Frequently Asked Questions About Task Force Resource

Questions about Secondary Configuration & School Closure Study Committee (click here)

Questions from 2006-07

What is the current budget problem?

Central Kitsap School District, along with many districts across the state, is facing unprecedented budget challenges as expenditures continue to outpace revenues.

We must look across the entire District for ways to identify cost saving measures, wisely use existing resources, and reduce operating costs. We must do this while maintaining the outstanding quality of educational programs that are our hallmark.

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Why aren’t there sufficient funds to adequately pay for the cost of education?

The growing budget deficit is a result of several factors:

  • Declining enrollment
  • Unfunded mandates from Education Reform: “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB)
  • Under-funded salary & benefits
  • Increased utilities, fuel, and other fixed costs
  • Increased District support for Special Education, Transportation and Food Service (Government funding for Special Education and Transportation is currently only funded at 60%)
  • Rising costs of instructional materials and technology
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When will the financial shortfall begin to affect the District?

Actually, the District has started to feel the results of declining revenue and increasing expenditures. In order to deliver a balanced budget for each school year and maintain our focus on student learning for the year, we have reduced funding in several areas, including the delay or indefinite postponement of several capital facilities projects.

We anticipate a growing budget deficit for the next school year and beyond. Although it is impossible to precisely project the District’s future budget beyond the current year, initial estimates reveal that the budget deficit will continue to grow unless the District finds new ways to use existing resources, to reduce expenditures, or have an increase in revenue from the state or federal government.

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When will it be necessary to make reductions to the budget?

Actually, the District has started to make changes because of declining revenue and increasing expenditures. In order to deliver a balanced budget for the school year and maintain our focus on student learning for the year, we reduced funding in several areas including the delay or indefinite postponement of several capital facilities projects. This year's budget, with few exceptions, will allow us to continue to focus on student achievement and to sustain current programs at the same levels we maintained last school year. Further potential program reductions will come in the future.

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How did the District balance the budget for this school year?

We were able to deliver a balanced budget and maintain our focus on student learning for the coming school year by reducing funding in several areas including the delay or indefinite postponement of several capital facilities projects.

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How much must the District pay to cover Special Education and Transportation costs not paid for by the state or federal governments?

The District pays approximately $4.3M in district support to Special Education and approximately $1.7M in district support to transportation for costs not funded by the state and federal sources. (State and federal Funds provide only 60% of the costs.)

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What actions are being taken to solve our budgetary shortfalls and challenges?

We established a task force, Task Force Resource, to develop a long-range, balanced budget plan that maximizes all resources to ensure all students learn well. Task Force Resource will guide our efforts to develop a balanced budget that maximizes the use of all available resources. The mission of the Task Force is to develop options for expenditure reduction or modifications to existing programs and make recommendations to the Superintendent leading to final recommendations to the School Board. To assist us in balancing each school year's budget and to plan further into the future, we have begun to study school closure, initiated a comprehensive review of our technology related requirements to include alternate funding sources, and are in the process of identifying programs that could be modified or discontinued in future school years.

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Is the current focus on resource management and budget distracting the District from educating our children?

District staff and the Board of Directors remain focused on maximizing student learning and will do everything possible to ensure our staff and students have adequate resources to continue to advance student achievement and sustain Central Kitsap School District's reputation for a caring learning environment and high quality education.

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What is Task Force Resource and why was it formed?

CKSD established a working group known as Task Force Resource to develop a long-range, balanced budget plan that maximizes all resources to ensure all students learn well. As a result of the growing projected deficit, the School Board directed the Superintendent to develop options for reducing expenditures and for using existing resources as efficiently as possible. During a study session with the Board of Directors on June 14, 2006, the Superintendent presented an initial action plan for developing options to reduce future expenditures. The action plan included forming the organization now referred to as Task Force Resource (TFR).

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What is the purpose of the task force?

The purpose of Task Force Resource is to guide the development of a long-range, balanced budget plan that maximizes all resources, and then to make recommendations to the Superintendent, eventually leading to a presentation of options to the Board of Directors.

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How will Task Force Resource accomplish its work?

Task Force Resource will conduct research, gather data, involve our community, and develop recommendations through the work of four subcommittees.

