DeKalb under the gun: Raise taxes or make dire cuts, including closing beloved Fernbank
Fernbank costs DeKalb $4.7 million to operate, a luxury the system can't afford any longer. (AJC)
Many of you have suggested that the cash-strapped DeKalb Schools close the Fernbank Science Center.
Someone was listening.
As a longtime metro Atlanta resident, I have been to Fernbank dozens of times with all four of my children. My kids love the nature exhibits and the Apollo 6 Command Module. I would hate to see this facility close, but I realize the financial crisis facing DeKalb and understand that there will be cuts of consequence and conscience. Some good stuff will end.
According to the AJC:
Each year, about 160,000 people, many of them schoolchildren, learn about frogs, snakes, bugs and other animals and plants during visits to Fernbank Science Center.
The decades-old institution, owned and operated by the DeKalb County public school district, has offered a hands-on education to students and other visitors from across metro Atlanta and elsewhere. However, it might close, under a recommendation Thursday by the school board’s budget committee. Fernbank Science Center, which includes a planetarium, is near the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, which is operated by a separate nonprofit.
At an annual cost of $4.7 million, the building and its 56 full-time employees now are looking like a luxury to school officials. They are struggling with a $73 million deficit, and may have to cut teachers and school days to balance the budget.
School board Chairman Eugene Walker, who opposes closing the science center, said students go there to work on projects and learn about nature. “It’s a great educational opportunity for students that are interested in science,” he said.
This week, the school board adopted a tentative $759.7 million budget that closed the gap, but only with an unlikely $30 million tax increase. Several who backed the spending plan — a formality mandated by the state so the public would have something to comment on — said they had no desire to actually raise taxes. They’ll have to vote on a final budget before fiscal 2013 starts on July 1.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution polled eight of the nine board members (only Sarah Copelin-Wood could not be reached), and five said, to varying degrees, they opposed a tax increase.
“I will only consider a tax increase after we have made all the reductions we can,” said Tom Bowen, the board vice chairman. “Using reserves last year allowed us to escape some hard decisions.”
Bowen was referring to DeKalb’s savings account. Money piled up in flush times, but there are no reserves now. Indeed, this year, DeKalb may wind up $6 million in debt. If that happens, officials say they will hold off on paying bills until July or after, meaning the deficit actually could be closer to $79 million.
No other major metro Atlanta school system is in the same dire financial straits. Last year, the most recent for which figures are available, only a half-dozen public school systems in Georgia ended the year owing money.
The causes, though, are not unique: rising costs for items such as health insurance, and plummeting tax receipts. Property values, the foundation of the DeKalb tax base, will have seen a 25 percent decline from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2013, according to school system financial officials.
Proponents of a tax increase, including Walker, note that DeKalb hasn’t raised its tax rate in nearly a decade. “The idea of just cutting to solve this problem is irresponsible,” he said.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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247 comments Add your comment
Dunwoody Mom
May 25th, 2012
1:22 pm
One of budget recommendations is to do away with transporation for STT students. How many students will take part in this if they have no transportation to Fernbank?
yes i am worried
May 25th, 2012
1:25 pm
And keep in mind all those advanced high school science courses require students to transport themselves. Accessibility is really limited.
Inman Park Boy
May 25th, 2012
1:33 pm
Fernbank (bless it’s heart) dates back to a time in DeKalb County when the school system reached for the stars and had the money to do just that. Let’s not forget that Perimeter College first opened as DeKalb College and was operated by the DeKalb School system. That was then, this is now. The population in DeKalb has largely (not completely) shifted from white middle and upper middle class communities to white middle and lower middle class and minority communities. The entire southside of DeKalb has probably suffered more of a decline in property values than any other part of the metro area. So, we are dealing with a system not necessarily in a quality decline but simply in a money decline. I am not sure what the soluition to that may be other than to cut out such lovely old programs as Fernbank. It breaks my heart, but it is a fact of our current economy and DeKalb demographics.
Teacher Reader
May 25th, 2012
1:44 pm
First too many making comments do not know the difference between Fernbank Science Center and Fernbank Natural History Center. These are two separate entities.
Tax payers of DeKalb, need to really start paying attention. We are in this financial hole, because we as a county have enabled our elected officials to spend millions upon millions on law suits, schools that serve few at the expense of the neighborhood schools, and paying for employees that truly are not needed. If you ran a business the way DeKalb County and the schools are run, you’d be bankrupt and out of business.
