Candidates for Gilbert school board divided Wednesday into two camps: one in favor of a budget override on November’s ballot and one against.
Seven people are seeking one of four spots on the Gilbert Unified School District governing board in the November election. Six of them attended a candidate forum during a parent council. One, Eric Johnson, missed the event due to health reasons.
Jill Humphreys and Johnson are vying for one two-year spot. Incumbents EJ Anderson, Blake Sacha and Lily Tram are hoping to keep their seats against Julie Smith and Daryl Colvin.
Colvin, a business owner, and Smith, a trained dietician who is currently a stay-at-home mom, often referred to one another and their similar beliefs — that the district needs more efficiencies and not more money. Both oppose the override renewal.
But the other candidates in attendance declared the budget override renewal on the Nov. 6 ballot essential to district operations.
Arizona school districts are given funds from the state based on enrollment. Districts have the ability to ask voters to tax themselves for additional funds — currently up to 15 percent more. Most school districts in the East Valley have such an override already in place and every five years it must be renewed.
Gilbert’s current override provides 10 percent — or about $17 million — to the district each year above its state allocation. The renewal on the ballot asks for continuation of the same 10 percent in order to maintain class size, key programs and salaries for teachers.
While all the candidates touted the need for Gilbert to remain competitive — pointing out a desire to expand schools parents can self-select like the Gilbert Classical Academy and Neely Traditional Academy — they did not agree on the need for the additional $17 million each year.
“Maybe two years from now bring it back and consider it; but for those of you who insist on passing it, you better get myself and Julie Smith in there to watch the money,” Colvin said.
Colvin likened it to a “marketing model.” The district keeps what funding it does have away from teachers who then have to ask for supplies like paper. Then they can point out a need for funding.
“The decision is made in advance (to seek the override renewal),” Colvin said.
Smith questioned the need for the override when the district ended last school year with more than $33 million in unspent funds after paying its annual debt service.
The district’s assistant superintendent of business services, Clyde Dangerfield, told the Tribune a majority of those funds are restricted for specific uses — extracurricular activities, donations to specific schools, and capital spending. Only about $10 million really was available for carryover into this year from last year, but all but $4.3 million is also tied to restrictions.
“That then is carried forward and built into next year’s budget,” he said. The capital funds can then be used for items like roof and parking lot repairs that the state stopped paying for through building renewal funds.
Anderson, current board president, pointed out that the district has the lowest administrative cost per pupil in the state, citing an Auditor General report. The override funds, she said, are necessary to make an impact on student academics.
“If we want to maintain class size, if we want to keep music and art in the classroom, if we want to have the best district in the state and keep the quality we need and want in this city, we need to pass the override,” she said.
Many of the candidates said they would like to see more done for gifted students in the district. That is an area highlighted during recent strategic planning meetings. A one point, there was discussion about opening a self-contained — or gifted only — classroom in the district. But that plan was put on hold because of funds.
“I really would like to see more done for our gifted students. I would like to see a self-contained class, if not a school,” Smith said.
Humphreys said one reason she’s seeking election is to improve the “achievement gap,” particularly for boys.
“I would like to see more innovation helping young men to be as academically successful as women,” she said.
Looking at the school budget again, Sacha — who was appointed to the governing board in May to fill a vacancy — said he wants to raise the amount of funding that goes into the classroom to a minimum of 65 percent and create more business and community partnerships. He also wants to see the state “level the playing field” in the area of full-day kindergarten.
The state currently funds only half-day kindergarten, which leaves school districts and charter schools in the position of finding the money in the budget to keep full day available. Gilbert currently does that, rather than require tuition from parents to pay for a full-day program.
Tram, a five-year member of the board, touted her experience as a board member to “maintain quality education with the challenge of budget cuts,” in recent years. She said she would continue supporting full funding of full-day kindergarten.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6549 or mreese@evtrib.com
Mike McClellan posted at 6:41 pm on Thu, Sep 20, 2012.
So I'd like to know where Mrs. Smith and Mr. Colvin will find the places to cut out 10%.
If they eliminate the entire administration budget -- all principals, secretaries, district administrators -- they'll cut 8%.
Now, since they can't cut all administrators, what will they cut?
And if the state voters turn down the 1-cent sales tax, where else will Smith and Colvin cut?
I'd sure like to see their cuts, especially in light of Mrs. Smith wanting a school for the gifted. Where does she think that money will come from, the school fairy?
gilbertcowgirl posted at 9:44 pm on Thu, Sep 20, 2012.
Mrs. Smith stood at a board meeting recently requesting that the district buy better laptops for the students at her son's GPS school. She'd like to cut, but not anything that personally affects her or her family.
Julie Smith posted at 8:34 am on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Mr. McClellan,
As stated in the article, Gilbert Public Schools has had carry forward balances of millions of dollars going back a decade or more. The information is contained in the Superintendent's Annual Financial Report and can be found on the Arizona Department of Education's web site. For FY 2005-2006 GPS had a remaining balance of almost $48M. In FY 2010-2011 GPS had a remaining balance (unspent funds) of almost $57M. I would subtract the Debt Service monies owed on bonds which is about $24M leaving a balance of about $33M which is almost double the $17M override district is requesting. There is no need for a 10% cut as you claim since GPS had more money than they are requesting in order to defer cuts. There is no need to cut programs, librarians, nurses or anyone else. Furthermore, GPS had a budget of $7,596/student in 2006 and had a budget of $8,362/student in 2011 or an increase of $766/student. Despite the increase in amount per student, at the same time GPS chose to decrease spending in the classroom by 6%! I would suggest that you and all voters to do your homework and look at the real numbers. Do a document search on the AZ Dept. of Ed. website. Look at the truth! The monies GPS is holding onto is almost criminal. The district is choosing to starve the classroom, freeze the pay of teachers and for what? Furthermore, the balances of unspent monies are supposed to be returned to the taxpayer in one of two ways: Refund to the tax payer or Reduce the tax rate for the following year. Why has GPS not returned the money to the tax payers? Mrs. Staci Burk brought this request forward this summer when it was announced that this year alone (FY 2011-2012), GPS had a carry forward balance of $9M! You are a smart man Mr. McClellan, I beg of you to stop listening to the echo chamber, come up for air and seek the truth. It is quite refreshing!
