Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee
Survey on Regional School District Governance
Regional Board of Education Chairpersons Response
Response Rate = 82% (14/17 Responded)
Name/No. of Regional School District ______________
Name of person completing survey ______________
Position of person completing survey ______________
Number of years in current position ______________
Statutory Formula for Local Share of Costs
1. Connecticut law specifies the local share of education costs for regional schools be apportioned among member towns on a per student basis. In your opinion, does the formula fairly allocate costs among member towns? N=14
79% yes (skip to question #4)
21% no
2. If you answered no, select the formula that you believe should be used to calculate local share: N=3
33% consolidated grand list of towns belonging to district in order to calculate an education mill rate for the entire district.
0% maintain per student town-based formula for operating costs; apportion capital costs accounting for student growth among member towns
33% maintain per student town-based formula with modifications based on town property and income wealth
0% maintain per student town-based formula for operating costs; allocate fixed costs on per capita basis
0% towns charged based on costs of specific schools attended within the region
33% other (please specify)____________________________________________
3. If you answered #2, please provide reason(s) why you selected this formula. ___________________________________________________________________
Budget Development and Adoption
4. During the last education budget cycle, at what stage were elected town officials invited to participate (check all that apply): N=14
50% pre-budget development (prior to regional superintendent's budget submission to board)
79% budget development (prior to regional public meeting to present budget)
21% budget adoption (after public meeting but before annual meeting or referenda)
0% post-budget (if budget is rejected by voters, prior to resubmission to voters)
0% not invited to participate (If checked, skip to # 8)
5. During the last education budget cycle, if elected town officials were invited to participate by the regional board, what was the level of their participation? N=14
36% present at all or most meetings
36% occasionally attended meetings
29% rarely attended meetings
0% never attended meetings
6. During the last education budget cycle, if elected town officials were invited to participate, how did they participate? N=14
0% observer (no speaking, no voting)
29% information resource for board (respond to questions, no voting)
50% non-voting participant (speak to any issue, no voting)
0% voting participant
21% multiple response (voluntary)
7. During the last education budget cycle, if elected town officials were invited to participate, was it beneficial to the process? N=14
86% yes
7% no
7% multiple response (voluntary)
8. Do individual members of the Board of Finance or Board of Selectman take a public position on the regional school budget? (If only some individuals in the district take a public position please note the towns they represent.) N=14
64% yes (towns)____________________________________________________
36% no
9. Does the Board of Finance or Board of Selectmen vote to endorse or oppose the education budget prior to the regional district annual meeting or referenda? (If some but not all towns in your district vote, please specify towns that take a vote.) N=13
8% yes (towns voting)______________________________________________
85% no
8% multiple response
10. Has the regional school district run a budget deficit within the last five years? N=14
14% yes
86% no
11. If the answer to number #10 is yes, how was the budget deficit resolved? N=2
0% supplemental tax increase
50% rolled into next years budget
50% other (please specify - checked both options)
Board Governance and Oversight
Planning
12. Does the regional board do formal long-range capital planning? N=14
79% yes
21% no (if checked, skip to question #19)
13. How many years out does the plan cover? N=11
3-5 years (1 respondent)
5 years (9 respondents)
3 years (3 years technologies/10 years buildings) (1 respondent)
14. What elements does the plan contain? N=11
71% projections of student population growth/decline
57% minor renovation
57% major renovation
57% new construction
57% cost projections
15. How often is the plan updated? N=11
73% annually
9% biennially
0% five years
18% other (please specify)___________________________________________
16. In developing the capital plan, how does the regional board take into account the long-range capital plans of member towns? N=11
0% town plans reviewed by board
36% input obtained from elected town officials
0% public hearing held
36% other (please specify)____________________________________________
36% town plans not taken into account
0% towns do not have long-rang capital plans
17. How does the regional board communicate their long-range capital plan to local legislative bodies? N=11
46% input of local elected officials solicited prior to plan adoption
18% public hearing
64% other (please specify)_________________________________________
9% not communicated to local legislative bodies
18. On average, how closely has the schedule for capital improvements been followed? N=14
29% within 2 years of schedule
35% between 2 and 5 years of schedule
0% over 5 years
50% not applicable
