School Board Adopts FY 2010 Budget, Increases Parking Fees

The Fairfax County School Board has adopted the $2.2 billion FY 2010 approved budget and, in doing so, restored funding for transportation of students to and from advanced academic centers; restored afternoon transportation to students’ neighborhoods from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST); restored funding for transportation of all high school academy students; increased high school student parking fees from $150 to $200 per year; and captured $4.7 million in transportation efficiencies.

The FY 2010 approved budget eliminates nearly 800 positions prior to accounting for student membership growth, increases class size, and freezes salaries for all employees. Significant reductions to the support staff, including clerical and custodial staff members, have been taken, along with reductions to central offices. Programs including elementary focus, adult English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), college readiness, and Adult and Community Education have been redesigned to improve efficiency and services to students. The school system also combined two departments, eliminating one assistant superintendent position, and is consolidating portions of the Instructional Services and Special Services Departments to strengthen efficiencies. Adjustments to the current school bell schedules will enable the school system to save $4.7 million by instituting efficiencies in bus runs and eliminating 97 buses from Fairfax County roads.

“The School Board has solicited input from citizens and spent many hours trying to balance this budget fairly and equitably,” says Dan Storck, School Board chair. “This has been a particularly challenging budget year, and the fact that we have been forced to increase class size and eliminate all employee salary increases has been a difficult pill to swallow. Federal stimulus funds have enabled us to restore some of the $200 million in cuts that were identified last summer, but we can’t count on these funds after the FY 2011 budget cycle.”

The FY 2010 approved budget includes cuts and cost avoidances of more than $170 million that will affect all departments, schools, students, and employees. “The transfer approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors—which is the same amount of funding we received last year—does not address how we will accommodate the approximately 5,000 new students who are projected to enroll for the next school year,” adds Storck. "This funding is inadequate to meet the needs of the increasing number of students needing special education and ESOL services.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has provided funding to the states; Virginia has allocated the funds to school divisions as State Fiscal Stabilization Funding. FCPS has received $49.3 million from ARRA, $18.9 million of which is designated for IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act) programs, and $6.7 million of which is designated for Title I schools. The remaining $23.7 million is designated to help FCPS avoid an additional increase in the size of general education classes. 

For additional information, visit http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2010.htm.

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FCPS Is Now on Facebook and Twitter

Fairfax County Public Schools is now on Twitter, where news and information, emergency messages, and information about current issues are posted for those who choose to become followers of the school system. To follow FCPS on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/fcpsnews and click on Follow.

FCPS also has a Facebook page; to follow FCPS on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/pages/Falls-Church-VA/Fairfax-County-Public-Schools/74125402499 and select Become a Fan at the top of the page. The FCPS Facebook page currently includes a link to summer reading lists for students who will enter grades 6-12 in the fall and will also include up-to-date information about the school system.

Citizens can also receive FCPS news and information by subscribing to the school system’s Keep in Touch e-mail messaging system, or by subscribing to RSS (really simple syndication). To learn more about RSS, visit www.fcps.edu and go to the News Releases banner on the right side of the page, then click on the orange RSS logo.

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Registration Now Open for Summer ACCESS Courses

Registration is now open for summer ACCESS (Academy Course Catalog for Employees in Support Services) courses at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/access.htm. Course topics include automated computer inventory system (ACIS), design and media, education decision support library (EDSL), library media ecole, MyPLT, professional development series, school administrative student information (SASI), technology, time and attendance, and web site design.    

Registration for ACCESS classes will remain open throughout the semester. All courses in the catalog are offered at no cost to all contracted employees.

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VPN Available to All Employees

FCPS uses a virtual private network (VPN) to allow its employees to access school system computer network resources when they are not at an FCPS site. Every FCPS employee now has permission to use VPN, but a small piece of software is needed. The VPN software can be downloaded from FCPSnet at http://servicecatalog.fcps.edu/it/infras_ntwk/ntwk_access/download_vpn.shtml. This software is not available for download from home, so if you plan to connect back to an FCPS resource when you are not at an FCPS site, please be sure to download, install, and test the software before leaving your site. 

If you would like more information on VPN and the regulations that govern its use, please see the FCPS Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) Regulation 6410, the Data Security Regulation 6220, the Data Security Policy 6220, and the Remote Access Technical Bulletin 631.

The IT Service Desk can be reached at 703-503-1600 or ITServiceDesk@fcps.edu for questions or further information. Please note that the IT Service Desk supports only computer equipment that is supplied by FCPS.

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June 30 Is Deadline for Summer 2009 Tuition Reimbursement Requests

Changes in the FCPS tuition reimbursement program became effective with the spring 2009 semester. The newly enacted Tuition Assistance Regulation 9005 establishes five priorities for tuition reimbursement and can be found at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/treimbursement.htm. The regulation outlines the approval process, when and how to apply for tuition reimbursement, and the tuition reimbursement request form (PLT-905).

When to Apply for Tuition Reimbursement

• Tuition reimbursement must be preapproved.
• The last date to submit a summer 2009 tuition reimbursement request form PLT-905) is June 30.
• A request for tuition reimbursement will not be approved after the last day on which a course meets.
• The employee must complete the new (PLT-905) tuition reimbursement request form located at http://www.fcps.edu/plt/treimbursement.htm and submit the completed application to the Department of Professional Learning and Training, Dunn Loring Center.
• Upon receipt of the request, the Department of Professional Learning and Training will notify the employee of the approval or denial of his or her request. Once a tuition reimbursement request is approved, the funds will be held in reserve for the employee.

How to Receive a Tuition Reimbursement Payment

To receive a reimbursement payment for spring 2009 and summer 2009 tuition reimbursement requests:

• Tuition reimbursement payments will be initiated after the approved  course has been satisfactorily completed with a grade of “A” or “B” or “Pass” (if it is Pass-Fail) for a graduate-level course or “C” or better for an undergraduate course as verified by an unofficial university transcript and/or grade report and proof of payment from the college or university.
• Grade verification and proof of payment for spring 2009 and summer 2009 coursework ending on or before June 30 must be received by the Department of Professional Learning and Training, Dunn Loring Center, by June 30.
• Tuition reimbursement payments are paid monthly and are included in the employee’s paycheck.

Note: The cost of textbooks, miscellaneous fees, travel, etc., is not reimbursed by the tuition reimbursement program. Substitutes, hourly paid employees, and employees on leaves of absence are ineligible for tuition reimbursement. Final determination of an employee’s eligibility for tuition reimbursement shall rest with the assistant superintendent, Department of Professional Learning and Training, or his or her designee.

Questions regarding tuition reimbursement should be directed to Rita Cloutier, Department of Professional Learning and Training, by phone at 703-204-3905 or by e-mail to Rita.Cloutier@fcps.edu.

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