 increase in the amount budgeted. Now look at page three. Object #142 shows two part-time secretaries whose job % is 390%. They each earn $38,728. That is a part-time job I would like to have.

This section is also the first of numerous examples of the budgeted salary being higher than the salary range posted on the district’s web site. The executive assistant to the superintendent salary range ends at $56,229 but the tentative budget shows $60,410 budgeted for that position. Dr. Ward-Smith’s explained the amount budgeted for salaries as amount the person in that position earned in the previous year. This is interesting because in the FY ’14 budget that position was budgeted for $55,759. Comparing the benefits is also interesting because the FY ’14 benefits for that position are $18,267 but the FY ’15 benefits are budgeted for $16,699.

On page five there is no explanation for the $1.8mil budgeted for settlements. That is just the first of many empty spaces. There are at least a dozen places where the text reads, “Required description of department or project.”

One question I have is where is the money for the international teachers coming from? On page 395 of the tentative budget it is shown that in FY ’14 $2,174,894 was budgeted for international teachers under the heading “Systemwide.” The board approved another $3mil for international teachers in FY ’15 but that is not shown in the tentative budget.

There are many other items in the budget that I would like to have explained such as the Hawthorne Elem. Art/Music/PE salaries (pgs. 576 & 579) and the $210,000 budgeted for Henderson Mill Elem. principal (pg. 581). Also, I am curious about the fact on page 315, the Strategic Management & Accountability division has no staff in the FY ’15 budget, but has $9,500 budgeted for (580) travel-employees and (730) Purchase of Equipment.

My impression is this budget represents business as usual for DCSD. The quality of the budget has not improved. Talk of changing the culture of the district has yet to be reflected in the actions of the administration.

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This is where the writer is supposed to make a call for change, appeal for reform, or ask people to contact the superintendent and their BOE representative.

I can’t.

The current administration, and several BOE members, refuse to acknowledge the root problems of the school district. Until competent people replace the current central office employees, taxpayers and stakeholders will continue to be ignored and the culture of the district will remain the same.

*This blog represents only my opinions and does not represent any other person or group.