7% no response (voluntary)
Reporting of Routine Information
19. What routine information does the regional board receive about district operations? (check all that apply) N=13
77% financial statements (circle frequency - monthly, quarterly, annually)
92% minutes of meetings
92% annual audit
62% long-term planning documents
54% other (specify)______________________________
20. What routine information about district operations does the regional board provide to local officials? (check all that apply) N=14
71% financial statements (circle frequency - monthly, quarterly, annually)
93% minutes of meetings
79% annual report
100% annual audit
57% long-term planning documents
29% other (specify)__________________________________
0% none
21. In your opinion, should a regional finance board be established? N=14
14% yes
79% no (skip to question #23)
7% no response (voluntary)
22. If you answered yes to question #21, what authority should the regional finance board be given (check all that apply) N=2
50% greater access to regional board of education financial information
100% power to participate on an advisory basis in board of education fiscal matters
0% approve proposed board of education budgets prior to regional meeting or referenda
0% other (please specify) ____________________________________
Line Item Transfers
23. Does the regional board have written policies or procedures governing line item transfers? N=14
79% yes
21% no (If checked, skip to #25 )
24. If written policies or procedures exist, what actions are performed when a transfer is made? (check all that apply) N=10
0% notice published in local paper
60% announcement made at board meeting prior to transfer
0% announcement made at board meeting after transfer
30% announcement of dollar amounts of transfers made at end of fiscal year
10% notice be given at next board meeting
30% reason for transfer be recorded as part of public record
40% vote approving transfer be taken at board meeting
20% other (specify) ___________________________________________
25. If the answer to #23 is no, does the board follow certain practices in approving line item transfers. N=3
67% yes
33% no (If checked, skip to #27)
26. If the board has policies or practices, do they govern line item transfers involving: N=10
50% specific dollar amounts (please specify dollar amount) $______________
40% specific types of transfers (specify type)__________________________
Audits
27. Who is responsible for selecting an auditor to fulfill the annual audit requirement? (check all that apply) N=14
29% regional superintendent
43% business office manager
0% board Chairman
93% board members
7% board audit committee
28. How many years has the current auditor been employed by your district? N=14
14% 3 years or less
21% 4 - 5 years
64% 6 years or more
29. In the course of the audit, who has input in identifying audit issues? (check all that apply) N=14
79% regional superintendent
43% board chair
29% board members
21% board audit committee
64% other (please specify) ___________________________________________
30. Who does the auditor report to? (check all that apply) N=14
57% regional superintendent
14% board chair
64% board members
14% board audit committee
36% other (please specify)________________________________________
31. Who is the audit distributed to? (check all that apply) N=14
100% regional superintendent
100% board chair
100% board members
29% board audit committee
79% State Department of Education
21% State Board of Education
50% other (please specify)_________________________________________
32. What is the compliance status of the recommendations contained in the last audit? N=14
71% full compliance
14% partial compliance
0% no compliance
7% multiple response (voluntary)
7% not applicable
Union Contract Negotiations
33. For the most recent contract negotiations for certified personnel, did the regional board confer with elected town officials prior to opening contract negotiations for certified school personnel? N=14
79% yes
21% no
34. How frequently did representatives of elected local fiscal authorities participate as part of a school board's case during the most recent contract negotiation meetings for certified personnel? N=14
14% always
36% sometimes
21% rarely
29% never
35. Since 1990, has a negotiated contract ever gone to referendum? N=14
0% yes (specify year)_______________________________________
100% no
36. Since 1990, have local fiscal authorities provided fiscal information during arbitration hearings between certified personnel and the regional district? N=13
31% yes
23% no
46% not applicable
37. Since 1990, has the arbitration award ever gone to referendum? N=14
0% yes (specify year)___________________________________________
100% no
Overall Relationship
38. How would you describe the regional board's relationship with member towns' local fiscal authority? N=14
0% excellent
57% good
36% average
7% below average
0% poor
39. If you answered average, below average, or poor in question #38, do you have any suggestions on how to improve the relationship?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
40. In you opinion, should a town be able to withdraw from a regional school district without the approval of the other towns in the district? N=14
21% yes
79% no
If you have any additional comments,
Please attach a separate sheet of paper.
Please return the completed survey in the enclosed envelope
By August 1, 2002
Thank you for your participation