Julie Smith posted at 9:19 am on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
I just realized I got one statistic wrong in my comment above and wish to clarify. Per the Auditor General, the 5 yr. trend of sending in GPS ending 2011 has increased by 6% however spending within the classroom has decreased from 63.3% to 59.9% or a total decrease of 3.4% not 6%. Sorry for transposing the numbers.
The web address for the Auditor General is: www.azauditor.gov
The web address for the AZ Dept. of Ed. is: www.azed.gov/finance/reports
gilbertcowgirl posted at 12:00 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Mrs. Smith: Perhaps you are the one who needs to do further research:
The district’s assistant superintendent of business services, Clyde Dangerfield, told the Tribune a majority of those funds are restricted for specific uses — extracurricular activities, donations to specific schools, and capital spending. Only about $10 million really was available for carryover into this year from last year, but all but $4.3 million is also tied to restrictions.
WesternConnections posted at 12:47 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
We suggest that funding is not the only issue dividing the candidates. Two of the incumbents seeking reelection voted just days ago NOT to have a work study to discuss steps and/or process for an employee to take should they experience retaliation (Blake Sacha, Lily Tram). This was done by voice vote; the motion and vote tally did not appear on the BoardDocs screen display during the meeting. http://www.tinyurl.com/9um83dg
Retaliation has become a defining characteristic of GPS; teachers have been telling board members that they fear retaliation from the administration for speaking out or protecting their students. The federal Office for Civil Rights confirmed that GPS teacher Glenna Hastings endured retaliation for advocating for her special education students. http://www.tinyurl.com/8bkykds
Putting more money in classrooms in the best interests of students goes hand-in-hand with preventing retaliation against teachers and respecting employees. GPS is unique among Arizona school districts in NOT having due process built into policies concerning complaints against employees. (KEB, KEBR, GBJ-R)
Julie Smith posted at 1:12 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Gilbert Cow Girl,
You are just repeating what Clyde Dangerfield said. You are not doing your own, independent research as I recommended. Research which is objective and factual. Like I previously stated, there is an ARS that states balances must be returned to the tax payer. Clyde is spinning a tale as he always does. You Madame are drinking his Kool-Aid. If Clyde is accurate, then he should have no problem producing the documentation and statutes that allows the carryover and use of that money. It's just not true. Go get the documentation. Words are cheap. The truth is where I stand.
Mike McClellan posted at 1:54 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Hi, Ms. Smith.
First, I thank you for your involvement -- it's time consuming and leaves you open to criticism from knuckleheads like me.
However, are you suggesting that GPS has a higher budget now than it did several years ago? You know that's simply not true. The district has less money now than it did before the recession and three straight years of declining property values and declining funding from the state.
Beyond that, like all school districts, GPS had its fixed costs rise:
Electrical rates haven't dropped in the last four years, they've risen (however modestly); transportation costs have risen, not so modestly.
The district has to power its schools and gas up its buses, and for that matter, pay for food, some of whose costs have risen.
As to the carried forward, you realize of course that the federal stimulus funds the district has had are no longer there, and without those funds, teachers' positions would be cut. The carried forward money keeps those positions funded.
Mike McClellan posted at 2:03 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Ms. Smith, can you give me the specific Arizona Revised Statute that says schools must return those monies to the taxpayer? I'd like to read it.
As to your carry forward argument, is that unique to GPS? In fact, don't many districts carry unspent money forward, in part because of the uncertain economy and in part because the districts can never be sure of how the state legislature will fund them?
Julie Smith posted at 6:30 pm on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Mr. McClellan,
Thank you for your kind words. You have always been very respectful with me. I have to be honest that I lost the ARS I am referring to but got my information from a gentleman who used to prepare the school budgets for the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The only ARS I can find that relates to what we are talking about is 15-943.01. It does allow a limited percent of carry forward (4%) to be put into M&O but has multiple restrictions built in including the governing board to anticipate the carry forward balance and adjustment to the budget. This is a good question for one of my elected officials. I plan on asking for clarity as soon as I can. I would like to share my results with you when I get them. If you look at the Superintendents Annual Financial Budget, you will see a line under Revenues Received by Source with a total in the middle of the sheet. Towards the bottom of the report, on the right side is a column for total attending. Divide the Total number attending into the Total by Source for amount of money per student. I too had understood as the media has told us that education has been slashed and that in districts including Gilbert we have been told the money funded has declined. This is untrue given the carryover balance the districts have accrued over the years. Gilbert is unfortunately not alone in this practice. I would love it if the media did an investigation into this topic. It is not easy to get a straight answer.
Look at the total remaining balance at the end of a school year starting in 2000 or 2001. Each year, this number increases in value. I believe the schools can invest this leftover unspent monies but have not been able to verify that. It is a good question for our state treasurer which I plan on asking him next week when I see him.
I am only trying to find the facts and let the chips fall where they may as I find the information. As you know, the members on the Community Budget Committee (CBC) for GPS were given very controlled information that was not complete. The Superintendents annual report is a great synopsis on one sheet! It is what we should have started with on the CBC! I have been doing records requests for over a year attempting to figure out how the money is being spent. A wise taxpayer should do his or her homework before handing over more money to the schools. The accountability has not been there. Our students and teachers deserve better!
Take care Mike.
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