First, ALL employees need to be looked at. Only necessary employees should be kept, and the rest need to be laid off. We are not an employment agency and cannot afford to keep people employed for the sake of employing them.
Enlarging class size will take even more away from the children of DeKalb’s education. This should only happen, if all cuts have been made to personnel.
Increasing taxes will further hurt our home values. Already, people can’t give their homes away. If home values fall even more, there is a limit to the amount of taxes that can be assessed to people. What happens when we hit that limit and we are still in need of money to cover the bills?
Not only should Fernbank Science close, but so should every magnet, theme, and other special school and program (including pre-K) until we have finances controlled and are providing a quality education in every home school. As a county we can no longer allow, a few lucky to receive a good education, at the expense of the majority struggling in overcrowded classes to try to get some kind of education that doesn’t equate to half of what the few lucky are receiving.
Mountain Man
May 25th, 2012
1:50 pm
It is funny that one of the reasons for Dekalb’s shortfall is declining property values. In other words, a person’s house may go from $300,000 value to $150,000 so they pay half the tax they used to. Then they look to increase property taxes 2 mils, which might increase their tax by 10% (over the cut amount) and people are going nuts being against “increased taxes”. Their taxes are 40% lower but they think it is a tax increase.
REminds me of what happened to me in Cherokee County in the late 80″s early 90’s. The State had mandated that properties be reassessed. When the new assessments came out everyone was up in arms because their taxes went up. But the County Commissioners said, just wait, don’t file an appeal, we will adjust the millage rate so there is no net increase in taxes. After the time period expired for appeals, the County then announced that their finances were in worse shape than they thought, and they would not be able to roll back the millage rate. But when election time rolled around, every single commissioner campaigned on the premise that “they never voted for a single tax increase”. All good Republicans, of course.
Mountain Man
May 25th, 2012
1:56 pm
A lot has been said about the average cost of educating a student in the metro area being around $11,000 and that teachers are the big reason. The way I figure it, let us say that the teacher’s salary and benefits work out to be $100,000 per year. Each teacher teaches an average of 35 students in a classroom. That makes the average teacher cost a little less than $3000 per student per year. So where does the other $8000 come in? Administrators, transportaion (buses), administration, special ed students, administration, etc.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
May 25th, 2012
1:59 pm
In 8th grade a threw a quarter into an opening on the Apollo capsule for good luck during a field trip in december the last day before christmas break that year. If you sell off the assets, I want my quarter back.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
May 25th, 2012
2:16 pm
@Teacher Reader…instead of “few lucky” you should be saying “The few gifted”..intelligence is not luck, and all students are not equal. Some are clearly superior to others in intellect and they should be treated special as they are the most likely to succeed. Egalitarianism has no place in education, otherwise you wind up with smart children suffering as their pace is slowed by the slow pace of the majority who can’t keep pace with them.
yes i am worried
May 25th, 2012
2:16 pm
Mountain Man
I live in a part of DeKalb which hasn’t seen such huge value drops and my home is worth only slightly less than its appraised value. I have yet to appeal, because the difference is small, but if DCSS raises the millage rate, you better believe that will be an incentive to appeal — along with all my neighbors. Parts of Central and N. DeKalb never had the huge drop that S. DeKalb did. Most areas have had maybe a 20 percent drop….
TrishaDishaWarEagle
May 25th, 2012
2:17 pm
I just set a record for usage of the word “pace”
Deborah
May 25th, 2012
2:21 pm
It saddens me that many people are obviously uninformed about what Fernbank Science Center provides our students, teachers and community. Do you realize that, in addition to teaching at the Center, the Fernbank instructors teach in the schools every day? They also teach evenings and weekends.
Many students come after school hours, to take rigorous classes that are not available at their schools. As a result of these experiences, they become involved in internships and receive college scholarships that would not have been available otherwise? Some of them, not originally college bound, actually decide to attend college as a result of taking some of the Fernbank classes. Older students become mentors for younger ones through programs such as Science Olympiad, First LEGO League Robotics, Chemistry Days and Science Night Out.
Fernbank students have gone on to become teachers, doctors, scientists, pilots, engineers and even astronauts as a direct result of their experiences at the science center. How do you measure that in dollars? Students who are inspired to pursue STEM careers are likely to earn in excess of $100K per year soon after graduating from college.
