Board of Supervisors vs. School Board

So who do we contact - Board of Supervisors or School Board?

What a great question! I hope I can do it a bit of justice, from a long-term resident perspective.

The [Fairfax County] Board of Supervisors (BoS) and the School Board (SB) are both elected bodies. The BoS runs as party-affiliated (Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent) while the SB does not. It used to be (back in the '80's and before) that the BoS appointed the SB and there was a much more "cooperative" nature to their relationship, but at the expense of fully and fairly representing the needs of the residents as elected officials do.

In good times, everyone is happy and only vieing for a chunk of the overflowing 16" pie of tax revenues. In bad times, it is a more "every interest for itself" mentality and the boards often seem contentious, because they are -- everyone needs a bite from the proverbial pie that, in this budget cycle, has shrunk from a 16" to a 12" very tart apple variety.

While the Board of Supervisors' support for the school budget is essential, it is not the first step in the process. If you look at the FCPS Budget calendar (see http://fcps.edu/news/fy2011.htm) there is a page of notes that outlines the timeline. While making your opinions known to the BoS members isn't a bad idea (and you could send them a cc: of the letter you send to the Superintendent and School Board members), they are not very interested in expending any political capital on the school budget issue until they have to in March. They are hoping that the SB will take some of the heat and only put forth a budget that is responsive to the current lack of revenues.

But, hopefully, the SB members will see that they have the support of the community and essentially "pass the buck" to the BoS by supporting a fully-funded, needs-based budget.

Letters to Dr. Dale, the Superintendent, and to the SB will provide them with the political support they need to make the difficult decision to request a fully funded budget. Imagine, what incentive would either board have to support such a budget in such a tight revenue year it if there was not a broad, grass-roots effort to do so?

Very often you will hear the argument made by any/all elected officials that less than 25% of the county's households have children in school, so why should they focus solely on the needs of those residents above the others? (And, by the way, voters between the age of 25-45 have the WORST voting record in this county next to 18-25 year-olds (particularly for coming out to vote for local officials -- Board of Supervisors, School Board). So, looking at the demographics, what political purpose is served if the BoS members worry more about the schools than they do the police, roads, parks or other county services that voters are interested in?

Fair is in the eye of the beholder.

One of my [new] arguments against this mentality is: how much revenue do the families in this county generate? Maybe we don't have the most significant impact on real estate taxes, but without our incomes going into the economy I doubt, very seriously, that this county would be what it is today (for better -- schools -- or for worse -- traffic).

The best way to ensure that the county address the needs of the school system is to focus on contacting the Superintendent and SB at this point. Make sure they know you support them, and try to get everyone (especially those that do not have children in schools, but support school funding to ensure the best possible quality of our neighborhoods) to provide encouragement for a fully-funded, needs-based budget. Without it we are sunk. And, for added impact, cc: your BoS member; the members at large; and the Chair, Sharon Bulova; on any correspondence sent in support of a fully-funded, needs-based budget being put forward by Superintendent Jack Dale.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Culbertson
Parent to two FCPS students - Kilmer MS and GC Marshall HS
Currently serving as GC Marshall Band Parent Organization Vice President
Former FCPS Elem. Teacher: Kent Gardens Elem. '04-07; Louise Archer ES '07-09
Wife of Langley HS Physics Teacher estraordinaire, Rob Culbertson
GC Marshall Graduate '83

See FY 2011 Budget Information Sheet for email addreses of BoS and SB members.