  • The sub-committees are: School Closure Study, Technology, Co-Curricular, and Program Review (not yet formed).
  • A TFR steering committee comprised of CKSD Cabinet members, designated staff, and community members from the four subcommittees will help guide subcommittee work and assist with the coordination of key actions between subcommittees.
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What will be the end result of the work by Task Force Resource?

Through the work of the subcommittees, TFR will produce data-driven recommendations resulting in a plan that will:

  1. be in the best interest of all students
  2. care for staff within resource constraints
  3. be sustainable through SY 2011-12
  4. take into account future Maintenance & Operations and Facilities elections

The TFR Steering Committee will make final recommendations to the Superintendent. Ultimately, recommendations will be presented to the Board for decision.

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How will final decisions be made regarding Task Force Related Issues?

Ultimately the school board will make the final decisions regarding the reduction or modification of current programs as discussed and approved by the Board of Directors during School Board Meetings. The criteria the School Board will use to make their final decisions are: Maximizes Student Achievement Across the District, Maximizes Staffing Efficiency, Cost Effective, Safety, Equity.

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What are you doing to keep staff, parents, and the community informed about budget issues?

Communication during this time of tough budget planning is vitally important. We are using and will continue to use the following venues to communicate:

We understand the necessity to clearly communicate the facts surrounding the budget issues. We depend on and benefit from good ideas and support resulting from an informed community. Our history of cooperation and trust with the community is highly valued. We will keep the staff and community updated on major resource issues, task force progress and ask for assistance in problem solving of some very important challenges.

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How was Task Force Resource formed?

By direction of the school board in Spring 2006. The school closure study committee has citizens and staff representation for each elementary school.

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Were other options considered other than school closure?

Other options are being considered, including technology, co-curricular and other programs.

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How do we know there are not savings in other areas without yet hearing from those committees – Technology, Program review, Co-curricular?

There may be savings available in other areas. More detail about those potential savings will be available before the board makes final decisions on school closure.

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Who did demographic study for the committee?

Harold Skow did a study in 2001. Reed Hansen and Associates did a study in 2006.

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What sources were used to glean their data?

CKSD enrollment trends. Local birth rate and census date. Forecast of population by the Puget Sound Regional Council and Kitsap County.

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What is the itemized accounting for $700K that will be saved on each?

Please click the following links to see the itemized accounting. 

Savings Matrix
Staff Savings

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How come there is a budget deficit and how did we get to this point?

District expenditures are growing faster than revenues due to a number of factors. Declining enrollment has resulted in less state and federal revenues. Because, for example, we have kept the overhead costs for 14 elementary schools when we need fewer, some costs have increased in the face of declining enrollment and funding. No Child Left Behind and other education reform legislation have imposed unfunded mandates. Increases in staff salaries and benefits are not fully funded by the state. Utilities, fuel and other fixed costs are becoming more and more expensive. District Support for Special Education and other categorical programs is growing. The cost of text books and other instructional material continue to grow. Information Technology requirements, which are not funded by the state, are outpacing the District’s ability fund them with current resources.

In order to balance the budget for this school year, the District had to redirect $5 million of federal revenue from the Capital Projects Fund to the General Fund. It is projected that current expenditures will have to be reduced by $3.9 million in order to balance the budget for next year.

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What is the history of deficits for the district for the past 10 years?

The following table shows actual surpluses and deficits for the past ten school years.

Fiscal Year Actual Revenues Actual Expenditures Over/Under
1996-1997 75,384,166 73,424,189 1,959,977
1997-1998 78,644,075 78,890,351 (246,276)
1998-1999 82,582,510 81,508,568 1,073,942
1999-2000 86,200,263 84,776,716 1,423,547
2000-2001 88,797,652 87,778,283 1,019,369
2001-2002 92,744,761 89,716,069 3,028,692
2002-2003 93,937,709 94,749,021 (811,312)
2003-2004 95,230,363 95,179,753 50,610
2004-2005 98,892,644 98,465,519 427,125
2005-2006 101,184,682 101,548,292 (363,610)
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What are reserve account dollars used for?