When our nation is actively promoting STEM, why would DeKalb eliminate its academic jewel that rivals any program offered by any school system in the country? If Fernbank closes its doors, they will not be reopened. Where will the public school students go for these opportunities?
Those who have lived in DeKalb and surrounding counties for a long time know the reputation of our district. Would closing Fernbank Science Center enhance science education for our students? Will our schools be more attractive to potential new residents? If your children have not yet experienced the special programs and courses at Fernbank, I hope they do not lose that opportunity forever.
BlahBlahBlah
May 25th, 2012
2:23 pm
$4.7 million divided by 160,000 patrons = about $29 per visitor. No way this is a viable private endeavor.
Dunwoody Mom
May 25th, 2012
2:38 pm
When our nation is actively promoting STEM, why would DeKalb eliminate its academic jewel that rivals any program offered by any school system in the country
As has been pointed out, other school systems have higher science scores and do not have a FSC.
Would closing Fernbank Science Center enhance science education for our students
Looking at science test scores, it hasn’t so far.
Will our schools be more attractive to potential new residents?
What does this have to do with Fernbank? No one would pick a school in DCSD based on what is available at Fernbank.
Fernbank students have gone on to become teachers, doctors, scientists, pilots, engineers and even astronauts as a direct result of their experiences at the science center.
Students at all DCSD schools have gone on to become teachers, doctors, scientist, etc. – you do not need a Fernbank to accomplish this.
yes i am worried
May 25th, 2012
2:46 pm
TrishaDishaWarEagle
No it is luck in DeKalb — 90 students a semester get into STT — the ones who don’t generally have the same qualifications as those who to.
The high achiever magnet programs are worse — simple cutoff of scores and then a lottery — plenty of 80th percentile kids who get in and plenty of 99th percentile who don’t.
Teacher Reader
May 25th, 2012
2:53 pm
@ Trisha It’s luck, not every child in the magnet, theme and other programs that are expensive to run are gifted. They are lucky to have had their names pulled for the lottery. There are many kids whose names were pulled who are at their home schools.
We cannot afford these programs and they need to go. I want EVERY child in DeKalb to receive a quality education, and not just those in these special programs.
Concerned mom
May 25th, 2012
3:02 pm
Questions for Dunwoody Mom: Do you actually equate test scores with quality education? What would that be, passing rates on end of course tests? CRCT? So any program that can’t demonstrate a direct correlation with a few points increase on a particular test should be scrapped? Is there no value to providing enrichment for motivated students? Maybe we have more demand than supply of these special programs. It’s pretty curious to kill all special programs because there aren’t enough for everyone who wants them. Instead, we would be better served to expand offerings and find other places to cut. (For example, how much do we spend on a tv channel to broadcast School Board meetings? How does that boost our test scores?)
BlahBlahBlah
May 25th, 2012
3:04 pm
I’m so thankful we have the ability to homeschool our kids.
Dunwoody Mom
May 25th, 2012
3:13 pm
Questions for Dunwoody Mom: Do you actually equate test scores with quality education
Well, yes, since the biggest portion of a child’s grade is test results. What does EOCT and CRCT have to do with this?
Is there no value to providing enrichment for motivated students
Sure, but these offerings should be provided to ALL students, not just a lucky few.
I'd rahter not say
May 25th, 2012
3:13 pm
@Patrick Edmonson,
The science center sits on only 6+/- acres. The “old growth forest” you talk about is not owned by the DCSD. DCSD has a lease that ends at the end of June and will not be renewed.
Whether the science center stays open or not… the forest is history.
yes i am worried
May 25th, 2012
3:16 pm
Concerned Mom
We can’t afford these programs. We could cut the entire central office staff (and we probably should) and we still can’t afford these programs. Do you realize that some of these programs are costing thousands above and beyond what is spent on other children? How is right? It may have worked when money was flowing freely but not now.
Also, Fernbank was advised to expand their programs (STT, in particular) 6 years ago. They never did. There has been a certain level of arrogance surrounding the center and making changes. Shame really.
Eliminate Nanny Governments
May 25th, 2012
3:21 pm
How much do the panacea SEX OFFENDER Registries cost? That much money alone, every single year, would easily pay for Fernbank.
