Have a Wonderful Spring Break!

Arlington PTAs Advocate to Close APS Budget Gap

SEPTA families should be aware of the $16 million budget gap facing APS for the 2019 fiscal year. Please see the excerpt below from an Arlington County Council of PTAs letter to the Arlington County Board. To learn more about the APS budget, please visit www.apsva.us/budget-finance/. You can communicate with the County Board at countyboard@arlingtonva.us and with the School Board at school.board@apsva.us.  

“In February, the Arlington County Council of PTAs passed a unanimous resolution calling upon the County Board to provide additional funding for schools beyond the revenue share. (see resolution below) Although we are aware this is a difficult budget year, we also have firsthand experience with the continued strain on our schools from the extensive year over year student population growth that the County has been experiencing, going on a decade at this point.  

We know that for the past few years, the County has been cognizant of this, providing adequate funding beyond the revenue share reflecting our community’s strong support for public education. Because of this support, our school system has been able to manage this unprecedented year over year student population growth without the further challenges of class size increases or shortchanging our teachers step increases. We ask you to take a stand to make sure that you can do so again, taking a close look at all other county expenditures in a search for budget efficiencies.” 

     CCPTA February 2018 Referendum:

     Whereas, APS has experienced compounded and significant growth in the student population over the past decade; 

     Whereas, the County Board has previously fully funded a needs based APS budget above the revenue share in light of this compounded student population growth allowing APS to continue to be one of the most high quality and highly respected public education systems in both the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationwide; and  

     Whereas, the quality of Arlington public schools is a point of pride in our community and significantly contributes to the desirability of Arlington for all county employers and residents;
Now therefore, 

     CCPTA resolves to encourage the County Board to provide APS additional funding above the county revenue share, to the extent may be necessary to ensure the continued high quality of Arlington’s public educational program offered to our growing student population, without necessitating any increase in our maximum class size or any impairment to the regular step increase provided to APS teachers.  CCPTA encourages the County Board to review the County’s budget for efficiencies which may be identified to provide sources of additional funding for APS as may be needed.

Thank you for getting involved and supporting our schools!
Have a wonderful Spring Break!

Caroline Levy
SEPTA President
president@arlingtonsepta.org
www.arlingtonsepta.org
@arlingtonsepta