Designated reserve accounts are required by state and federal law to carry over funds received but not spent during the school year on specific grant programs such as LAP and student achievement. A designated reserve is also required for inventory and insurance purposes. Undesignated reserves or unreserved fund balances are needed to support payroll and other necessary payments that are made prior to funds being received from local, state and federal sources. An adequate reserve is also needed to cover unexpected loss of revenues or increased expenditures caused by a disaster or other unanticipated events.

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What is the goal for dollars in the reserve account?

The District’s goal is to have an unreserved fund balance at the end of the year in excess of 3% of the revenues for that year. Designated reserves are fixed by state and federal requirements.

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How much money is in school reserve account?

For 2005-06, the unreserved balance was $3,289,093. The total reserve balance was $7,645,297.

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Are there exceptions to “Capital gains” rule of using sold or leased properties only for building new school?

The law requires that the net proceeds from the sale of real estate go to debt service or capital projects funds. Net proceeds from leases can go to debt service, capital projects or for non-recurring maintenance costs of operating school facilities.

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Was money set aside in the capital budget for building a new Seabeck school?

Construction of a new Seabeck school building was not completely budgeted. Replacing Seabeck Elementary School was included in the District’s Long Range Facilities Plan. Design was to begin in 2005 and with construction in 2006. Budgeting and construction of the school was contingent on the successful passage of the Capital Projects Levy which voters rejected in May 2005.

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In the event of school closure, what capital projects are slated to be constructed in the next 2 years?

No new construction is currently planned for the next two years. The Capital Projects list is under review. It is anticipated that only a few of the most essential projects will be funded.

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What will the financial impact of all day kindergarten be for the district?

The full financial impact of all day kindergarten has yet to be determined. It is anticipated that it will significantly cost the District if not fully funded by the state.

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What happened to the money that was slated to come to schools from lottery and timber sales?

Student achievement funds were supported by lottery sales until 2004-05. Lottery revenue was changed in the 05-07 biennium to fund state matching of school construction. Lottery revenue is also used to fund higher level education as well as K-12. Lottery sales have been lower than anticipated. In 2005-06, the District received $9,542 in timber sales which were deposited into the General Fund.

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Please explain the relationship of higher assessed home values not generating more money for the district.

There is no relationship between assessed home values and the revenue the District receives from local taxes. The amount of local taxes the District will receive is fixed and does not change once the levy has been passed. It is the tax rate that changes. The rate per thousand goes down as assessed values go up.

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What financial impact does all the new construction in our community have on the school budget (i.e. impact fees, additional tax base)?

Impact fees may be used only for specific purposes such as purchasing or relocating portable buildings, and the purchase of land for a future school. It is intended to be used to provide additional space for increased student enrollment due to the housing developments.

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What does the committee project the impact of the new marina will be?

The impact of a new marina was not considered.

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The state provides the school district with $7,904 per student. There are 12,642 students. The district only spent $7,729 per student. Leaving a savings of $2.2 million.

In 2004-05, CK received $98,892,644 in revenues which equates to 7,903.60 per student. This revenue was received from the following sources:

State = $5,491.08 per pupil
Federal = $1,322.60 per pupil
Local Taxes = $840.90 per pupil
Local Other = $240.46 per pupil
Other = $8.55 per pupil

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How much did CK School District spend per pupil?

In 2004-05 total expenditures were $7,869.46 per pupil. There was $427,125 more revenue received than expended which was added to the undesignated reserve balance. In 2005-06, there was $363,610 less revenue received than expended which reduced the undesignated reserve balance.

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How and where does CK School District spend the money?

CK has many budget materials providing detail on how we spend our money. All of these materials may be accessed via the CK website or by calling the business office at (360) 662-1650. Below is a summary of expenditures per pupil in the seven categories tracked by OSPI.

Certificated Salaries

Classified Salaried

Employee Benefits

Instructional Materials & Supplies

Contractual Services

Travel

Capital Equipment

$3,872.20

$1,549.65

$1,392.31

$422.39

$564.69

$18.24

$49.98
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Does the state have requirements on how District money is spent?

Yes, there are state regulations and federal regulations that govern how District monies are spent. In addition to the many regulations, District financial records are audited annually for compliance with all rules and regulations. To learn more about the state regulations, you may access Title 392 WACs and RCW 48A at the following website: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/

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How many grants have been applied for over the last 5 years?

This question is being researched.

