Harrisonburg, VA – Rockingham County Public Schools (RCPS) would like to address concerns about allocating funds for the 2024-2025 school division budget and provide additional clarity to ensure transparency and understanding within our community. Budget reductions became necessary due to receiving significantly less money from the state than in previous years. If not for our Board of Supervisors, who are willing to offer additional funding to help alleviate some of the state revenue shortfalls, the effects of the state revenue shortage would have been much worse. Compounding this shortfall, RCPS has experienced a 14% increase in both our English Learner (EL) and Special Education (SPED) student populations since last school year. A priority in next year’s budget is to hire additional EL and SPED teachers and staff for both program areas. Additionally, the school division desires to focus more on school safety for our students and employees. Another priority for our school division is adding additional elementary teachers to offset the number of classrooms exceeding our current student-to-teacher ratios. With anticipated growth, we added eight additional full-time assistants to classrooms near or above the ratio. All of these additional positions will be filled to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our students and teachers. As the budget was developed, it became clear that extensive cuts would be necessary. RCPS cut over $1.4 million of non-personnel expenditures before considering personnel changes. We did not take the repurposing of positions lightly, and it was a last resort; however, we will offer every person affected by the reshuffling another job within the division. Included in the reshuffling are 19 technology assistants and 5 workforce redesign assistants. Since these positions were created, the division's needs have changed, and their skill sets will be more beneficial to our teachers and students as additional instructional, EL or SPED assistants. The importance of students’ mental health and behaviors cannot be overstated, as they significantly influence their academic performance, personal development, and overall well-being. There is a misperception that RCPS will no longer support our students' mental wellness and behaviors. Rest assured, this is not the case. Our school division exceeds the Standards of Quality (SOQ) for the student-to-counselor ratio in all our schools. There was a reduction of a .40 counselor whose role is to support a full-time counselor two days per week. This position has always been on a yearly contract that does not have the guarantee of being renewed each fiscal year. The four restorative justice specialists were the last positions that we added to our “Tiered Systems of Support,” and those positions were not part of the original plan. We reduced the overall number of Behavior Support Assistants (BSAs) by eight total; however, we will still have 28 BSAs employed in RCPS for the 24/25 school year. The elementary BSAs are being reassigned to the schools that have the greatest documented need of support. We have 19 elementary BSAs, a BSA at each middle and high school, and one at Rockingham Academy. RCPS will continue to have four Elementary Behavior Specialists and seven Early Intervention Counselor positions working to support students daily. The information demonstrates that RCPS is still placing a significant emphasis on student’s mental health and behaviors in the upcoming school year. Despite budgetary constraints next year, Rockingham County Public Schools looks forward to continuing to provide an exceptional learning environment for all students to reach their full potential. Larry Shifflett, Ed.D. |
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