Rhonda Thurman listens to budget presentation
photo by Dennis Norwood
In a twist from how previous budgets or "Wish Lists" had been presented to the Hamilton County School Board, Finance Director Christie Jordan and her staff "Tightened it up and narrowed its focus."
They also dropped the strain on the Fiscal Year 2017 projected budget shortfall, cutting it from just over $35 million to just over $24 million - a difference of approximately $11 million. The total amount requested is currently set at $385,051,862.
While no action was taken at the session, another budget work time is scheduled for next Thursday at 4 p.m. following a special called session at 3 p.m. to interview candidates for the interim superintendent position.
The proposed budget "Wish List" looked at three areas of concern within the system. The first, Work Force and College Readiness asks for $19 million in funds. Of primary interest in this area are the Career and Technical Education courses offered at several schools. In 2014-2015 6,000 students enrolled in at least one CTE course.
Officials said the system has strong ties to the local business community. One business owner stated that "Today’s blue collar jobs require white collar skills." The board was told that CTE courses are not alternative programs and they provide a rigorous option for all students.
As Chattanooga’s vast manufacturing businesses are clamoring for a trained workforce, the system’s training programs are thriving. Welding is said to be a model program, despite the fact that it is expensive and teachers are hard to find. In fact, people qualified to be welding teachers are usually making more money than the system could offer.
However, in spite of its cost, it is a program that leads to a professional certification. Students at Sequoyah and Howard who achieve the ASW certification can, upon graduation, go right in to the workforce as an entry-level welder making about $18,000 per year.
Other programs offered are culinary arts, mechatronics, agriculture, health sciences and machining.
This portion of the budget is worth approximately $19.2 million.
Literacy across the curriculum also generated a lot of interest as well. Taking up $7.2 million of the requested amount, it includes a request to add 44 new positions that will go towards helping the district increase its lagging ACT test scores to an average score of 21 – the score needed to qualify for a HOPE scholarship – within three years. Currently Hamilton County trails the state average of 19.9 percent by about four points.
The addition of the teachers was met with skepticism by District 1 representative Rhonda Thurman, who said, "As long as we keep teaching the way we’re doing, we’ll never make any improvements. I have a news flash. What we’re doing now is not working."
Board member Dr. Greg Martin asked the question, "Will the principal make the decision as to whether a hire is a teacher or an aide based on local needs?" It was unanimous in that the principal needs the autonomy to make these sorts of decisions for their school.
It was also pointed out by finance personnel that economics play a large role in development, "Schools with a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students perform at a lower level."
Literacy is more than just reading and spans all subject areas and skills. One local employer said he wants his employees, say on third shift, to be able to pick up a manual, do the math involved and make a repair without having to call their supervisor.
Last to be discussed as time was running short was the focus on Priority Schools, schools that have fallen below state standards and placed on a watch list.
This portion of the budget was tentatively set at $5.7 million.
(Email Dennis Norwood at sportsshooter614@gmail.com; Follow him on Twitter at @DennisENorwood)