Van Duyn Elementary

School Budget
for the
2015-2016 School Year
The Syracuse City School District
Syracuse. NY

The Budget
2014-2015

Actual Budget: $28,868.00

2015-2016

Kellys Budget: $28,868.00

Figure out how to nip and tuck the budget and where to
spread the pain
(Roza, 2010)

The Proposed Budget 2015-2016

Van Duyn Elementary School Budget for the 2015-2016 School Year
Proposed by Kelly Lighton

School Expense Amount

Special Education
Physical Education
Regular Instruction
Science Center

Supplies $940.00
Supplies $500.00
Supplies $11,150.00
Supplies
$0.00
Math Science Magnet Center $0.00
Supplies
$2,194.00
Library Books
Library Materials $1,709.00
Office Supplies $3,020.00
Teaching Assistant Professional $840.00
Development
Custodial Supplies $8,505.00

The Budget 2014-2015

Van Duyn Elementary School
Actual Budget for the 2014-2015 School Year

School Expense Amount

Special Education Supplies
Physical Education Supplies
Regular Instruction Supplies
Science Center Supplies
Math Science Magnet Center
Supplies

$340.00
$500.00
$11,759.00
$0.00
$0.00
$2,194.00

Library Books
Library Materials
Office Supplies
Custodial Supplies
Total Building Budget

$1,709.00
$3,861.00
$8,505.00
$28,868.00

The Actual Budget 2014-2015

The Budget
Van Duyn Elementary School Budget
Side by Side View Highlighting Major Changes
School Expenses
Special Education Supplies
Physical Education Supplies
Regular Instruction Supplies
Science Center Supplies
Math Science Magnet Center
Supplies
Library Books
Library Materials
Office Supplies
Teaching Assistant Professional
Development
Custodial Supplies
Total Building Budget

Actual
2014-15
$340.00
$500.00
$11,750.00
$0.00
$0.00

Kellys 2015-15

$940.00
$500.00
$11,150.00
$0.00
$0.00

$2,194.00
$1,709.00
$3,861.00
$0.00

$2,194.00
$1,709.00
$3,020.00
$840.00

$8,505.00
$28,868.00

$8,505.00
$28,868.00

Major Revenue Changes

My Budget VS. Actual Budget

The total building budget will remain the same at $28,868 from the 2014-15 to
2015-16 school year

Slight changes will be made regarding how funds are allocated within the school
to ensure equity across grade levels and departments

Special Education Supplies budget will increase by $100 per grade level. This
will be an overall increase of $600, taken from the Regular Instruction Supplies
Budget

A new budget will be created in order to compensate Teaching Assistants for

their participation in professional development opportunities

This money will be taken from the Office Supplies budget

Special Education Supplies Budget

The current budget for Special Education Supplies is $340

This is not an adequate amount of money to support my schools

special needs students

Special Education teachers require an increased budget in order to

purchase supplies and materials needed to help students meet
performance standards

At this time, the Special Education Supplies budget will increase by

$100 per grade level (there is one special education teacher per
grade level).

This will result in a $600 increase in the Special Education Supplies

Budget, increasing the budget to $940.

This money will be taken from the Regular Education Supplies

Budget, decreasing the budget from $11,750 to $11,150.

Character Education

Van Duyn Elementary School is a Title 1 school and many of our students
are at risk and require some level of social-emotional support

In order for students to achieve academic success, they must also learn to
deal with conflict, make good choices, and to handle their emotions
appropriately

Van Duyn students would benefit from the Responsive Classroom Character
Education and Support Program

In order to implement the Responsive Classroom Program teachers and staff

will need to participate in professional development training (professional
development included in district budget).

I will purchase one Responsive Classroom Professional Development Kit at

the cost of $625

This purchase will come from the Regular Instruction Supplies budget.

Teaching Assistant Professional Development

Currently, Teaching Assistants are not compensated for professional

development hours

Many professional development opportunities are available to teaching

assistants, but they must participate on a volunteer basis,
understandably very few teaching assistants in my building choose to do
this.

I think that teaching assistants are an extremely valuable asset in the

classroom and it is in my schools best interest to use teaching assistants
as a resource to enhance student learning

A budget of $840 will be created for Teaching Assistants to participate

in 6 hours of professional development for the 2015-2016 school year.

We have 5 Teaching Assistants in the building, at $28/hour

This money will be taken from the Office Supplies Budget, decreasing
the budget from $3,861 to $3,020

School Population

2014-2015 School Population: 370

2015-2016 School Population: Estimated 385 (still enrolling)

Current class size is approximately 26-28 students

By grade level: K- 3 class sections

1st- 3 class sections
2nd-3 class sections
3rd- 3 class sections
4th- 2 class sections
5th- 2 class sections

Curriculum Offerings
Van

Duyn Elementary School is part of the districts

Innovation Zone

K-2

will use Core Knowledge Curriculum

3-5

will use Reading Street and Envision Math Curriculum

Curriculum

in all I-Zone schools are funded by a three year SIG Grant

Staff Eliminated or Added

Staff

changes are dealt with at the district level

For

the 2015-2016 school year, two intervention teacher

positions will be added to Van Duyn Elementary School

Teaching Assistant positions will be eliminated in

exchange for the 2 intervention teacher positions created

believe that Teaching Assistants play an extremely

important role in the classroom, and these cuts were
made without keeping the students needs in mind

It

seems to me that this is an example of an obvious cut

being made (laying off staff), simply based on the dollars
and cents the district appears to save (Roza, 2010).

Facility Maintenance Issues

Facility maintenance is
dealt with at the
district level

As part of the I-Zone

SIG Grant, in 2013 every
classroom in Van Duyn
Elementary School was
equipped with and ENO
Board or a SMART Board

Adequacy

At this time, my district (with the implementation of the I-Zone

Schools) has been able to use additional funds (SIG Grant)
effectively and target them accordingly to high needs students
(Roza, 2010)

Although I-Zone Schools receive additional and adequate funding,

there are many schools in the district that do not receive this
funding and are also in need adequate funding to meet students
needs

I think that my schools budget (though small) with the addition of

our SIG Grant is adequate enough to support the learning needs of
our students

If the budget is allocated appropriately, with student needs in

mind, I believe that Van Duyn Elementary school students can
achieve academic success

Equity

When it comes to equity in school funding, there is one big idea

that I will take away from this course

Equity should mean that every student receives adequate

resources to have the same opportunity to succeed academically,
rather than every student, school, and district receiving the same
amount of funding

The truth is, equity is not the same as equality

In order for all students to be successful, it is up to us to level the

playing field!

My Personal Learning

I have learned that the process of developing a school budget is

multi-step and very complex

Schools with high-poverty rates must receive more support than

schools with low-poverty rates in order to level the playing field
and to provide all students with an opportunity to be successful
(Roza, 2010)

Lastly, although it can become overwhelming and confusing, the

MOST important thing to consider while creating a school budget,
is the needs of the students!

References