Students Qualify for Free or - camdenroundtable.weebly.com · learning environment. 6. Diversity of people, resources, and programs enriches and strengthens our learning environment.

50.86% Students Qualify for Free or

Reduced Lunch

9,229 Students Enrolled in PK-12

1,180Students are Served by Our

Special Education Department

1,169Employees of Camden County Schools

The Camden County School System graduates all students prepared to achieve lifelong goals and to contribute to society.

We ensure educational excellence in a safe and nurturing environment where all students reach their potential and become productive citizens.

1. Everyone can learn.

2. Education, through a rigorous and relevant

curriculum, is a foundation for success.

3. Education is the shared responsibility of the school

system, students, parents, and community.

4. Accountability is essential and applies to everyone.

5. Effective operations are essential to a safe, nurturing

learning environment.

6. Diversity of people, resources, and programs enriches

and strengthens our learning environment.

7. Students have the right to highly-qualified, motivated,

and talented teachers and staff members who

maintain high expectations.

8. The willingness to engage in the process of

continuous improvement is necessary for progress.

Essential Question

How will Camden County Schools ensure limited financial

resources meet capital needs, and ensure a high quality of education

while planning for the future?

Funding Challenge

Camden County Schools seeks to use every available resource (state/local/federal) to meet

student needs and ensure a high quality education for students now and in the future.

Think Local!!

Challenge

Maximizing available resources to provide a learning environment the community

deserves and expects for students

Stewardship

Fiscal

Year

System

Name

FTE

Reported on

2012 QBE

Allotment Instruction

Pupil

Services

Staff

Services

General

Administration

School

Administration Transportation

Maintenance

& Operations

Total

Expenditure

2017 Camden 8,977 $ 5,609.52 $ 418.71 $ 530.54 $ 157.83 $ 606.37 $ 390.21 $ 661.25 $ 8,374.43

2017

Georgia

Avg1,744,714 $ 6,179.93 $ 389.78 $ 510.46 $ 414.43 $ 638.86 $ 506.92 $ 776.70 $ 9,417.08

$0

$1,000

$2,000

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

Per FTE Local Per FTE State Per FTE Federal

$2,457

$5,321

$668

$3,853

$5,104

$624

Comparison of FY17 Per Pupil Revenues

Camden County Georgia

$3,000

$4,000

$5,000

$6,000

$7,000

$8,000

$9,000

$10,000

Instruction Total Expenditure

$5,610

$8,374

$6,180

$9,417

Comparison of FY17 Per Pupil Expenditures

Camden Georgia Avg.

23rd 115th 89th 3rd 72nd25th 36th 14th

41st

What is an ESPLOST?

An educational special purpose local option sales tax (ESPLOST) is a “…sales and use tax for funding educational needs, subject to the approval of the majority of the

qualified voters residing within the boundaries of Camden County”.

ESPLOST – Think “hard assets”

ESPLOST

Approval of an ESPLOST referendum by voters authorizes the collection of a 1% sales and use to

renovate or construct educational facilities, purchase furniture, equipment, school buses,

technology hardware, software, and infrastructure, textbooks, and relieve debt* without increasing the property tax and millage rate to property owners

and to avoid competition between capital and instructional needs.

* Camden County Schools has no debt

ESPLOST funds may not be used for personnel!

ESPLOST Expenditures

Expenses as of 6/30/2017

Technology Facts

Esplost funding provides robust technology for students and faculty in Camden County:

• 12,353 computers

• Creation of technology refresh schedule

• Technology categories funded by previous Esplost include network , Chromebooks, security cameras, printers, SMART Boards, laptops, desktops

• All high stakes testing is completed online

Capital Needs FY 2019 - 2024

• Capital Renovations

• Infrastructure & Land Improvements

• Technology Initiatives

• Transportation Buses/Equipment

• Textbooks

• Equipment & Furniture

$18,000,000

$ 600,000

$13,300,000

$ 3,300,000

$ 3,000,000

$ 800,000

Capital Needs

$39,000,000

Other ESPLOST Eligible Expenses

• Capital Renovations - HVAC, painting, flooring, updating of restrooms, roofs

• Safety & Security - secure exterior/interior doors/locks and cameras

• Land Improvements – drainage, landscaping, asphalt/parking lots & driveways

• Transportation – school buses and shop equipment

• Technology Initiative - continuation of refresh cycle for computers, upgrade/expansion of infrastructure

• Furniture/Equipment - desk/chairs/band equipment/instructional equipment

Project Summary Availability

• Expenditure summaries are available on the district website: http://www.camden.k12.ga.us

• Department Finance Monthly Financial Reports Folder

• ESPLOST financial reports contain a section providing a summary and detailed expenditures since the inception of the ESPLOST.

