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Fund Balance <br />Preliminary projections of this year's undesignated fund balance indicate that the Board can <br />continue to assign $1 million to balance the 2015 -16 budget and maintain an unassigned fund <br />balance that is near the 5.5% fund balance target recommended by the County Commissioners. <br />Budget Reductions <br />We are recommending a total of $230,476 in budget reductions. The loss of longevity pay to <br />instructional staff, as determined by the General Assembly, accounts for the majority of the <br />reduction total. The local supplement match for the anticipated loss of five teaching positions <br />from the enrollment decline will save the district $24,326. Fewer students will also reduce the <br />per student local operating budget allocations to schools by $6,150. <br />Other Information <br />The district will reallocate $25,000 from the utility budget to provide an operating budget for the <br />Sustainability Program. Three years ago, the district transitioned existing reading teachers and <br />coaches into Literacy Coaches. It was shared that we intended to eventually transition each <br />school to a single Literacy Coach and allow for the budget neutral hiring of a Math Coach. <br />Some of our schools may be ready for that transition. Elementary schools will be given the <br />option to exchange a literacy coach position to acquire a full -time Math coach. More discussions <br />will be held with elementary level principals to discuss their school's readiness for this <br />transition. The current year's budget includes $150,000 in contracted services that was used to <br />develop the ADVANCE Program. The district plans to reallocate these funds next year to cover <br />the costs for planning, implementation, and administration. <br />In summary, the district is beginning this budget cycle in a more financially stable position than <br />last year, but we continue to have budgetary needs. State mandates and reductions, and cost <br />increases continue to drive our budget requests. The total local budget increase for 2015 -16 is <br />$3,906,539 or a 5.6% overall budget increase. As the General Assembly unfolds the State's <br />2015 -16 budget, adjustments to the administration's budget request may be necessary. <br />,Sincerely, <br />4d� j <br />Thomas A. Forcella <br />Superintendent <br />1 -6 <br />