Proposed school cuts draw outcries

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- “Give me my bus back.”

This is what one person expressed in big blue letters on a sign amid the swell of people gathered in the auditorium at Stonewall Jackson High School on Monday night.

The statement was in response to Prince William County Public Schools’ proposed cuts in the 2011 fiscal budget.

Similar sentiments were echoed by many, including several middle school and high school students, after school officials highlighted the proposed $820 million budget. More than 100 speakers signed up to speak about the budget, which is scheduled to be voted on by the school board March 24.

To remedy the expected budget shortfall of nearly $80 million, Superintendent Steven L. Walts has proposed, among other cuts, eliminating more than 700 jobs, terminating all school bus routes to specialty schools and delaying construction and renovation projects. Walts is also proposing increasing parking fees for high school students, charging athletic participation fees at the middle and high school levels and reducing central office budgets by 10 percent.

If approved by the school board in its final budget, fees would be $50 for middle school sports, $100 for high school sports, $75 per test for IB/AP/Cambridge tests and an increase from $100 to $150 in student parking fees.

Two Stonewall Jackson Middle School students, Erika Roberts and Madison Mathis, hope to attend Osbourn Park and Woodbridge High Schools for the Biotechnology and Fine & Peforming Arts specialty programs, respectively. With no speciality buses taking them to these schools, they would have a difficult time finding transportation options.

Roberts and her twin sister Brianna — who wants to attend Stonewall Jackson High School for the International Baccalaureate program — have parents who leave early and come home late and are unable to drive them to school each day. Mathis’ mother works the graveyard shift and doesn’t come home until early in the morning, when her father is leaving for his job.

According to David Cline, associate superintendent for finance and support services , the 32 buses previously used for specialty schools will now handle the surge in the regular student population, which is expected to reach more than 78,000 students by next fall. The county schools are expected to have 3,500 more students in their hallways by next year.

Another hot topic Monday was the potential elimination of teacher assistants in kindergarten. Marumsco Hills Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jayne Cobern spoke passionately about the subject and received a huge outburst of applause from the crowd.

“There is no better place to receive reading and writing and basic skills they need than in kindergarten,” said Cobern.

The division hopes to stave off as many job cuts as possible through employee retirement. As an incentive, the schools’ Retirement Opportunity Program would allow employees to retire before turning 55 if they meet all eligibility requirements and are eligible for Virginia Retirement System retirement.

The unfreezing of the Local Composite Index — the state’s funding mechanism — brings back $20 million to the school division if the General Assembly choses to do so later this month. However, that funding could be canceled out by other proposed cuts by the state, said Cline.

“We are waiting for the numbers from the state to find out exactly what that impact will be,” Cline told the crowd Monday.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.