As an "At Large" member of the School Board, I will review closely the FCPS proposed budget to identify opportunities for streamlining or cost savings. If I had been a member of the School Board during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 budget cycle, I would have advocated conducting a full business case analysis to evaluate the:
• Extent to which substituting technology for labor is feasible and desirable from the standpoint of costs, benefits, and risks, as well as overall return on investment (ROI) in education.
• Alternatives for the acquisition and life cycle management of the FCPS transportation fleet, including the $11.8 million planned for “lease/purchase” of replacement buses and $0.7 million planned for “lease/purchase” of replacement and additional vehicles.
• Alternatives for building maintenance to identify changes in maintenance policy or funding priorities needed due to the discrepancy between the $12 to 14 million annual requirements for major building maintenance and the actual budget of only $9.4 million for building maintenance in FY 2007 and FY 2008.
• Costs, benefits, and risks associated with complying with under-funded state mandates (e.g., accreditation, quality, and learning standards) and federal mandates (e.g., No Child Left Behind Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Impact Aid).