Further, if the SEX OFFENDER Registries are actually useful and wonderful, then there are zero excuses for not having many more Registries. In fact, many other types of Registries make much more sense than SEX OFFENDER Registries do. We “need” more Registries and they will cost plenty more.
It is way past time to acknowledge reality regarding the Registries and for people to stand up and say that the emperor has no clothes. It is way past time to tell the nanny big governments that we do not believe their propaganda campaigns about “protecting children”.
The Registries, and especially the adjunct idiotic laws that they have enabled and cultivated (e.g. Banishment), are unnecessarily and negligibly beneficial. The minor benefits that we receive from them are easily obtainable by means that we all ought to be doing anyway. That is, if we actually are trying to “protect children” as the Registries lie.
That would not be so bad except that the Registries and the adjunct laws cost a fortune. Additionally, experts do not support the witch hunt and testify that it is counterproductive. And it is. The witch hunt is also immoral, un-American, anti-factual, anti-religious, often idiotic, and often illegal.
Unamericans who support these big nanny governments who love the SEX OFFENDER Registries need to step up and pay. We are tired of carrying you. We are tired of education, public facilities, transportation, etc. suffering because of the cost of your witch hunt.
Jeff
May 25th, 2012
3:31 pm
Show me a public accounting of the lottery “windfall” and the original education budget, then we can talk.
Pardon My Blog
May 25th, 2012
3:32 pm
I think Fernbank is a gem that should not be closed; however, it should not be a jobs program for friends and family. DCSS should NOT be paying for Montessori schools. No questions those should go.
Teacher Reader
May 25th, 2012
3:44 pm
@ Pardon My Blog, DCSS cannot afford Montessori, Theme, DECA, DCA, and the magnet programs. ALL of these programs need to be stopped immediately and the children sent back to their home schools. All of these programs cost the tax payer more per student to run.
Dunwoody Mom
May 25th, 2012
3:44 pm
I guess I’m still confused as to how Fernbank can be called “gem”, when so few students are really affected by its presence.
GwinnettParenttz
May 25th, 2012
3:46 pm
@Censored. Hmmm. Duly noted.
Concerned DeKalb Mom
May 25th, 2012
3:49 pm
“How do other system’s that don’t have FSC (not even close) have such better outcomes for far more students, of all races, economic levels, etc in science than DeKalb does?”
I think this is the most telling question throughout this thread. Data-driven, emotion removed. Is it worth it for ALL of our students–and used by ALL schools?
I too experienced the Fernbank of the late 70’s and early 80’s. I loved it–I have a specific memory of being introduced to skunk cabbage in the forest. I hate to see it go.
But clearly, the center is not serving the county. My children have been in elementary school for 4 years collectively; they’ve never been to the forest. They have only seen the planetarium, and it has been the same program each year. It makes me sad that my children aren’t being given the same FSC experience that I had–but it’s clear that closing the center is not the cause. The experience changed. And yes, my children are behaved and highly motivated…so whoever did it before, don’t start accusing another mom of not parenting their children adequately enough to visit.
I love the idea of Tellus-Atlanta. Hopefully someone can reach out and move that idea towards reality.
RexDogma
May 25th, 2012
3:50 pm
I have seen DeKalb County do a lot of stupid things over the years. As a person educated in their system this would be an outright tragedy. Come on folks a 2 mill increase would do nothing to kill your budget. N. Dekalb needs to stop their whining and pay up.
Truth in Moderation
May 25th, 2012
3:55 pm
The solution is easy. Do what the rich do..FOUNDATIONIZE it. Turn the center into a Foundation that could receive money from Parks and Rec, Fernbank Natural History Museum, and Jamie Dimon could drop a cool $4.7 million into George Soros’ TIDES FOUNDATION so it could make its way to Fernbank (wink, wink). That way, the IRS can take a tax hit.
This isn’t rocket science. Gwinnett figured this out several years ago with its Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center.
Eric
May 25th, 2012
4:05 pm
I may be wrong, but if the Dekalb would quit funding new electronic speed devices, cameras, and all the other technology that will soon be obsolete; all the paved sidewalks and curbs that clutter the landscape; there might be funds for Fernbank.
Teacher Reader
May 25th, 2012
4:06 pm
I am hoping that those referring to Fernbank Science as being a “gem” are referring to the Natural History Museum, which is going no where. The Fernbank Science center is outdated and has little to offer in the way of exhibits. It’s mostly classrooms.
