Tyler Independent School District FAST (Financial Allocation Study for Texas 2010) Smart Practices for Minimizing Costs

Transcription

1 Tyler Independent Schl District FAST (Financial Allcatin Study fr Texas 2010) Smart Practices fr Minimizing Csts The Financial Allcatin Study fr Texas 2010 (FAST) is a reprt perfrmed by the Texas Cmptrller s Office. This reprt was established t cnnect the dts between schl spending and student prgress. FAST summarizes Smart Practices fr minimizing cst and is nt intended t be a hard and fast guide fr efficiency. Smart Practices are brken dwn int fur categries: Instructin and Staffing, Financial Management and Technlgy Slutins, Purchasing and Student Services, and Facilities. There are apprximately 160 Smart Practices listed; abut 105 f which are nt duplicates. As shwn belw, Tyler ISD has implemented many f them; hwever, a significant number f them relate t small districts and are nt practical fr a district f ur size. Fur Categries: Instructin and Staffing Financial Management and Technlgy Slutins Purchasing and Student Services Facilities Instructin and Staffing: Class Size (Tw practices ne fr requesting waivers fr classes ver 22 and ne fr maximizing class sizes up t 22). TISD requested 21 waivers this year; thereby saving the expense f 21 teachers. Prject Share new TEA initiative that began last June TISD is using as it rlls ut. CScpe wned by 19 educatin service centers TISD utilizes CScpe. Electrnic Textbks TISD has access t all nline, electrnic textbks frm the adptin last year. Online Educatin and Distance Learning Five f the practices listed relate t Texas Virtual Schl Netwrk/Distance Learning/Dual Credit TISD is currently develping a plan fr partnerships. We d utilize sme dual credit with TJC. Web based staff training TISD utilizes MediaCast and PD 360 sftware.

2 Academic and Administrative Slutins Tw practices relate t use f CScpe r nline curriculum TISD des. Utilize district website instead f mailing; netwrk printers s print jbs can be ruted t cpiers TISD des use website in many instances and als Alert Nw. Utilize E Rate prgram TISD des. Use data assessment sftware t track and analyze student perfrmance TISD utilizes Eduphria AWARE fr this mnitring. Develp sftware slutins that identify and track students at risk f drpping ut TISD nt currently ding this. The schl that des this has 47,769 students. Staff Allcatin Tw practices relate t cnducting staffing surveys t eliminate psitins TISD is currently utilizing a cnsultant fr this purpse. Switch frm a blck schedule t a traditinal schedule TISD is cnsidering this fr Realigned staffing in Fd Services t meet a mre cst effective meals per labr hur frmula TISD des this annually. Partners with cmmunity cllege fr dual credit curses TISD currently des this with TJC with sme CTE curses. Three very small schl districts share staff amng multiple grade levels, campuses, etc. Sme teachers als have multiple rles nt feasible fr TISD. Benchmark f nnteaching staffing levels t thse in similar districts TISD is currently using the staffing cnsultant t accmplish this. Operates with half f the administrative cst rati recmmended by TEA TISD is definitely less than half als. Emplyee Benefits Self funded wrkers cmpensatin TISD utilizes a fixed cst methd which has tremendusly reduced ur csts frm when previusly self funded. Operatin f in huse health clinic fr all emplyees in large schl district with 30,000 students TISD has nt cnsidered this ptin.

3 Financial Management and Technlgy Slutins: Financial Management Use campus imprvement planning prcess t make infrmed spending decisins TISD des this. Tw practices relate t refinancing bnds when interest rates dictate TISD regularly des this and has realized significant savings. Pursue and receive grants t purchase library materials and cmputer hardware; als fundraisers fr libraries TISD has nt cnsidered this ptin. Accelerated bnd prgram prjects t take advantage f lwer building and brrwing csts TISD did this in the latest bnd issue. Free Sftware Cnsider free systems and dcument sftware such as Ggle Apps and Ggle Dcs TISD has nt cnsidered this ptin at this time, but will lk at fr future. Technlgical Upgrades Shared netwrk infrastructure utilized at a smaller schl including phne and internet TISD has a shared service arrangement fr ur internet access. Acquired a Vicever IP telephne system TISD was ne f the first districts in the state t deply this system in Shift t virtual server envirnment TISD deplyed virtual servers in Installatin f thin client technlgy TISD is in the prcess f implementing this technlgy. Purchasing and Student Services: Purchasing 13 f the cmments relate t participatin in purchasing cperatives TISD is a member f the Regin VII cp; Buybard; TCPN, State f Texas Purchasing Cperative, and East Texas Educatinal Assciatin. District librarians review new bks fr publishers in exchange fr dnatins f bks fr schl libraries fr a large schl with 41,000 students TISD des nt currently d this. Benchmark prcesses and prcedures t determine best purchasing methds TISD utilizes this als.

