The Albemarle County Public Schools budget is currently under consideration by the School Board, working with Supt. Moran and school administration. As part of the budget building process, the School Board holds a public hearing to receive input from AC residents. A link is provided on the Board’s website for online feedback.

Parents wishing to provide feedback to the School Board on the ACPS budget for 2010-11 are strongly encouraged to speak at the public hearing.

Key Points

The 2010-11 budget request is $3.1million lower than that adopted for 2009-10.

It represents $5.3 million in reductions, including:

• Increases in class sizes for grades 4-12
• No salary increases of any kind for any employees (it will cover the projected 8% increase in health care costs and VA Retirement System expenses so employees will not have an out-of-pocket reduction)
• Ten percent cuts in eligible operating budgets for all department, all schools (an ineligible are might be federally mandated spending)
•  $500,000 cut to learning resources (textbooks, online resources, etc.)
• $400,000 cut to transportation
•  Fifty percent cuts to professional development
• $75 student activity fee for athletic programs (max. $425/family/year)
• Cuts ninth grade athletic teams at Western and Monticello
• Cuts JV coaching assistants at all high schools.
• Cuts instructional support funds for intervention and enrichment, CATEC, elementary and middle school summer school
• Makes, for the third consecutive year, additional position cuts in the central office and in support services, including leadership reductions.

Detailed information on the budget can be the ACPS website Budget page. Under Budget Documents, select 2010-11 Funding Request. Click through to download Section A, the Overview.

• Reductions to Baseline Operations begins on page 39.
• Additional Reductions Under Consideration (for 2010-11) is on page 43.
• Reductions Under Consideration for FY  2011/12 is on page 55.

If you have any questions about the budget and how it may affect your school, please contact your Principal or your Parent Council rep. His or her contact information can be found here.