Empowering Teachers for Student Success: A Common Sense Budget

January marks a new year and development of our upcoming budget. This year we have an opportunity to take a new approach in how we lead and govern while also ensure we align our funds to best deliver student success.

To that end, I have introduced a resolution that I hope can serve as a road map during our budget development process. My hope is that as a governing body we agree that we must put resources where the needs are highest; that we need data upfront to make intentional decisions; and that when we empower teachers, students win.

WHEREAS The School Board of the City of Richmond will prepare its needs based budget for the 2022–2023 fiscal year;

WHEREAS The district’s operational and capital budget should be a direct reflection of its mission, vision, and goals;

WHEREAS The Richmond Public Schools strategic plan, “Dreams4RPS” outlines five priorities 1) Exciting and Rigorous Teaching and Learning; 2) Highly qualified and Supported Staff; 3) Safe, Inviting and Supportive School Cultures; 4) Efficient, Productive, and Supportive Partnerships with Families and the Community; and 5) Modern Systems and Infrastructure;

WHEREAS Teacher retention is a stated goal in Dreams4RPS because students benefit when buildings maintain consistent, experienced, and professional staff;

WHEREAS Research has shown that lack of autonomy is a key driver for teacher turnover;

WHEREAS The individuals with the most impact on student success are those who interact directly with our students everyday and our buildings have struggled with fewer adults in the building;

WHEREAS English language learners and students with special needs are the Student cohorts with the most critical needs throughout the district, as identified through standardized testing, discipline reports; and inclusion in gifted programs and specialty schools;

WHEREAS Equitable, relevant, engaging, rigorous teaching and learning, and division-wide assessments demands a diversity in approaches to meet students where they are and to accommodate the ever changing academic needs of our society;

WHEREAS Current systems and infrastructure demand that our students are taught in modern functional facilities;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, in the development of the operational and CIP budget for the 2022–2023 fiscal year, the governing body of Richmond Public Schools will be guided by this roadmap that directly correlates to student achievement, teacher retention and success, and staff morale:

1. The School Board of Richmond Public Schools will prioritize step increases and a pay raise for all RPS staff;
2. The School Board will identify funding needs to launch a 360 Review evaluation process of principals and assistant principals;
3. The School Board will include funding for a reimagined Professional Development program to allow educators more flexibility through reimbursement for off-site trainings and to provide pathways for teacher assistants to obtain certification;
4. The allocation of staff between central office and school buildings will be adjusted to provide more school-based student-facing staff for mental health and academic support;
5. The School Board will allocate resources to enhance and grow its audit department;
6. The School Board will incorporate and monitor funds to redesign career and technical education and to scale enrollment opportunities at programs such as CodeRVA, Franklin Military, Richmond Community High School, Open High School, and all Governor School Programs that RPS students attend;
7. The School Board will incorporate and monitor funds to pilot new dual language programs to support our ESL students;
8. The School Board will invest in multisensory reading programs for both traditional and special education students in all elementary schools, and pilot new innovative programs to support students with autism and other neurological differences;
9. The School Board shall incorporate funding to expedite the design of not just George Wythe but also a new Career and Technical High School along with a new or renovated Woodville Elementary School;
10. The School Board shall incorporate monies to address the recurring problems relevant to transportation, school custodial services, maintenance, and school nutrition;

Furthermore, The Superintendent shall direct the administration to:

1. Republish and enhance the RPS check registry to identify each expense paid with its corresponding 4 digit object and function codes;
2. Present a detailed overview for each initiative included in the FY ‘21-‘22 budget reflecting budgeted and actual dollars spent from all funding sources.
3. Provide an updated organizational chart including positions from all funding sources;
4. Provide a list of all central office positions from all funding sources with salaries in excess of $80k to include titles, salaries, the four digit budget object class code, and the date each position was created and job descriptions for all positions noted above.