Provide the cost to restore staff development teachers, reading specialists, media specialists, and counselors to full-time in elementary schools.

Question#: 42

ANSWER:

The FY 2016 Superintendent's Recommended Operating budget includes a multi-year enhancement that restores 8.0 FTE positions and $598,601 as a result of previous year's budget reductions to small and midsize elementary schools. These positions included staff development teachers, reading specialists, media specialists, and counselors. Small and midsize non-focus schools cut either a .5 or 1.0, and focus schools a .5 teacher position. Elementary schools determined which of the four positions to reduce based on their individual needs. Prior to these reductions, all elementary schools had a full-time allocation for each of these positions.

A total of 19 positions were restored in the FY 2014 and FY 2015 Operating Budgets. Currently, there are 32 .5 positions in elementary schools. To complete this multi-year enhancement in FY 2016 and restore all positions to a 1.0 FTE would require an additional 8.0 positions and $598,601 over and above what is currently included in the FY 2016 budget.