2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey

Thank you for sharing your opinions and best thoughts about budgeting for education

When state legislators finish work this spring, the state budget they adopt will determine what budget
reductions this school district must make to continue living within its means for 2011-12 and beyond. Your
thoughts will be incorporated into the recommendations the Fiscal Advisory Council (FAC) passes on to
Superintendent Cohn for his consideration. Superintendent Cohn will present his final budget
recommendations to the school board for its consideration.

This survey includes 11 questions. Depending upon your familiarity with schools and school finance, it
may take as long as 10 minutes to complete. The majority of the 11 questions provide you some
background information to read and consider as you respond.

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

Since 2000, because of state and federal funding cuts, Everett Public Schools
has reduced its expenses to balance the budget while protecting student
services as much as possible. The district has also increased some fees to bring
in more revenue.

In spring of 2009, the district reduced expenses by $9 million for the 2009-10
school year budget.

In the spring of 2010, the district reduced expenses by an additional $3.8 million
from the 2010-11 school year budget.

Based upon current legislative decisions and the most recent estimates, the
district may have to cut another $5.5 million to prepare for school year 2011-12.

Today we ask your opinions about potential ways those cuts could be made and
ways the district might be able to bring in more revenue to offset budget
cuts. For more background about school finance, the district's Fiscal Advisory
Council, district budget history and for answers to frequently asked questions,
visit the district website.

You may also want to attend a Community Budget Forum on March 7, 9 or 29.
Meeting details are on the budget information website.

1 * Please indicate if you are a:

2 If you are a district employee, which option best describes where you
work.

3 If you are a parent of a student now enrolled in Everett Public Schools,

please indicate the school level(s) your child(ren) currently attends.

Pre-kindergarten
Elementary school
Middle school
High school
Post-high school
Other

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

4 * The district saved $550,000 for this school year by reducing school
bus transportation for approximately 1,500 students. The money to pay
for transportation comes from the same fund that supports classrooms.
Some have suggested that high school students in this district should
use public transportation to get to and from school, as is done in other
urban school districts.

Please rank your level of agreement with the following statement: "The
district should use public transportation for high school students
in community areas where such public transportation is
available."

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

5 * School lunch prices for students in Everett Public Schools are below
average when compared to neighboring districts. The school district
raised lunch prices in 2009-10 to increase revenue.

Please rank your level of agreement with the following statement: "The
district should increase prices for school lunches by 25 cents."

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

1 2 3 4 5

6 * Class size goals for Everett Public Schools students in kindergarten

through fourth-grade are lower than at other grade levels.

The district uses local levy funds to add classroom staff at these lowest
grades. Also, for 20 years, the state has provided K-4 class size
reduction funds to help keep those class sizes smaller.

In February, the Legislature eliminated 75% of the K-4 class size

reduction funds retroactively for this school year. The
Legislature is likely to hold the line on K-4 class size funding
reductions for the next two years, thus impacting the school district's
ability to keep class sizes smaller for the youngest students.

Please rank your level of agreement with the following statement:

"Kindergarten through fourth-grade classrooms should continue
to have fewer students than classrooms at higher grades in
elementary, middle and high school ."

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

1 2 3 4 5

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

7 * A key district responsibility is supporting each student's graduation

from high school. Classroom teachers and a number of other support
staff working with teachers (high school success coordinators and drug
alcohol intervention specialists, for example) are part of a high school
system that helps meet individual student needs.

Although not all of the support staff work directly in high school
classrooms, their work is part of the support system for students and
teachers in classrooms and includes communications with families.
During the time this support system has been in place, the district's
high school on time graduation rate has increased from 53% to 83.7%.

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the

following statement: "High school class size goals could increase
by 1 or 2 students so that high school students and families
have an on time graduation support system.

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

1 2 3 4 5

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

8 * Money to pay for athletics and other student activities comes from
parents and guardians, from the local levy and from money students
raise and manage in the Associated Student Body funds. There is no
state funding for school athletics.

Everett Public Schools enacted activity participation fees for the first
time in 2009-10 and increased those fees in 2010-11 to offset some of
the costs of athletics and activities.

Please rank your level of agreement with the following statement: "The
district should increase participation fees as a way to fund athletic
and activities programs."

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

1 2 3 4 5

9 * District schools and play fields are available for the community to use
during nonschool hours. The fee structure for renting facilities is based
upon the nature of each renting organization.

Nonprofit, youth-oriented programs pay less to use school facilities than

adult for-profit or commercial organizations. Those funds help offset
some of the facility and staff costs generated by community use.

During the 2010-11 budget-setting process, rental fees were increased

by 10% to cover more of the community use costs.

Please rank your level of agreement with the following statement: "The
district should further offset the costs of outside organizations
using school facilities by increasing rental fees an additional 5%."

Disagree
Disagree strongly Agree somewhat Agree strongly No opinion
somewhat

1 2 3 4 5

10 * From the list below, select as many as three categories you believe
the district should protect from funding reductions. (Please select no
more than three.)

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 Maintenance and custodial
Administration
School lunches
Kindergarten through fourth-grade class size
Transportation
Athletics and activities
Curriculum and training
School security
Other, please specify (limit is 50 characters)

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey

11 What budget-related question do you wish we would have asked you to

comment upon?

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 2011-12 Everett Public Schools community budget survey

11 What budget-related question do you wish we would have asked you to

comment upon?

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 Thank you for sharing your opinions about the Everett Public Schools budget. Stay in touch
district budget news by subscribing to InTouch. From www.everett.k12.wa.us, click on the In
logo in the lower left corner. You may also want to attend a Budget Information Meeting on M
7, 9, and 29. Each meeting is detailed on the district website at www.everett.k12.wa.us

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