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:07 pm
Inman Park hit it directly on the head.
FSC dates back to a time when DeKalb was a white, affluent community with the resources to attempt great things. those days have passed.
DeKalb is now a much less affluent community run by a pack of crooks. it doesn’t have the resources to keep itself open, much less to run FCS
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:08 pm
@ rex,
what part of DeKalb do you live in?
Jan
May 25th, 2012
4:09 pm
Stop the nostalgia about how wonderful Fernbank Science Center was. It isn’t a temple, shrine, or holy place. We can no longer afford it! Shut it down! Put that money into something useful for the every day education of children.
Eric
May 25th, 2012
4:11 pm
@Mountain Man (1:56) Please check your salary info. I’m not aware of teacher pay anywhere close to 100k (even with benefits)! New teachers with a B.S. start around $35-37k or thereabouts. When you count “benefits,” be sure to subtract all the payroll deductions made to pay for those benefits. Hence, not much of a benefit.
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:11 pm
something else working against FSC. its outdated.
while I’m not a big fan of teaching with too much technology, today’s kids require a much more engaged approach to, well, everything, than FSC offers. it takes much more money to upgrade
than it DCSS offers
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:17 pm
something else which needs to be said…
DeKalb back in the day was managed by a competent good old boys network who were smart enough not to kill the goose laying the golden egg.
today DeKalb is managed by an incompetent good old boyz network who have proven unwilling or unable to restrain themselves. they killed the goose, cooked it, ate it, and then complained somebody hasn’t given them a new goose
Donaldo
May 25th, 2012
4:18 pm
All of the comments while appreciated are simply that, comments. If the group on this blog truly want action, let me suggest you all meet up at a convenient location to present actual solutions, the time for opinions is way past. This is a time for action, and for me, I believe things when I see them vs what I hear. Organize, solicit community action groups to support your solutions, get people to support petitions for change, if necessary show up in ATL at your local legislators office. Stop reading, and get moving…….
Name One
May 25th, 2012
4:19 pm
The Fernbank Science Center is simply tired and does not appeal to today’s students. Check out below how bloated their payroll is. It is unfathomable they have so many well-paid exhibit designers, despite the exhibits rarely changing. The exhibits are an embarassment. There are some quality teachers there, but as is the DeKalb Way of Gene Walker/Tom Bowen/ex-Supt. Crawford Lewis/Ramona Tyson, FSC festers with a beyond bloated bureaucracy. FSC should be affiliated with DCSS, but it really, really needs to be a seperate non-profit. Now.
Administrator – Director, Fernbank $98,568
Administrator – Administrative Coordinator $91,884
Administrator – Administrative Coordinator $91,884
Support Maintenance $56,402
Support – Technical Support $66,088
Support – Support Services $6,790
Support – Security $48,093
Support – Security $47,150
Support – Security $46,929
Support – Secretary $39,427
Support – Secretary $39,427
Support – Scheduler $43,516
Support – Photographer $67,380
Support – Media Specialist $91,320
Support – Maintenance $47,150
Support – Maintenance $34,276
Support – Maintenance $44,836
Support – Maintenance $33,616
Support – Maintenance $32,426
Support – Maintenance $39,276
Support – Head Custodian $52,091
Support – Geologist $75,430
Support – General Administration $50,520
Support – Gardener $44,836
Support – Exhibit Designer $77,892
Support – Exhibit Designer $69,516
Support – Exhibit Designer $84,720
Support – Exhibit Designer $63,576
Support – Designer/Photographer $66,096
Support – Custodial $31,048
Support – Custodial $29,310
Support – Custodial $31,048
Support – CTSS $49,194
Support – Clerical $7,679
Support – Clerical $37,485
Support – Bookkeeper $27,707
Teacher – Science $75,888
Teacher – Science $45,467
Teacher – Science $52,688
Teacher – Science $56,662
Teacher – Science $70,913
Teacher – Science $77,467
Teacher – Science $75,888
Teacher – Science $67,488
Teacher – Science $93,192
Teacher – Science $42,084
Teacher – Robotics and Engineering $98,556
Teacher – Physics $49,728
Teacher – Physics $66,424
Teacher – Meterology $71,543
Teacher – Ecology $81,504
Teacher – Ecology $61,692
Teacher – Ecology $91,320
Teacher – Ecology $57,714
Teacher – Ecology $98,556
Teacher – Earth and Space $81,504
Teacher – Chemistry $56,695
Teacher – chemistry $61,752
Teacher – Botany $76,089
Teacher – Botany $50,227
Teacher – Biology $71,556
Teacher – Biology $74,674
Teacher – Biology $83,112
Teacher – Astronomy $98,556
Teacher – Agriculture $87,876
Midway
May 25th, 2012
4:24 pm
“N. Dekalb needs to stop their whining and pay up.”