4 Shared Services and Cntracting 14 f the recmmendatins cme frm very small districts that basically share services r participate in educatin services centers fr services such as payrll, accunting, etc. TISD des as the agent fr deaf educatin services, but is t large t utilize the ther services. Cntracts fr student busing services with the cunty and plice services with the city TISD is nt in a psitin t d this. TISD currently cntracts with the city fr crssing guards. Use interlibrary lans t share items between campuses TISD des this n a very limited basis. Transprtatin Five cmments relate t utsurcing services TISD has cnsidered this numerus times and it has nt been mre cst effective. Fur cmments relate t purchasing cperatives fr fuel TISD des this. Tw cmments relate t a multi tier bus schedule which saves mney because buses are used n mre than 1 rute TISD implemented this several years ag. Three cmments relate t use f ruting sftware prgram TISD is currently implementing this als. Fd Services 10 recmmendatins relate t utilizing a purchasing cp TISD utilizes this in every case pssible. A very small schl f 367 has a review dne n fd service efficiencies TISD is currently very efficient in the fd service department which perates at a prfit. Outsurce fd services TISD has reviewed this in the past, and it was nt mre efficient fr this district. Facilities: Building Design Nine f the practices relate t using standard architectural plans when cnstructing new schls TISD did this when pssible. Small schl f 130 built a steel reinfrced dme facility t slash energy csts nt feasible fr TISD.

5 Facilities and Cnstructin Cnslidatin f campuses TISD did this with Jnes/Bshears and will cnsider in future plans. Repurpse buildings t avid cnstructin f ther sites TISD has dne this with St. Luis and PDC. Cnstructin management services TISD has hired tw emplyees and greatly reduced the cst in this area. Rent space fr pre k centers TISD has nt cnsidered this. Shared Facilities A very small schl shares facilities with an educatin service center nt practical fr TISD A schl f 8,000 wrked with the city t build a facility that huses bth district and city administratrs as well as plice department TISD has nt cnsidered this. Tw cmments relate t sharing athletic facilities between the district and the city TISD shares facilities with TJC, but that is all at this time. Maintenance Reduced maintenance schedule in half by cleaning buildings every ther day TISD will pssibly cnsider this in the future. Use scheduling sftware t increase the prductivity f maintenance persnnel TISD des nt currently d this. Tw recmmendatins use wrk rder system t track maintenance requests TISD des this currently. Cntracts with educatin service center t manage M&O department This wuld nt be feasible fr TISD. Placed recycling bins in all classrms, administrative facilities, and athletic facilities t eliminate waste pickups TISD has nt cnsidered this at this time. Standardized fixtures and equipment t save n repairs and replacement parts TISD des this when pssible, especially in new building.

6 Energy and Water Cnservatin The majrity f cmments relate t replacing HVAC and lighting with mre energy efficient systems; TISD has accmplished this with new facilities and thrugh the preventive maintenance prgram, has accmplished this with replacements. Several cmments relate t a fur day wrk week in the summer TISD des this with the exceptins f maintenance and custdial. Many cmments relate t prgrammable thermstats and a HVAC cntrl system TISD has this. Cntracts with utility billing auditr TISD has an energy manager t review bills fr prper usage and amunts. Usage f gethermal grund surce heat pumps in lieu f cnventinal HVAC systems TISD has nt cnsidered this ptin. Built wn water well t reduce cst f watering athletic fields TISD has nt cnsidered this at this time. Negtiates with energy cmpanies t btain reduced pricing fr energy needs TISD currently underwent this prcess and expects t save $1 millin per year.