‘Better’ news for city schools

WAYNESBORO — City schools officials on Tuesday night heard “less bad” news about anticipated revenue for the 2011 fiscal year budget.

Instead of the $1 million drop in local funding estimated in March, schools can expect a dropoff of half that, or about $500,000, City Manager Mike Hamp said.

Superintendent Robin Crowder called the news “not great, but better,” because it is still a cut. Schools still do not know how deep state and federal funding reductions will be.

Local funds are allotted through an agreement that calls for the school district to receive 42.5 percent of revenues the city gets from real estate, personal property and sales taxes, as well as other discretionary funds. Recent unaudited figures led to the brighter forecast, Hamp said.

In the current fiscal year, Waynesboro schools faced a $1.2 million state funding cut that was almost completely offset by city revenue. In April, Vice Mayor Frank Lucente unsuccessfully pushed for the school division to defer about half of that revenue to the 2011 fiscal year so the tax rate could be reduced.

Staunton Schools Superintendent Steve Nichols last week told a more dire story. The district anticipates $400,000 less revenue for city schools this school year and a $3 million shortfall for next fiscal year.

In other business:

n The council heard about an ongoing redistricting study regarding the city’s four elementary schools.

Crowder reiterated that Westwood Elementary School faces an overcrowding crunch starting next year. He presented an estimate of an increased district-wide enrollment of 346 to 606 students in the next seven to 12 years. That number, he said, means 17 to 30 new classrooms.

“It’s a lot of kids,” he said.

Public hearings are tentatively scheduled for December with a redistricting committee recommendation to the school board possible in February. Implementation is still scheduled for next school year.

Vice Mayor Frank Lucente asked about the future of Kate Collins Middle School and Waynesboro High School, and Crowder replied that those schools too will see crowding.

n The council heard about a boom in free and reduced lunches provided to students this year.

More than 60 percent of students will be receiving discounted or free lunches in November, an increase of 25 percent compared to last year.

The state average is 33 percent, with Augusta County and Staunton schools also rising above that average this year.