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Of the grants applied for by CKSD, how many were obtained?

This question is being researched.

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What was the annual dollar value received by the district for grant monies for the last 5 years?

This question is being researched.

Note on grants: Grants should not be used to fund programs that must be sustained over time. The District applies for many grants individually and works with a consortium to apply for grants with other Districts that we may not be able to obtain on our own. Many grants are very restrictive in nature. The amount of money potentially available from grants would not come close to solving our deficit issues.

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Why can’t teachers, administrators and committee members speak freely about this information?

Staff are free to express personal political, philosophical or religious beliefs on their own time. Staff may address concerns, including opposition to a district action, through appropriate channels. Staff may not engage in organizing community opposition to a district initiative during work time. School Closure Study Committee members were asked not to reveal committee recommendations until affected staffs were informed, which was accomplished weeks ago. The committee is free to discuss any facet of the work it has completed.

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What is the problem with the water quality at Seabeck Elementary School and is there documentation about this problem?

The problem is leaks in the system under the slab floor which under some circumstances could draw contaminants into the system. There is documentation. See the answer to question 43.

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Water is repaired at Seabeck – may we see report?

The water problem at Seabeck has not been repaired. A copy of the water quality report is available from the District Business Office.

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How did we move from spending $105K for a school architect in SY05-06 and $475K for land on Larson Lane to school closure?

We spent the money in the expectation that at some future time the funding and need would exist for construction of a new school at Seabeck. The protypical design work for which the architect was hired is applicable to a number of sites. The actually cost of the Larson Lane property was $270,407.25, in addition to which the district paid approximately $30,000 for feasibility studies, including an ALTA survey, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, Preliminary Geotechnical Investigation, Wetlands Reconnaissance, and a Utility Extension Assessment. The school closure study was motivated by recognition of a growing problem with the operating budget and of excess elementary school capacity.

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Is the property on Larson Lane paid off?

Yes.

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What is considered a reasonable value for a school’s enrollment/capacity?

The committee is considering a target of 85% for purposes of redrawing boundaries.

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What does the 1,755 open elementary seats truly represent?

In financial terms it represents excess capacity and overhead costs. It also represents the number of classrooms in CKSD multiplied by their assigned capacities.

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How many of the 1,755 are seats in portables?

CKSD elementary schools have capacity for approximately 1,200 students in portables.

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How much of the space for the “open seats” is being used for other educational enhancements?

Many classrooms not being used as such are being put to other beneficial uses. We believe we can still accommodate those uses in other spaces if schools are consolidated.

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How does the 1,755 change with the proposed reduced student/teacher ratios that are required by the government for no student left behind and if Washington State reduces ratios further?

The federal “No Student Left Behind” legislation does not mandate class size and unless more than two schools are closed, we anticipate sufficient capacity to meet future requirements.

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How is it in the best interest of the children to spend 8 – 10 hours per week sitting on the school bus rather than having productive time participating in extra curricular activities, doing homework, playing, having down time or time with friends?

This appears to be a rhetorical question.

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What is the percentage of Seabeck Elementary students that ride the bus presently?

Approximately 82% of Seabeck students ride the bus.

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How may children will be riding the bus for more than 43 minutes if Seabeck Elementary is closed?

Without further route changes, it appears that students at some stops on 2 buses would be on the bus for more than 43 minutes, approximately 48 and 50 minutes. We have not calculated the number of children.

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How does that compare to the present numbers riding for more than 43 minutes?

The maximum length of a scheduled bus ride for any Seabeck student is now 41 minutes.

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Can the district guarantee continued success and follow through with IEPs with the proposed impact of school closure and boundary realignments?

The quality of the instructional program depends on staff, not on location. We do not anticipate any negative effect on achievement of students with IEPs.

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Regarding the decrease in enrollment, I’m wondering what data you would have about how much of the decrease in enrollment is due to the residents either choosing private schools or home schooling?

This is a difficult question to answer with accuracy. It is not possible to provide exact numbers because we have no way of tracking the students who attend private schools and we cannot be sure that all home school families file a Declaration of Intent to Home School. Our records reflect that 195 students are currently home schooled.

