This is interesting.
An article appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review regarding travel allowances in the West Jefferson Hills school district. The article is posted below; but before you read it, let’s compare West Jefferson Hills to Fort Cherry:
West Jefferson Hills:
· 3000 students
· $37 million budget
· 3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school
· 5 building principals, 1 associate principal, 2 vice-principals
· Triple A in athletics
Fort Cherry
· 1100 students
· $16 million budget
· 1 elementary school, 1 high school
· 2 building principals, 1 assistant principal
· Single A in athletics
Travel for West Jefferson Hills teachers suspended
The West Jefferson Hills School District wants teachers and administrators to get better at their jobs. The district just wants them to do it closer to home.
The nine-member board voted unanimously this week to suspend most travel outside Allegheny County for employees and school board members to undergo training.
"These economic times we are living through will not be going away soon," said Shauna D'Alessandro, board president. "We believe in professional development, but we also believe there are more efficient and effective ways to do it."
This year, the district devoted just $6,000 of its $37 million budget for staff development travel, said Business Manager Joseph Zupan. Last year, the district spent $9,500.
"We approve, every month, some sort of professional development," D'Alessandro said. "Some are as close as the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (in Homestead)."
The district will still send people approved by the board to the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators/Pennsylvania School Boards Association conference Oct. 18-21 in Hershey.
Any other exceptions must go through an extra layer of approval: the district's Education/Technology Committee. The panel will review documentation of costs and the possible benefits to the district. Any approved exception will go to the school board for approval.
Timothy McNamee, West Jefferson Hills' acting superintendent, said he hopes the restriction is limited to one year.
"There are annual programs that are important. Sometimes they are the best place to get information and network," he said.
Linda Hippert, executive director of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, said she's not aware of other boards banning such travel, but Steve Robinson, spokesman for the School Boards Association, said West Jefferson Hills isn't alone.
"Many districts are cutting out professional development costs as a way to save money," he said, though the association does not track individual cases.
The state Department of Education is supportive of limiting travel "if a school district is looking to reduce expenses without impacting the academic achievement of students," said spokesman Tim Eller.
West Jefferson Hills' decision coincides with a statewide two-year moratorium on certain requirements mandating professional development credits for teachers and administrators.
Act 24, which took effect this summer, gives teachers two extra years to fulfill professional education requirements. The measure is meant to save money for districts that offer tuition reimbursement.
By Rachel Weaver
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, August 27, 2011
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, August 27, 2011
West Jefferson Hills devoted just $6,000 of its $37 million budget for staff travel.
As posted on this blog on May 9, 2011, Dinnen received $11,616.91 in travel reimbursements from July ‘08 to December ’09. Craig received $9,396.86 from July ’08 to January ’10.
With the economic times being as they are, certainly Fort Cherry has scaled back on travel as West Jefferson Hills did . . .
Let’s take a look at FC's 2011 – 2012 budget numbers for conference/travel:
Craig:
Budgeted conf./travel for those three alone adds up to $17,750.
Now add in the rest:
Total budgeted for conf./travel adds up to $37,635.
Let’s compare:
Let’s compare:
WJH - Conf./Travel Budget $ 6,000
FC - Conf./Travel Budget $37,635
WJH - Total Budget $37 million
FC - Total Budget $16 million
Despite cuts in state funding, Fort Cherry budgeted $37,635 for conf./travel under Dinnen and Sroka’s direction.
Due to cuts in state funding, dedicated teachers and vital programs were cut under Dinnen and Sroka’s direction.
Teachers and programs cut, yet $37,635 in conf./travel approved by board members Brant Miller, Ray Miller, Elmo Cecchetti, Bev Schwab, Larry Heinrendt, Mike Duran, Bruce Sharpnack, and Jamie White.
Only Chris Lauff voted “NO”.
During the budget hearings, Chris Lauff tried to reason with the board to significantly cut conferences and travel in order to spare cutting teachers and programs.
The conf./travel money remains in the budget – dedicated teachers and vital programs are gone.
Let’s take a look at one of those programs.
Drivers’ Ed, which affects the entire junior class, was cut.
When it was part of the FC curriculum, every student in the junior class participated in the classroom instruction.
Driving lessons in the Drivers’ Ed car was optional, and was offered to parents for a fee. If a student opted for the 6 hours of driving instruction, Mr. Day was authorized to give the student the state drivers’ examination and issue a junior license (when the student met the state requirement of 50 total hours of driving experience).
All in all, well worth the money when you consider the safety of the students (and others on the road) and the discount offered to participants from the auto insurance companies.
Mr. Day retired from the district after the Drivers’ Ed program was cut.
At the September 26th meeting the board authorized the district to sell the Drivers’ Ed car (purchased by the district last August for $14,622) to Mr. Day. Mr. Day is offering Drivers’ Ed to FC students through his business, Day’s Driving School, at a reduced rate. (Thank you, Mr. Day!)
At the meeting, Dinnen stated that the rate will be around $85.
In truth, that was the rate Fort Cherry charged for 6 hours of driving instruction when Drivers’ Ed was part of the curriculum at FC.
Since Drivers’ Ed was cut from the curriculum, parents who want their children to benefit from driving instruction are required to seek private driving lessons. If Day’s Driving School is chosen, the cost for parents is $375.
Quite a jump from $85.
Keep in mind that Media class, which benefits 7 students, was reinstated after being cut by official board resolution. (The number of students in media class has dropped by one student since last mentioned on this blog.)
Drivers’ Ed class, which benefitted the entire junior class - approximately 100 students and their parents - was not reinstated.
If every junior at FC opts to participate in private driving lessons, such as Day’s Driving School, the total cost to parents will be approximately $37,500.
If FC administration makes use of all the money allotted in the budget for travel, the cost to taxpayers will be $37,635.
At FC, “Student Success is Our #1 Priority”? . . .
It doesn’t seem like it.
