2018 legislative priorities AWS
ABOUT MANASSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Our Mission Manassas City Public Schools, in collaboration with families, employees, and community members, will provide a safe and innovative learning environment that inspires, engages, and challenges all students.
Our Vision Each student becomes a positive, contributing member of society by maximizing his or her potential.
Our Beliefs
We believe students must have access to highquality instruction to develop skills to support their success and on-time graduation.
We believe student learning must include opportunities for critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and citizenship.
We believe in open, proactive communication as one community in support of student success.
We believe financial decisions should be based on an inclusive and open process that supports student learning. We believe in an innovative, safe and orderly environment that maximizes student performance.
American Indian
0.41%
Asian
3.59%
Black
10.72%
Hispanic
64.09%
White
16.11%
Hawaiian
0.14%
2 or more races
4.94%
ESOL
48.1%
Special Education
12.25%
SCHOOL BOARD OF THE CITY OF MANASSAS Tim Demeria, Chairman [email protected]
Scott M. Albrecht, Vice Chairman [email protected] Kristen M. Kiefer [email protected] Peter B. O’Hanlon [email protected] Suzanne W. Seaberg [email protected] Robyn R. Williams [email protected] Sanford S. Williams [email protected] The School Board of the City of Manassas does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, disabilities, or national origin in employment or in its educational programs and activities. Published by the Office of Public Communications 2017-2018
2018 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Manassas City Public Schools 8700 Centreville Road, Suite 400 Manassas, Virginia 20110 Catherine B. Magouyrk, Ed.D Superintendent [email protected] 571-377-6008
2018 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
9.
Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) has an enrollment of 7,842 students for the 2017-2018 school year. Sixty-two percent of our students are eligible for free or reduced lunches, which is an increase from twenty-eight percent in 2008. MCPS is the employer of
approximately 1300 employees and must compete at a national level to attract and retain the “best and brightest” employees. State funding reductions such as the support cost caps, elimination of costs of competing funding, and other adjustments to the funding formula have reduced state funding for our schools, while mandated VRS rate increases and ever increasing expectations continue to drive up our costs. These changes have shifted approximately $7 million per year in costs to the locality, required reductions in services, and increased class sizes.
10. COMPUTER CODING AS A FOREIGN/WORLD LANGUAGE CREDIT: All bills that would allow the successful completion of computer coding courses to satisfy standard units of credit in foreign/world language requirements to graduate with an advanced studies diploma. is made on March 31st. Divisions would be held harmless if enrollment declines through the year as contracted staff must be utilized through the end of the year. 4.
Over the next five years, enrollment is expected to exceed 8,000 students. Additionally, the School Division plans to rebuild Dean Elementary School as well as maintain and renovate existing facilities at a cost of $71 million.
The School Board of the City of Manassas urges SUPPORT/ADVOCACY for: 1.
2.
3.
ELIMINATION OF BUDGETARY MATCH FOR VPI: All bills that eliminate the local school division budgetary match currently required to receive Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) funding to allow school divisions to expand preschool opportunities without negatively impacting funding for other programs and services . FULL STATE FUNDING: All bills that correct the funding formula to fully recognize the cost of providing high quality public education services in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to include an annual salary step increase for teachers. Restore the costs of competing supplement (for higher cost of living areas like Northern Virginia), for teachers and support staff. EQUITABLE STATE FUNDING: All bills that change the budget process utilizing average daily attendance to students enrolled as of the September 30th count. This change would more accurately match the State’s proportionate share of revenue to the true costs of the school division for contracted personnel. All school divisions are required to hire contract staff (teachers) for the September 30th enrollment (to meet SOQs & K-3 Initiatives), but as enrollment declines throughout the year the school division’s proportionate share of State funding is reduced until the calculation
FUNDING FOR COMPUTER REFRESH: All bills that modify current language for the use of VPSA bonds so that computer refresh funding is not limited to capital expenses, but can also be used to purchase tablets and other mobile devices.
5.
6.
7.
8.
FLEXIBILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IN VIRGINIA: All bills that provide greater flexibility on measuring achievement for all students with an emphasis on students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency to ensure assessments fairly, accurately, and meaningfully measure student achievement. This would include the use of growth models that measure individual student progress rather than meeting a single standard on the SOL assessments. . ELIMINATION OF THE 1% CAP FOR THE VIRGINIA ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (VAAP): All bills that remove the 1% participation cap on the VAAP. This cap arbitrarily penalizes small school divisions with a large number of students with significant cognitive disabilities when accreditation ratings are calculated. INCREASED/TARGETED TECHNOLOGY FUNDING: All bills that provide increased and targeted funding for educational technology infrastructure and increased bandwidth. Further, surveys demonstrate that school divisions within the Commonwealth pay substantially more for bandwidth than national averages. Such legislation should also recognize that this issue is best addressed at the state level. SCHOOL CALENDAR FLEXIBILITY: All bills that give local school divisions more flexibility to implement policies to improve PreK-12 education, such as the repeal of the “Kings Dominion law” which would permit local school boards to establish a school calendar that reflects the needs of the their students. FULL FUNDING OF THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY (SOQ): All bills that provide full-funding (actual costs) for implementing the Standards of Quality (SOQ), including the elimination of unnecessary and unfunded mandates.
The School Board of the City of Manassas requests you OPPOSE:
1.
LIMITING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING: All bills that usurp the authority of local school boards to properly allocate funding between instructional and support expenditures.
2.
LIMITATION OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD’S AUTHORITY REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOLS: All bills that would limit local school board’s authority over the formation and operation of charter schools within their divisions.
3.
STATEWIDE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES OVER LOCAL SCHOOLS: All bills mandating statewide disciplinary procedures that would inhibit school administrators from having that authority.
4.
LIMITATIONS ON STUDENT DISCIPLINE: All bills that prohibit the use of suspension and expulsion.
5.
“FOLLOW THE STUDENT” FUNDING: All bills which would require funding to “follow the student” in situations where the school division in which the student lives offers a virtual school program but the student elects to enroll in one offered by another school division.
6.
DECREASE OR ELIMINATION OF VPI FUNDING: All bills that would decrease or eliminate funding for the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI).
7.
UNFUNDED MANDATES: Any mandate passed by the General Assembly that is not fully funded.
Our Mission Manassas City Public Schools, in collaboration with families, employees, and community members, will provide a safe and innovative learning environment that inspires, engages, and challenges all students.
Our Vision Each student becomes a positive, contributing member of society by maximizing his or her potential.
Our Beliefs
We believe students must have access to highquality instruction to develop skills to support their success and on-time graduation.
We believe student learning must include opportunities for critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and citizenship.
We believe in open, proactive communication as one community in support of student success.
We believe financial decisions should be based on an inclusive and open process that supports student learning. We believe in an innovative, safe and orderly environment that maximizes student performance.
American Indian
0.41%
Asian
3.59%
Black
10.72%
Hispanic
64.09%
White
16.11%
Hawaiian
0.14%
2 or more races
4.94%
ESOL
48.1%
Special Education
12.25%
SCHOOL BOARD OF THE CITY OF MANASSAS Tim Demeria, Chairman [email protected]
Scott M. Albrecht, Vice Chairman [email protected] Kristen M. Kiefer [email protected] Peter B. O’Hanlon [email protected] Suzanne W. Seaberg [email protected] Robyn R. Williams [email protected] Sanford S. Williams [email protected] The School Board of the City of Manassas does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, disabilities, or national origin in employment or in its educational programs and activities. Published by the Office of Public Communications 2017-2018
2018 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Manassas City Public Schools 8700 Centreville Road, Suite 400 Manassas, Virginia 20110 Catherine B. Magouyrk, Ed.D Superintendent [email protected] 571-377-6008
2018 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
9.
Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) has an enrollment of 7,842 students for the 2017-2018 school year. Sixty-two percent of our students are eligible for free or reduced lunches, which is an increase from twenty-eight percent in 2008. MCPS is the employer of
approximately 1300 employees and must compete at a national level to attract and retain the “best and brightest” employees. State funding reductions such as the support cost caps, elimination of costs of competing funding, and other adjustments to the funding formula have reduced state funding for our schools, while mandated VRS rate increases and ever increasing expectations continue to drive up our costs. These changes have shifted approximately $7 million per year in costs to the locality, required reductions in services, and increased class sizes.