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The strategic plan of 2005-06 budget year-end report shows an average decrease since 1998 of 180 students totaling only 1,254. Where are the 1,800 empty seats coming from. Also the budget history shows an average increase of the ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04 fund history of only two percent per year in revenues and expenditures starting in 2004 and 2006. Where do those increases come from and how do they relate to the decrease in enrollment?

Enrollment has decreased a total of 1,248 FTE from 12,051 in 1998-99 to an estimated 11,803 in 2006-07.

Below is a brief summary of expenditures, revenues and fund balance for the last three years. In the past three years the ending General Fund has increased by $63,515. Expenditures have increased 6.7% and revenue has increased 6.5%.

Year Beginning
Fund Balance		 Revenue Expenditure Ending Fund
Balance
2003-04 $7,836,829 $94,924,705 $95,179,753 $7,581,782
2004-05 $7,581,782 $98,892,644 $98,465,519 $8,008,907
2005-06 $8,008,907 $101,110,196 $101,548,292 $7645,297
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Has the District exhausted all possible additional sources of revenue that are available to school districts on the O.S.P.I.'s I-Grants website to partially off-set our looming budget shortfall?

I-Grants is the website that the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction uses to pass federal entitlement money through to school districts, and to make much smaller competitive grants available.  CKSD applies for and receives all of the federal entitlement grants it is eligible for.  All of the grants that are handled through I-Grants have specific requirements for how they are spent.  A district is not allowed to use grant money to “supplant” other funding (spend the grant money on an existing program and then spend the non-grant money that used to pay for that program for another purpose).  Because of the rules on supplanting I-Grants, either entitlements or from competitive grants, are not a solution to CKSD’s budget problems.

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Can you explain the K-12 Pupil Transportation proposal of Senate Bill (SB) 6198, which provides the funding formula for reimbursement of transportation of students proposed by WA Senator Rockefeller?

In the 2006 Legislature, SB 6198 would have changed the formula for reimbursement to calculate from a weighted radius distance to actual miles transported, if it had passed. Further discussion directly with Senator Rockefeller’s office noted that Legislative Session is not in session currently, but that another Pupil Transportation Bill is expected to be drafted soon, at which time it will be made available to CKSD. The bill pertains to funding for transportation. You can follow the work of the legislators at the following website www.leg.wa.gov/legislature.

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What are the operations and maintenance costs of Jenne-Wright compared to the other schools? That information was not listed there for us to compare that to as an asset of the school district.

The chart below explains the operating costs of the Jenne-Wright Administrative center including Grounds, Custodial, Maintenance and Utility costs. The district does not have a surplus of office space that would allow us to close Jenne-Wright. Jenne-Wright was not considered for possible closure, therefore there was no comparison with schools.

Grounds Cost:     $8,500.00
Custodial Costs:   $70,000.00
Maintenance Costs:   $16,000.00
Utility Costs:   $63,000.00
Total: $157,500.00

We have rounded the financial numbers listed above to the nearest $500.  Personnel costs are included.  In addition, we averaged the Maintenance Department costs for the past two fiscal years as we spent $14,928.00 in fiscal year 2004-2005 and $16,947.00 in fiscal year 2005-2006.

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Is the district following the law and has the district already made their decision to close two schools?

Yes, the district has followed, and is following, the law. The school board is the elected body that is responsible for making the decision whether to close a school. The school board has received reports and recommendation but has made not decision, and will not, until February 14, 2007.

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The Superintendent told us that the school board is using these forums to continue to search school closure yet at the last forum at KSS you said that our Questions and comment would not be considered… do you have a comment about this?

The Superintendent said at Klahowya that he had not changed his mind and would not change his recommendation to the school board. The school board will make the decision. Two school board members have been present at each forum. Questions and answers from each forum have been provided, or will be provided to the board.

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Will boundary changes be enforced? Will students be able to go to a school outside their neighborhood?

Yes. If there is space in a school after students within the school's boundary are accommodated transfers will be allowed under existing District policy.

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While attending the forum I got the impression that selling property was not an option because it may not be replaceable and that would be short sighted. Is the same care and concern being shown relating to the impact of closing schools whose learning environments may be difficult or impossible to replace?

We believe that while there will be some temporary disruption, we have an excellent educational program in CKSD, and that all students will have a quality education if schools are consolidated.

