REVISED MARCH 16, 2022

 

Teacher Retention, Employee Compensation, and Maximizing Every Child’s Learning

 

Just the Facts - Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2023 Budget 

 

Three specific focus areas of the Hampton City Schools (HCS) 2021-2026 Strategic Plan became a driving force during the development of the FY 2023 budget: 1) Maximize Every Child’s Learning, 2) Create Safe, Nurturing Environments, and 3) Attract, Develop and Retain Exceptional Staff.

 

To this end, the FY 2023 recommended budget includes a five percent (5%) compensation increase for all full-time staff as well as the majority of part-time positions with no increase to the employee portion of healthcare premiums. 

 

The recommended budget also includes adjustments to the teacher salary scale and other support staff positions and investing in additional personnel (e.g., teachers, teacher specialists, instructional assistants, school security officers) to meet the academic and safety needs of our young people and to support the operations of the school division. 

 

Additionally, the recommended budget includes the increase of minimum wage to $12.00.

 

The Superintendent’s Recommended FY 2023 Budget recognizes the importance of the effective and efficient management of fiscal resources and to ensure recurring costs have a sustainable funding based on revenue projections, the recommended budget includes the use of one-time revenue sources for one-time expenditures. 

Q: How is the school system funded?

A: Sixty-five percent (65%) of the recommended School Operating budget comes from state funds and state sales tax. State funds (and state sales tax) are received through the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Two main budget drivers for state funding are the Local Composite Index (a state measure to determine a locality's ability to fund education costs) and Average Daily Membership (average student enrollment as of March 31).

Thirty-two percent (32%) of the recommended School Operating budget comes from local funds from the city of Hampton. The city allocates funding to the school division using a funding formula in which 61.83% of residential related taxes (i.e., real estate, personal property, utility taxes) are provided to Hampton City Schools.

The remaining three percent (3%) of the recommended School Operating budget comes from federal and miscellaneous funds. Federal funds come from Federal Impact Aid and the JROTC program. Miscellaneous funds come from various sources (e.g., Medicaid Reimbursements, cell towers, indirect cost). 

Q: What are the priorities that drove the development of the FY 2023 budget?

A: The School Board identified competitive compensation, teacher retention, Academies of Hampton, early reading, teachers/instructional assistants, facility and capital improvements, COVID-19 stipends, school safety, increasing student achievement, and reducing class sizes as priorities for this budget cycle.   

Q: The former Governor's proposed budget includes a 5% raise. Will I receive a 5% raise?

A: The former Governor’s proposed budget included a five percent (5%) raise for FY 2023 (beginning July 1, 2022) for Standards of Quality (SOQ) funded teachers and support staff. It is important to note that the SOQ are determined by the Virginia Department of Education and serve as a set of mandatory guidelines for staffing that all school divisions must follow to provide a minimum level of education services. School divisions (including ours) provide students with more than just the minimum educational experience. This requires additional teachers and staff above the minimum standards. SOQ funded positions represent roughly 45% of all HCS positions. That leaves 55% of HCS positions not covered by the state supplement. All HCS teachers and staff are essential to the success of our school division and it is important to offer the same salary increase to all positions (SOQ funded positions and non-SOQ funded positions). Therefore, Hampton City Schools is recommending a five (5%) raise for FY 2023 (beginning July 1, 2022) for all full-time employees and the majority of our part-time employees. For every one percent (1%) raise provided to employees, it costs HCS $1.58 million. The impact to the budget will cost Hampton City Schools $7.9 million.

  

Q: How will the recommended budget impact employee salaries?

A: The budget includes a five percent (5%) salary increase for full and part-time employees. This does not include temporary positions, as well as some part-time teaching positions. 

Additionally, the FY 2023 budget includes teacher salary scale adjustments, support staff adjustments, supplement/extra earring adjustments and the increase of the minimum wage to $12.00. The total investment is $2.9 million and is outlined below.

