Williamsburg, James City County School Board considers $1.5M in staffing hires, health care coverage for budget [The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg]

Feb. 2—The Williamsburg-James City County School Board continued budget discussions at its Tuesday night work session proposing an additional position and a potential shift in health care costs.

Superintendent Olwen Herron, in collaboration with the division's finance department, made a request to include an additional $100,000 to $110,000 expenditure in order to hire a full-time data analyst and research evaluation coordinator.

According to Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership Sean Walker, the division currently does not have anyone serving in this capacity within the division or the departments and as a result, various departments must do the additional work themselves.

By creating the additional position, Walker argued that with the introduction of a data analyst, the division will be better suited to evaluate the effectiveness of programs, manage inner department needs and provide accurate academic-based data analysis.

"This much-needed position would work collaboratively with all departments by providing a consistent framework and internal support to help the division make key decisions aligned to the strategic plan," Walker said.

This could include analyzing on-time bus reporting, comparing the effectiveness of electric buses to diesel buses or analyzing the number of students eligible for support services and its impact on staffing.

According to Walker, these are all examples in which the division can find ways to improve itself through data analysis.

The board offered their support for the creation of the position citing its importance in helping bridge the learning gap. Additionally, Herron said that other divisions similar to Williamsburg-James City County have a designated data analyst position.

"I think this is something that we would benefit from. It could directly impact student achievement over time," board member Kyra Cook said. "This is important here primarily because we do have an economically bifurcated community and we see pretty significant achievement gaps as a result of our school population."

To date, Herron, along with the division's chief financial officer Rene Ewing, has proposed 32 new staffing positions totaling $1.5 million be included in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget.

These positions include:

— nine full-time elementary teachers, an estimated $720,000;

— one full-time Stonehouse Elementary School assistant principal, an estimated $100,000;

— three full-time high school assistant principals, an estimated $330,000;

— four full-time special education teachers, an estimated $320,000;

— seven full-time special education teacher assistants, an estimated $245,000;

— one full-time special education pre-K instructional assistant, an estimated $30,000;

— four full-time school counselors, an estimated $320,000;

— and two school psychologist interns, an estimated $32,000.

Additionally, following the board's request to review how health care costs might affect the division as well as its staff's wallets, Herron returned to the board with new figures for the School Board to consider.

The current proposed budget reflects a 30/70 split with the division matching 30% of the annual increase in health insurance.

So, a first-year teacher could see a $311 to $840 increase in health insurance costs depending on which plan they choose with the proposed 30/70 split. The board anticipates it will cost the division an estimated $352,172.

At Tuesday night's meeting, the board considered a 20/80 split with the division fronting 20% of the annual increase in health insurance rates.

Under the 20/80 split option, a first-year teacher could see a $355 to $958 increase in health insurance costs depending on which plan they choose.

In the previous year, the division adopted a 20/80 split in which its employees paid 80% of its health insurance costs.

The board anticipates a 5% increase in health insurance rates totaling roughly $1.2 million. If it were to adopt a 20/80 split, the division would pay $234,781 of that total with its employees covering the remaining $939,125. If the division were to adopt a 50/50 split, both the division and its staff would cover $586,953 of the increase.

While the division has budgeted more additional items into this year's budget than in the previous budget, it anticipates a total of $1.3 million in savings.

As a result, the board plans to come to its funding partners with a request for a 1.6% increase from its previous budget. On average, the board requests a 2.5% increase from the previous budget year.

Herron will present the finalized budget to the board Feb. 15 and the public will have an opportunity to address the board regarding the budget March 1. On March 11, the board will meet with the county and the city to discuss the proposal together before the board approves it at its March 15 or March 22 meeting.

For more information, visit wjccschools.org.

Em Holter, [email protected], 757-256-6657, @EmHolterNews

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