During the 2010-11 school year (July 2010 – July 2011) generous Belmont-Redwood Shores parents, friends, relatives, businesses  and community members donated $1.5 million to the School-Force Education Foundation.   As per the Foundation’s funding policy, the vast majority of these funds were donated to the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District to be used for high-priority programs in the current 2011-12 school year.

Some funds are shifted to the School-Force Endowment, which eventually will be able to  provide a long-term stable funding source to our District.

Below is the allocation of School-Force funds within the BRSSD budget as of 11/15/2011.   Please note that all school districts’ budgets go through regular revisions during the year as enrollment numbers are solidified, state and local revenue estimates are changed,  etc.  The numbers below are slightly different than estimated in August, but they are not anticipated to change significantly in future revisions.

Please note that School-Force provides the entire funding for some programs, while others receive additional support from parcel tax revenue or from the General Fund.

$350,000     Class Size Reduction for Kindergarten – 3rd Grade**:  Funds support additional teacher salaries so student: teacher ratio is 25:1 rather than 29:1.

$244,000     Reading Specialists**:  Support emerging readers in the younger grades at all six elementary schools.

$129,000     Science Specialists for 4th and 5th Grades**: For all six elementary schools.

$100,000    Choral Music for 4th and 5th Grades: For all six elementary schools.

$145,000     Instrumental Music for 4th and 5th Grades: For all six elementary schools.

$121,000     Dean at Ralston Middle School:  Full-time, serving all 1000 Ralston students.

$48,000       Counseling at Ralston Middle School: 50% of the full-time position, serving all 1000 Ralston Students.
The other 50% is paid with general funds, per State mandate.

$113,000     Library Media Specialists: Keeping libraries open part-time at all elementary schools and full-time at Ralston.
The program receives additional support from general funds.

$120,000    Teacher’s Aides (Para Educators):   One Para Educator per elementary school site to aid teachers in split grade classrooms.
If no split grades at a site, then equivalent funds are used at the principal’s discretion to support classroom learning.

$50,000     Technology for Teachers:  Computers for newly hired teachers and partial support for the refresh program for teacher computers.

$20,000     Ralston Afterschool Athletic Program:  Stipends for coaches to bring costs down and make the program accessible to more students.

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$1,440,000   Total Allocated to District as of 11/15/2011

$56,000   School-Force Endowment

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$1,496,000   Total

Programs indicated by ** receive additional funds from parcel tax revenue.