• $2.1 million for teacher scale adjustments as outlined below (in addition to the employee raise)
  • Steps 0-9 add $475 
  • Steps 10-14 add $950
  • Steps 15-19 add $1,425
  • Steps 20-24 add $1,900
  • Steps 25-29 add $3,200
  • Maintain Step 30
• $1 million to increase bus driver, auxiliary driver, bus attendant, lot attendant, routing scheduling specialist, auto shop staff, and transportation dispatchers compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $222,000 to increase school based administrator compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $119,000 to increase operations and maintenance trade positions compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $66,000 to increase school based finance positions compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $51,000 to increase school psychologist, occupational and physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and social workers positions compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $50,000 to increase office assistant compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $42,000 to increase finance positions compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $45,000 to increase human resources positions compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $25,000 to increase other administrative compensation (in addition to the employee raise)
• $145,000 for the payout of sick leave for non-retirees 
• $126,000 to increase coaching and instructional supplements
• $15,000 for extra earnings for professional development days prior to the start of school for reading specialist positions
• $2,600 for a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) coordinator extra earnings

The Proposed FY 2023 Compensation Plan can be found in FY 2023 Proposed Budget Book page 217.

Q: Will my health insurance premiums change next year?

A: No. There will be no increase to employee contribution rates for healthcare.

Q: What is the recommended budget for the Academies of Hampton (AoH)?

A: The total budget for the Academies of Hampton is $1.9 million and it includes a projected contribution of $380,000 from the city. These funds from the city will assist in our continued focus to transform our learning spaces and provide the necessary equipment to support teaching and learning.

Q: Are there position changes planned for the FY 2023 Budget? 

A: Yes. The FY 2023 budget includes a net increase of 37.20 positions (21.20 teacher and teacher specialist positions, 1 library technician, 1 accounting specialist, 1 delivery driver, 1 student support interventionist position (moved from Fund 60), 2 early reading intervention instructional assistants (moved from Fund 60), 4 instructional assistants (early childhood), 3 dean of students, 1 HVAC supervisor, 1 retirement and leave specialist, and 1 school security officer). See complete list of position changes in the FY 2023 Proposed Budget Book page 199.

Q: Are there changes to the work calendar for the FY 2023 Budget?

A: Yes. The recommended budget includes changes to the work schedules for 42 employees beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. Specific employees impacted by these changes will receive direct communication from the Human Resources department.

Q: Is there a reduction in the number of PreK slots for HCS next year?

A: No. The Virginia Department of Education contributes funding under the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) program to provide educational services for At-Risk four-year-olds. State funding is based on a funding formula, which in part is based on the number of slots given to each school division by the state. For FY 2022, HCS was allocated 637 slots. For FY 2023, HCS will be allocated 652 slots. 

Q: Were any instructional programs eliminated in the FY 2023 budget? 

A: No. There were no instructional programs eliminated in the FY 2023 budget.

Q: Are there other reductions in the FY 2023 Budget?

A: Yes. The FY 2023 budget includes $4.3 million of reductions due to a projected decrease in healthcare costs and a projected decrease to the required contribution for the Hampton Employee Retirement System (HERS) pension plan and a decrease in employer costs for the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) non-professional plan.

Q: How can I find out more information on the proposed budget?

A:  The following link is to the FY 2023 recommended budget presented on March 2, 2022 - March 2nd FY 2023 Budget Presentation.  

The following link is to the FY 2023 recommended budget presented on March 16, 2022 - March 16th FY 2023 Budget Presentation.

Q: What are the next steps for the recommended budget?

A: The General Assembly will finalize the state budget. We will then review our FY 2023 Budget and make changes as needed. If there are any adjustments to the budget, these will be presented during future School Board meetings. On March 9 and March 16, the School Board will hold Public Hearings on the FY 2023 Budget. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the FY 2023 Proposed Budget on March 23. Once approved, the FY 2023 Budget will be submitted to the city for approval.