This is the first in a two-part series examining education funding in Rappahannock.

A review of past budgets by The Rappahannock News found that the 2007-2008 school year budget is $5,015,790 larger than the budget for 1992-1993, adjusting for inflation. And the county share of the budget – paid for by local tax dollars – rose $4,252,035, or 105 percent, between 1992 and 2007, out pacing the total budget's growth. Local dollars now make up 69 percent of the education budget. In 1992 the county paid for only 57 percent of the budget.

And the budget increases have been mirrored by an increase in taxes. The county will collect 52 percent more in real estate taxes this fiscal year than it did in 2005.

Of the nearly $13 million Rappahannock collects in local tax revenue, $8,288,389, or 64 percent, was put toward education this year.

Unlike county spending, federal and state funding have grown proportionally with the education budget, each rising by about 73 percent over the past 15 years.

Next year, however, state funds are expected to drop after Rappahannock's "local composite index" (LCI) is reconfigured. The state uses LCI to determine how much money a school district can put toward education, taking into consideration factors such as local property values to estimate a jurisdiction's wealth. Rappahannock County and school officials have argued that the factors used to compute LCI suggest Rappahannock can foot more of the bill for education than the county actually can.

When Rappahannock is assigned a new LCI this summer, the county will be eligible for less state education funding. School officials have projected a reduction of anywhere between $381,993 and $494,988.

While the proposed budget, which is $502 less than the current budget, would buck the trend of increased spending, it would increase county spending by about five percent.

Anticipating the likely reduction in state funds, Rappahannock County superintendent Dr. Robert Chappell proposed an increase in county funding of $446,381 for the 2008-2009 school year education budget.

If Chappell's proposed increase is approved by the board of supervisors, county spending for the 2008-2009 school year will rise to 122 percent over the budget for the 1992-1993 school year, adjusting for inflation.

Yet despite the budget growth, an independent review of Rappahannock's schools found little room for cost savings.

The review, which was organized by the state at Chappell's request, produced a laundry list of recommendations but found no big-ticket items to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

In fact, the recommendations from the review would cost more to implement than they would create in savings.

However, one criticism from the review was that Rappahannock does not have a plan to reduce or justify staff levels in the face of declining enrollment.

When questioned about this by Jackson District representative Ron Frazier at the monthly meeting of the board of supervisors this past Monday, Chappell said school officials were in the process of putting together a comprehensive staffing plan.

Enrollment in Rappahannock County public schools has fluctuated over the past 15 years. A recent drop in the number of students attending county schools is likely to continue next year when only 902 students are expected to enroll.

While failing to identify much room for cost savings, the review nonetheless found Rappahannock at the top of four peer school districts in spending per pupil. A report released following the conclusion of the review determined that in 2005 Rappahannock spent $7,915 per student on instruction – $1,426 more than the division average of $6,489. And on administration, Rappahannock spent $455 per pupil, or $89 more than the division average of $366.

The Rappahannock County School Board invites public input at its meeting next Tuesday to discuss the proposed 2008-2009 education budget.