Current ESPLOST

Expires June 2019

ESPLOST Facts

• An ESPLOST avoids competition between capital needs and instructional needs!!

• An ESPLOST decreases property tax on property owners in Camden County.

• ESPLOST enables the district to continue offering quality instruction without sacrificing maintenance and capital needs by using a portion of the revenue from visitors passing through Camden.

ESPLOST Timeline

• When is the next ESPLOST referendum?

May 22, 2018 • If approved, when will the new

ESPLOST collections begin? July 2019

ESPLOST FAQ

What is an ESPLOST?

A Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST)

is a one-penny tax that may be used by Georgia school

systems for capital improvements and/or long-term debt

reduction from previous bonds. A SPLOST used by a

local school district is referred to as an E-SPLOST or

“Educational” SPLOST. School systems must ask

permission from the voters in their district, through a

referendum, to implement an E-SPLOST. By law, an E-

SPLOST expires after five years unless citizens vote to

renew it.

How does E-SPLOST impact my taxes? When is the referendum for renewal?

E-SPLOST does not impact property taxes or

business/commercial taxes. An E-SPLOST

represents one penny of the sales tax charged

on purchases in the county. The tax is spread

among tourists, visitors and anyone who makes

a purchase within the jurisdiction of the school

district. The vote to renew the E-SPLOST is

Tuesday, May 22.

What is the plan? How will my money be spent?

If re-approved by voters, the E-SPLOST will

continue to provide safe, attractive learning

facilities for our students, address

maintenance and renovation and capital

improvement needs, improve the district’s IT

infrastructure, and make investments in

Camden County Schools’ security and

transportation systems.

What criteria are used to determine which projects make the ESPLOST list?

A district-wide needs assessment is conducted by

Camden County Schools (CCS) system and

school leaders. Assessments are informed by a

practical knowledge of the maintenance

challenges of all buildings and by state and

national standards. The district’s operations staff,

in consultation with, IT professionals, engineers,

architects, principals and instructional leaders,

prioritize the projects on the list.

Is this a new tax? Why is Camden County Schools seeking an E-SPLOST now?

• No, this tax is not new. The current E-

SPLOST was approved in 2013 and

will expire June 30, 2019.

How did Camden County Schools use the current E-SPLOST?

The expiring E-SPLOST resulted in the completion of major

and minor renovation projects in 12 schools including

painting, roofing, carpeting and significant HVAC system

upgrades. The district also completed major technology

upgrades including the purchase of 9,664 student

Chromebooks, 1,068 staff computers, 546 Interactive boards /

displays, the upgrade of network cabling to all classrooms; the

upgrade of network switches and internet services to increase

the internet speed/WAN bandwidth times ten; and the

outfitting of all classrooms, labs, media centers, auditoriums

and common areas with full wireless capability.

What will this cost me?

Two points are important here:

1) Again, there currently is an E-SPLOST

already in place; and

2) An E-SPLOST is a sales tax that has no

impact on personal property or

business/commercial taxes.

What if the E-SPLOST fails?

The loss of ESPLOST revenue will

mean that funding to provide safe,

well-maintained, healthy,

technologically sustainable facilities

that support learning will compete

with resources directly related to

student success.

Can E-SPLOST funds be used for other purposes, such as pay increases for teachers or

other school system employees?

No. E-SPLOST funds may only be used

for capital improvements and/or long-

term debt reduction from previous bonds.

If I don’t have students in public schools, how will this impact me?

The vibrancy and viability of a community is measured in part by the academic and physical condition of the schools serving its children. For homeowners, this has a direct impact on the resale value of properties within the community. Additionally, businesses are attracted to, and more likely to thrive in communities served by school districts with strong academic programs, quality systems (transportation, technology, etc.) and state-of-the-art facilities.