10. COMPUTER CODING AS A FOREIGN/WORLD LANGUAGE CREDIT: All bills that would allow the successful completion of computer coding courses to satisfy standard units of credit in foreign/world language requirements to graduate with an advanced studies diploma. is made on March 31st. Divisions would be held harmless if enrollment declines through the year as contracted staff must be utilized through the end of the year. 4.
Over the next five years, enrollment is expected to exceed 8,000 students. Additionally, the School Division plans to rebuild Dean Elementary School as well as maintain and renovate existing facilities at a cost of $71 million.
The School Board of the City of Manassas urges SUPPORT/ADVOCACY for: 1.
2.
3.
ELIMINATION OF BUDGETARY MATCH FOR VPI: All bills that eliminate the local school division budgetary match currently required to receive Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) funding to allow school divisions to expand preschool opportunities without negatively impacting funding for other programs and services . FULL STATE FUNDING: All bills that correct the funding formula to fully recognize the cost of providing high quality public education services in the Commonwealth of Virginia, to include an annual salary step increase for teachers. Restore the costs of competing supplement (for higher cost of living areas like Northern Virginia), for teachers and support staff. EQUITABLE STATE FUNDING: All bills that change the budget process utilizing average daily attendance to students enrolled as of the September 30th count. This change would more accurately match the State’s proportionate share of revenue to the true costs of the school division for contracted personnel. All school divisions are required to hire contract staff (teachers) for the September 30th enrollment (to meet SOQs & K-3 Initiatives), but as enrollment declines throughout the year the school division’s proportionate share of State funding is reduced until the calculation
FUNDING FOR COMPUTER REFRESH: All bills that modify current language for the use of VPSA bonds so that computer refresh funding is not limited to capital expenses, but can also be used to purchase tablets and other mobile devices.
5.
6.
7.
8.
FLEXIBILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IN VIRGINIA: All bills that provide greater flexibility on measuring achievement for all students with an emphasis on students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency to ensure assessments fairly, accurately, and meaningfully measure student achievement. This would include the use of growth models that measure individual student progress rather than meeting a single standard on the SOL assessments. . ELIMINATION OF THE 1% CAP FOR THE VIRGINIA ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (VAAP): All bills that remove the 1% participation cap on the VAAP. This cap arbitrarily penalizes small school divisions with a large number of students with significant cognitive disabilities when accreditation ratings are calculated. INCREASED/TARGETED TECHNOLOGY FUNDING: All bills that provide increased and targeted funding for educational technology infrastructure and increased bandwidth. Further, surveys demonstrate that school divisions within the Commonwealth pay substantially more for bandwidth than national averages. Such legislation should also recognize that this issue is best addressed at the state level. SCHOOL CALENDAR FLEXIBILITY: All bills that give local school divisions more flexibility to implement policies to improve PreK-12 education, such as the repeal of the “Kings Dominion law” which would permit local school boards to establish a school calendar that reflects the needs of the their students. FULL FUNDING OF THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY (SOQ): All bills that provide full-funding (actual costs) for implementing the Standards of Quality (SOQ), including the elimination of unnecessary and unfunded mandates.
The School Board of the City of Manassas requests you OPPOSE:
1.
LIMITING THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING: All bills that usurp the authority of local school boards to properly allocate funding between instructional and support expenditures.
2.
LIMITATION OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD’S AUTHORITY REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOLS: All bills that would limit local school board’s authority over the formation and operation of charter schools within their divisions.
3.
STATEWIDE DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES OVER LOCAL SCHOOLS: All bills mandating statewide disciplinary procedures that would inhibit school administrators from having that authority.
4.
LIMITATIONS ON STUDENT DISCIPLINE: All bills that prohibit the use of suspension and expulsion.
5.
“FOLLOW THE STUDENT” FUNDING: All bills which would require funding to “follow the student” in situations where the school division in which the student lives offers a virtual school program but the student elects to enroll in one offered by another school division.
6.
DECREASE OR ELIMINATION OF VPI FUNDING: All bills that would decrease or eliminate funding for the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI).
7.
UNFUNDED MANDATES: Any mandate passed by the General Assembly that is not fully funded.