I live in south Dekalb, and I can tell you north DeKalb and central DeKalb have been paying up for a long time now. The DCSS have been raking in their property tax money for years. During the boom years the school system wasted tons of money, sucking up the extra tax revenue they received from housing bubble property values. They created a monster, and now that monster is on the loose. Squeezing even more out of them will be disastrous. DCSS needs to shrink the bloated system back to size.
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:24 pm
damn
I shoulda been working at FCS.
they pay really well
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:26 pm
why don’t other counties help pay?
which county has money to spare?
even if they did, why bail out DCSS?
bootney farnsworth
May 25th, 2012
4:27 pm
OK, lets try it this way….
cut FCS, cut football.
time to choose
skipper
May 25th, 2012
4:29 pm
@enough already…(previous page comment)
Amazing, when someone tells the truth, nobody can come back with anything……….and its the elephant in the room!!!!! What a cluster the system is. You called it correctly!
Teacher Reader
May 25th, 2012
4:30 pm
@ Donaldo, The public has come up with solutions, however those running the system (Board Members and Superintendent) do not want to make the cuts needed. They do not want to let employees in the Palace and throughout the district that have been shown by an independent consultant as not being needed go. They do not want to cut programs that their children are apart of, that cost more per pupil to run and only benefit a handful of kids. Those running the system do not want to make the necessary cuts or to control spending.
Those running the district do not understand needs vs. wants. We want magnet programs, Fernbank Science, Montessori, theme schools, but do we really need them? No we do not need these things and need to focus on educating everyone well, and not just a chosen handful.
The Winner Is
May 25th, 2012
4:47 pm
This post from the DeKalb School Watch Too blog nails it! Millions on Special Ed Lead Teachers who never work with children! No data on the effectiveness of Parent Resource Centers. DCSS spends much more on security than Gwinnett, even though Gwinnett is a much, much larger system. And don’t even get me started on the tens of milliosn the Board of Education wastes on legal fees!
https://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/2012-13-budget-proposals-so-far/
dekalbite2 says:
May 24, 2012 at 9:50 PM
I. Fernbank costs around $6,000,000 to $7,000,000 to operate – around $5,000,000 in salary and benefits, plus transportation of thousands of students to and from the center for a one time science experience, etc.
II. Coaches, Parent Center personnel, Coordinators, and Special Education Lead Teachers – none of which has been tied to student performance or have shown a relationship to increased student achievement for DCSS:
A. Coaches – Instructional, Instructional Change, Graduation, Literacy, Math, etc. are all certified personnel who could teach but do not teach. There are 190 of them (called Instructional Specialists on the state Salary and Travel audit), and they consume around $15,000,000 in Salary and Benefits. DCSS is only obligated to spend around $4,000,000 on Instructional Coaches per Title 1 guidelines. We are not required to have all of those other coaches.
B. Parent Centers – We have around 80 Parent Center personnel and spend around $4,500,000 in salary and benefits for them. No other school systems spends this. We are only obligated under Title 1 guidelines to spend 1% of Title 1 funds on parent involvement which equates to around $400,000.
C. Coordinators – We have around 60 coordinators which make around $100,000 per employee in salary and benefits for a total of $5,600,000. DCSS used to have less than 20 coordinators. Programs and services were consolidated and good clerical support allowed them to wear several hats.
D. Special Education Lead Teachers -There are 90+ DeKalb Special Ed Lead Teachers, Coaches (not to be confused with the above named coaches) and Coordinators (not to be confused with the above named coordinators. They are termed Special Education Specialists on the Salary and Travel audit. They serve 130+ schools and cost $8,000,000+ a year in salary and benefits. They are in charge of paperwork for the special education program and never teach a single child. By contrast, Gwinnett Schools has 20+ Special Education Specialists serving 130+ schools costing them around $1,700,000. DeKalb has 7,500+ Special Education students while Gwinnett has 16,000+ Special Education students.
