FY 09 Burlington School District Budget Overview

Jan. 17, 2008

Goals of budget:

  • Student Achievement through adequate staffing and support for our demographics;
  • Absorb cost shifts and compliance mandates from federal and state laws;
  • Maintain a safe physical infrastructure through preventive maintenance;
  • Continue to maximize cost savings.

Burlington Demographics

  • 3935.39 equalized pupils (increase of 89.74 equalized pupils from 3845.65 in FY 08)
      * 540 English Language Learners; 40+ languages spoken in our schools
      * 515 Special Education students
      * Approx. 48% poverty districtwide
  • 79.8% of local budget is spent on direct instruction to students
      * Class sizes: 18-22 elementary, 20-24 Middle
      * Offering 1st Virtual High School course in Chinese this year to increase course options at BHS
  • 6 Elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 high school, 1 technical center, 2 alternative programs = 19 buildings: over 40 years to 107 years old

Baseline Budget Includes:

  • Labor costs (Includes liveable wage initiative. One contract settled, 3 in process)
  • Increased Health Care Costs: 5%
  • Increase in energy costs- (25% in the current year)
  • Special Education Increases due to mandated services and based upon our population
  • Maintenance increases due to policy on preventive maintenance and anticipated costs. This year, we are replacing the Hunt Fire Alarm system and a BHS elevator that failed.
  • Costs of increased student population

New Money Budget Increase Requested:

  • 3.49% ($1,449,061) is what we need to raise in addition to the current spending of $4,715,802 above the base education payment in FY 2008. This includes the baseline budget increases listed above. In addition, it:
      * Introduces foreign languages at all elementary schools
      * Increases 2 ESL teachers to meet increasing numbers and intensity (85+ new refugee students arrived October 07)
      * Maintains Outreach Coordinator at each middle school to connect students to service learning
      * Adds $150,000 to local budget to sustain after school program that serves 60% of our students (deficit less than anticipated)
      * Adds Director of Operations to focus on internal operations to allow greater focus on supporting excellence and achievement initiative
      * Adds supports to meet increased mandates in audit and HR accountability for federal funding
      * Creates funds for facility audit and to support transition in Excellence and Equity initiative.
  • Other Monies were reallocated in Current Budget to Support:
      * New preschool at Flynn Elementary (similar to preschool at Wheeler) to serve NNE
      * Additional Kindergarten teacher to keep class sizes low.

Proposed Budget Numbers:

  • Current FY 08 Budget is: $41,574,565
  • Total Budget request (9.99%) $45,724,107
  • Anticipated Revenue budget (6.50%) $44,275,046
    • Thus the new money request is 3.49%

The Anticipated Revenue budget increase includes:

  • Base Education Grant Increase by 6.13% to $8210
  • Enrollment increased by 89.74 equalized ADM pupils.

Impact of 3.49% ($1,449,061) increase in additional spending above anticipated revenues:

  • CLA = 93.38% FY 2009 versus 98.65% FY 2008
    Estimated tax impact of CLA = $0.073
    (Based on the actual homestead tax rate of $1.109 versus the equalized homestead tax rate of $1.036. ($1.036 / 0.9338)
  • Assumed state homestead tax rate of $0.87 (to be approved by legislature), same tax rate of $0.87 as in current year FY 2008.
  • Burlington estimated tax rate $1.109 (up from $1.022)
    Estimated tax increase $0.087
  • FY 09 Income Sensitive Rate 2.14%

Burlington continues to be the lowest spending district in Chittenden Co for equalized per pupil spending. The charts below show the spending per pupil and reported tax rates.