Education Is The Issue

After all the hot air in this year's Loudoun elections clears, education stands tall as the important issue of the 2007 campaign for Board of Supervisors. There are three fundamental reasons why.

First, education is one of the few items in the public discussion which is almost entirely under the authority of the County. Of course we are assisted and limited by state funding and Federal mandates, but on the whole education is a County responsibility.

Second, education represents the largest single item in the Loudoun County budget. Regardless of any other item or issue, education is the single largest driver of our taxes and our prosperity.

Finally, education will be a critical issue during the next Board of Supervisors' term because it will be under deep scrutiny as our County's growth slows, but our educational needs increase. The student population in Loudoun County is projected to grow by an additional 32% in the next five years. That means we will be building more schools, hiring more teachers, and expanding more programs throughout the term of the next Board of Supervisors, regardless of what we do about growth and transportation.

Given these facts, it is important that the people elected to the Board of Supervisors on November 6th are well versed in education issues. What does it take to comply with Federal mandates? How do we manage the growth in the school population? And perhaps most importantly, how do we manage growth in the special education costs, which is one of the fastest growing portions of the growing educational budget in Loudoun. This is a critical consideration as elements of Loudoun County's special education programs were found to be in non-compliance with Federal standards in 2005.

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Special Education Department did not maintain appropriate effort-reporting documentation in compliance with OMB Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments, to support payroll costs charged to the Special Education grant for four of the 25 employees selected for testing. We reviewed the personnel file for these four employees and noted that their job description indicated that they are special education professionals. Biweekly payroll costs charged to the Special Education program during fiscal year 2005 for these four employees amounted to $10,887.52. During our audit, we noted that there are no documented controls to ensure that all applicable employees submit the semi-annual Time and Effort Certifications required by OMB Circular A-87 in a timely manner.

Given the importance of Federal money to the special education budget in Loudoun County, it is critical that the Board of Supervisors pay close attention to these programs when managing the schools budget.

In Leesburg, we have the opportunity to elect a Supervisor who is singularly versed in these critical education questions facing our County in the coming four years. Kelly Burk has been a special education teacher in Loudoun County's public schools for years, and that experience provides her with a uniquely informed perspective on the educational challenges the County faces. With the importance and scrutiny of special education, the Board of Supervisors can only benefit from a special education teacher being among its members.

Kelly Burk is the only Board of Supervisors candidate truly qualified to handle the difficult issues arising from increased needs and limited County resources. She has the perspective of a teacher and parent, as a past President of the Loudoun Education Association, as well as that of an elected representative, as a member of the Leesburg Town Council. This combination of experience will provide the citizens of Loudoun County with a compassionate and diligent steward of our educational legacy on the Board of Supervisors.

(With a tip-o-the-hat to John Stevens' Our Loudoun Schools blog.)