III. Security – DCSS spends almost $11,000,000 for around 200 Security personnel – including every demographically comparable school system. Look at the figures for DeKalb Security.
http://dekalbschoolwatch.wordpress.com/dcss-spending/the-cost-of-security/
IV. Outsourcing
It is time to look at PARTIAL outsourcing in many areas – food services, custodial, grounds maintenance, security, etc.
V. Maintenance: DCSS with 95,000 students spends around $13,000,000 a year for maintenance while Gwinnett spends around $9,600,000 (and Gwinnett also has more schools)
VI. Further consolidation of schools – Last time we saved around $4,000,000 by consolidating schools. We could save additional dollars by more consolidations.
VII. Pre-K – DCSS is the only system left that runs our Pre-K program in the schools. The other counties let the daycares run their programs with good results for their students. The state will pay the full amount if it is run in the daycares. We pay TIWCE as much to run our Pre-K for the same number of students as Pre-K would be in daycares. Pre-K in daycares has the same teacher certification requirements (teacher certified in early childhood) and the same curriculum.
VIII. Counselors and Assistant Principals – DeKalb is overstaffed and/or pays over the school day in hours for counselors and assistant principals. 270+ Assistant Principals cost $25,000,000 in salary and benefits and 320+ Counselors cost $25,000,000 in salary and benefits. This is a total of $50,000,000 for 590 Counselors and Assistant Principals. Counselor hours need to be reduced from 9 to 8 and position numbers need to align with other school systems. If need be counselors in very small elementary schools can share a counselor. Assistant Principal numbers can also be aligned with the marketplace numbers.
IX. Legal fees
DCSS is spending $13,000,000 a year in legal fees, most of this in this on the Heery Mitchell suit with no end in sight. Soon we will owe lawyers any money we MIGHT (and this is a gamble) make. We paid King and Spalding around $5,000,000 last year and Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan around $7,000,000 and Josie Alexander over $1,000,000. In addition, we have an in house legal group now.
X. Scripted Learning programs
DCSS spent $6,000,000 last year on America’s Choice, a scripted learning program that has not only shown no efficacy for DCSS students, in fact the low income schools it serves are behind the rates of achievement for every other metro school system. DCSS has been purchasing this program for six years with no ROI. Now Dr. Atkinson wants another scripted learning program called Success for All to replace America’s Choice. Will it also cost millions?
XI. Magnet programs should be housed in existing schools so there is little duplication of admin and support and should cost no more than regular education students. Parents should provide all transportation.
These are but a FEW examples. There are many more that would not impact our teachers in the classroom. When you balance the budget on the backs of the teachers, you balance it on the backs of the students.
Dunwoody Mom
May 25th, 2012
4:50 pm
DCSd has had all of these “choice” programs and have created “pockets” of successful schools, but overall these “choice” programs have done nothing to move the overall district forward academically. So, I have to ask, why does the district continue down this road? In my view, it is time to reassess why we are spending all of this money and seeing few results.
RebeccaAnEducator
May 25th, 2012
4:52 pm
@As I Was Saying Before Being Censored: Yes, saw your points on the earlier topic and wondered where they’d gone to… !!!
I take it this is the only way you’ll get your views on Private School Tax Credits heard. Bully for you! The censoring of contrasting viewpoints only breed cynicism. Are you listening, AJC?
Donaldo
May 25th, 2012
4:56 pm
Teacher Reader: I must be confused then, I was under the impression those you refer to are public employees subject to taxpayer approval. I guess my suggestion of organizing to change is landing on deaf ears, if public employees are not meeting the needs of the public, then it is your duty to organize and take steps to correct, however organizing and combatting a system which has been described is not easy, I know, been there, done that. My question would be, does the community have the will power and fortitude to take action, because whatever has been done to date does not appear to be working. Just an observation, former educator, parent of 2 Cobb grads, taxpayer, independent businessman, most of all someone who does not go down easy.
Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
May 25th, 2012
5:44 pm
The Fernbank stuff is just to try to get everybody to pony up. They could probably cut 30% of their staff and nobody would notice. Hard to give up those union dues. As a DeKalb native and resident, it is hard to watch us become the Detroit of the South. I guess they will turn the street lights off next.