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Has any entity approached the District to purchase the property that Seabeck Elementary sits on? Or has the District approached or offered the Seabeck property to any entity of individual?

No, the District has not been approached nor has the District approached any entity or individual concerning the purchase of the Seabeck Elementary School property.

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Can you guarantee the quality and safety of the water on a day to day basis at every other school in the District?

We cannot absolutely guarantee the quality and safety of the water at any site. We have much greater confidence in the quality and safety of the water at sites without leaks in the plumbing in the ground under the building than we have at Seabeck

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The students and families of Seabeck and Tracyton are going to take the brunt of the impact from school closures yet these closures are going to affect the ENTIRE CKSD student body.  All these kids and families and staff will be making sacrifices. What sacrifice are you – the people closing our schools - willing to make?

We are continuing to look across the entire District for ways to identify cost saving measures, wisely use existing resources, and reduce operating costs.  There have been reductions of district support staff and it is anticipated that there will be more.  We will overcome these fiscal challenges through hard work, research and well thought-out  analysis.

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How will this closure impact the entire Seabeck community property values and building a future for the area?

We do not know if or how the closure of Seabeck Elementary School will effect the Seabeck community and we do not want to speculate.

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How much must the District pay to cover Special Education and Transportation costs not paid for by the state or federal governments?

The District pays approximately $4 M in district support to Special Education and approximately $1.7M in district support to transportation for costs not funded by the state and federal sources. State and federal Funds provide only 70% of Special Ed and 60% of transportation costs. (These figures are based on the 2006-07 budget.)

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Have you evaluated the root cause(s) of declining enrollment, for example, private school and home schooling?

We have looked at the number of those students who are home schooled or who attend private schools and have determined there is not a significant impact on our student population. Central Kitsap School District, along with many districts across the state, is facing unprecedented budget challenges as expenditures continue to outpace revenues, state and federal governments do not fully fund mandated programs and services, and student enrollment continues to decline.

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Web Feedback Questions

  1. When is or will the Program Review Committee meet?  Who will/are the members?  Will programs being reviewed have an opportunity to communicate to the committee with regard to their value and impact to the District?  When will the committee's recommendations be presented to the Board?  Will there be a forum for community input before any decisions are made regarding these programs?

    Answer:  Thank you for taking time to ask your question about  the Task Force Resource Program Review Committee.  We have not yet formed this committee so the membership, timeline, and key events have not been defined.  When the group is formed we will get the word out to our staff and community through the website, E-News, newsletter inserts, public forums, and  other District correspondence.  Please check the website frequently to find the most current information.  The mission of this subcommittee will be to identify a list of current programs for additional study that could be modified beginning as early as school year 07-08 through school years 2011-12.  The subcommittee will also develop an action plan leading to options and a final recommendation not later than the fall of 2007.
     

  2. Which schools are slated to be closed.  I am a strong supporter of Tracyton Elementary' public Montessori program.  Is there anything I can do to show my support.  Thank you

    Answer:  Thank you for taking the time to ask your question about school closure and for your support of the Tracyton Elementary School Montessori Program.   CKSD's School Closure Committee did recommend, on September 19, 2006 closing two elementary schools.  This recommendation is NOT a final recommendation or a DECISION. The recommendation was sent to the District's Task Force Resource Steering Committee who will review the recommendation, conduct further analysis, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent. 

    The Superintendent will review school closure options with the School Board during a regularly scheduled Board Meeting on November 8th. The School Board is scheduled to make a decision  one or more elementary schools will be closed, and which schools will be closed, if any, on February 14th, 2007.  There has been NO recommendation the School Closure Committee about which schools will be closed.  Over the next month the committee will continue to analyze data, and will be making another recommendation to the Task Force Resource Steering Committee as to which schools will be closed. Concerning your question about Montessori, the decision whether to keep a specific program is different from the decision to close a school.  If there is a decision to close a school or schools, the programs within those buildings will  be  relocated  to another building unless, as the result of another process, a decision is made to discontinue the program. If that possibility is considered, parents, staff and the public will have opportunities for input on the decision. Watch the website for further information. As for how you can show your support, you have demonstrated support through your correspondence and you are welcome to attend a public Hearing on 27, 28, or 29 November.