Fairfield Board of Education Proposed Operating Budget 2011-2012

1. Fairfield Board of EducationProposed Operating Budget2011-2012 • Mr. John Mitola, Board of Education Chairman • Dr. David G. Title, Superintendent of Schools • March 7, 2011

2. Fairfield Budget 2011-2012 Funding the Board of Education's operating budget allows us to offer a comprehensive and rigorous program of academics, athletics, arts and co-curricular activities. This presentation consists of four parts: • An overview of our program • Some indicators about student achievement resulting from this program • Budget development and format changes for this year • Highlights of cost pressures and savings initiatives

3. English / Social Studies In addition to a comprehensive core Pre K-12 program, a variety of elective courses are offered to high school students including:

4. Math / Science • In addition to a comprehensive core Pre K-12 program, a variety of elective courses are offered to high school students including:

5. World Languages • Grade 4 Spanish instruction begins • Grades 7 + 8 Choice of French or Spanish

6. Art / Music In addition to a comprehensive Pre K – 12 Art and Music program, a variety of elective courses are offered to students including: • Elementary Strings instruction begins in Grade 4 and Band in Grade 5 • Music Technology instruction begins in Grade 6

7. Business, Family Consumer Sciences and Technology Education. Students in High School are offered a variety of courses in these program areas including: • Family Consumer Science begins in Grade 6 • Technology Education begins in Grade 7 • Business begins in Grade 9

8. Other Program Areas

9. Student Involvement

10. CMT 2006-2010Percent of Students At / Above Goal * Indicates a 3 year trend up

11. CMT 2006-2010Percent of Students At / Above Goal * Indicates a 4 year trend up

12. CMT 2006-2010Percent of Students At / Above Goal * Indicates a 3 year trend up

13. College / University Attendance • 90% of Fairfield graduates continue their education. • 75% attend 4 year colleges.

14. Advanced Placement Results 2000-2010 Fairfield is among the top ten school districts in CT with the highest percentage of students earning a 3+ on their AP exams (87.8) Fairfield is among the top 5 school districts in CT for the number of students taking an AP test (542)

15. SAT Results2006-2010

16. CAPT 2007-2010Percent of Students At / Above Goal

17. How can we do better?A District Improvement Strategy • Presented to the public in January 2011 and posted on District’s website • Focus is on increasing student achievement by improving instruction • Focus on a limited number of initiatives: strengthening teacher and school leader skills, aligning practices across the system and providing adequate resources

18. Format of the Budget • Goal is to simplify and clarify the budget document • Eliminate redundancies • Simplify when multiple accounts were used to purchase the same service • Clarify the use of revenue • Clearly show all permanent staff regardless of funding source

19. Format of the Budget (cont’d) • Show clearly when positions are added because of loss of grant funds • Show where we have responded to the recommendations in the Operational Audit • Put budget in an easy-to-read format that includes explanations of significant changes in accounts, line items or program changes

20. Changing Allocations to Provide Equity • Provide equity in staffing and technology • Budget technology centrally • Budget substitute teachers/interns centrally • Provide elementary staffing model based on size of school and number of sections • Combine district and school funding accounts

21. Budget Priorities • Preserve our excellent instructional program and class sizes • Program improvements need to show some offset in costs • Keep forward momentum in technology • Restore some of the major cuts in maintenance projects • Address enrollment changes

22. Budget Priorities (cont’d) • Squeeze savings in non-instructional areas to focus on maintaining our programs (high school start times) • Designate all revenue as an offset against proposed expenditures (Open Choice)

23. Enrollment 2010-11 vs. 2011-12

24. Enrollment Information • A decrease of 6 elementary classroom teachers is budgeted in 2011-2012 • An increase in classroom teachers at the middle school and high school is budgeted in 2011-2012

25. Significant Cost Pressures on 2011-2012 Budget • Contracted salary increases • Loss of SFSF funds • Rising costs of pension and medical benefits • Rising enrollment • Other contractual increases, such as the transportation contract • Approximately 88 percent of the 4.9 percent increase is due to fixed or contractual costs

26. Non-Personnel Cost Reductions • A total of $1,748,000 in such reductions are included in this budget • Includes savings suggested by the Audit • Some accounts were “zeroed out”

27. Significant Program/Service Changes • High School start times • New Elementary Staffing Model • New Gifted education model for elementary and middle schools • Pre-K program changes to serve more children at a lower cost • All either save money or have some reductions to offset additional costs

28. Net Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staffing Changes

29. Summary • Support of the school system’s • budget has enabled us to offer a first- • rate program • Efforts have been made to find cost • savings • The budget development process has • changed to make the budget easier to • understand • We appreciate your time and • consideration of this budget request