Category Archives: Budget

How The District Funds The School House

Better Know DeKalb County Schools

Dr. Kaveous Preston

Dr. Kaveous K. Preston is DeKalb Schools’ Director of Allotments Scheduling & Budgets, and Office of Federal Programs and has generated tens of millions of dollars through QBE optimization. He has 18 years of experience as an educator serving as a Math Teacher, Special Ed Teacher, Assistant Principal/Curriculum Director, Principal, and in the Central Office Administration.
Dr. Preston discusses How the District Funds the School House.
Question: Can you explain the point system and how school houses are funded?
Answer:
1. Enrollment: Please see the DeKalb Allotment-Master [DeKalb Allotment-Master.xls] to see how positions are earned.
2. FTE – The school will earn FTE (Full Time Equivalent which is reported in October and March for each student) from the different FTE categories. Once the report comes out from the GDOE in October, the Staffing Formula 2012-2013 [Staffing Formula 2012-2013.xls] for DCSD is used to calculate the number of teachers earned for the next fiscal year. (Please be advised that the teachers are not earned off the maximum that can be in each class, but the minimum that has to be in each class)
These two areas calculate the number of instructional allotments for each school. The two areas are FTE earned and Enrollment.
Clerical Allotments (Clerical Allotments.xls) is for clerical which is based on enrollment also.
Question: What other staff, like kitchen and janitorial, does the point system not cover?
Answer: This allotment earning system does not cover nutrition, security, special education (it is calculated for special education; however the IEP drives the final staffing).
Question: Is the point system strictly the allocation of staffing funded by the General Operating Funds?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Can you explain how Title 1 funds/drives staffing at the school house?
Answer: DCSD ensures that all schools are staffed with general education funds before Title I funds are considered. Title I staff is above and beyond the general funded staff required per enrollment.
Question: Can you explain how various QBE designations, IEP, EIP, etc… affect staffing?
Answer: The special education category (IEP as listed above in your question) is driven by the student’s IEP and staffed accordingly. Within the regular education categories, they are funded at a higher number per FTE earned as you can see in the attachment. EIP, Gifted, ESOL, etc.., are all funded at a lower number per FTE earned. This philosophy is in line with the state’s philosophy.
Question: We discussed that the minimum class funding size is the basis here. Can we get the minimum class funding size for Fy14, FY15 and FY16?
Answer: The minimum class funding size is the “INSTRUCTIONAL ALLOTMENT STAFFING FORMULA 2014-2015” in the 14-15 Class Size Chart. It has not changed within any of these years.
Dr. Preston gives a QBE Budget Analysis FY 2008-2016
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy-E7SuE_Sg]
Thank you, Dr. Preston, for taking the time to go through this. Helping people understand how we fund the school house will build a great deal of trust in our communities. People trust what they understand.

DeKalb Schools Employee Raises Update

DeKalb Schools unveiled a preliminary FY2016 budget.  The administration proposed a budget giving teachers a 3% – 4% COLA increase and the “Lowest Paid Employees” an increase of 10% – 37%.  $10 million in anticipated revenue over anticipated expenses, has been set aside for a purpose “to be determined.” The administration indicated that they are considering allocating that set aside for a TSA contribution.



4 – 3 – 2 Plan : Teachers and Employees

% Increase
4% Cost-Of-Living-adjustment (COLA) for all veteran teachers with 6 or more years of experience
3% COLA increase to teachers with 0-5 years of experience
2% COLA increase for all other employees


Lowest Paid Employees
.pdf link icon FY2016 Lowest Paid Employees Budget Recommendation

Position # of Emp Current Hourly New Hourly Current Annual Salary New Annual Salary %
Bus Monitors 128 $9.34 to $12.63 $10.34 to $13.63 $10.087 to $13,635 $11,481 to $15,123 14%
Food Nutrition Assistants 720 $11.87 to $16.16 $12.87 to $17.16 $12,959 to $17,647 $14,283 to $19,407 10%
Food Nutrition Substitute 200 $7.88 $10.25 n/a n/a 30%
Pre-K Paraprofessional 105 $9.01 $12.37 $13,406 $18,406 37%
Pre-K Non-Certified Teacher 20 $16.38 $19.01 $24,892 $28,892 16%
Pre-K Fully Certified Teacher 57 $22.57 $25.86 $34,306 $39,306 15%
Paraprofessional Substitute 200 $7.88 $10.25 n/a n/a 30%


Budgeting Calendar

Step Process Date & Time
1) Public Budget Input Hearing and Committee of the Whole to allow Board Members to discuss budget priorities Wednesday, April 1, 2015 (5:45p.m.) (7:00p.m.)
2) Committee of the Whole to allow the Superintendent to present the Proposed FY2016 Budget to the Board for discussion Monday, May 4, 2015 (2:00p.m.)
3) 1st Public Budget Hearing to solicit feedback from the public regarding the 2015-2016 school district’s budget. Monday, May 4, 2015 (5:45p.m.)
4) 2nd Public Budget Hearing to solicit feedback from the public regarding the 2015-2016 school district’s budget. Monday, June 1, 2015 (5:45p.m.)
5) 1st Millage Rate Hearing Monday, June 1, 2015 (6:15p.m.)
6) The Board of Education will adopt the FY 2016 Tentative Budget (At least 15 days prior to adopting Final Budget). Monday, June 1, 2015 (7:00p.m.)
7) 2nd Millage Rate Hearing Wednesday, June 17, 2015 (11:30a.m.)
8) 3rd Millage Rate Hearing Wednesday, June 17, 2015 (6:15p.m.)
9) Final FY 2016 Budget Adoption and Adoption of Tax Levy Wednesday, June 17, 2015 (7:00p.m.)