Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee
Town Survey of Regional School District Governance
Board of Finance Chairperson Response
Response Rate = 76% (34/45 Responded)
Name of Town ____________________
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=34
85% yes (skip to question #4)
15% no
2. If you answered no, select the formula that you believe should be used to calculate local share: N=4
25% consolidated grand list of towns belonging to district in order to calculate an education mill rate for the entire district.
25% maintain per student town-based formula for operating costs; apportion capital costs accounting for student growth variation among member towns
25% 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% town charged based on costs of specific schools attended within the region
25% 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 during the budget process were elected town officials invited to participate? (check all that apply) N=34
32% pre-budget development (prior to regional superintendent's budget submission to board)
74% budget development (prior to regional public meeting to present budget)
29% budget adoption (after public meeting but before annual meeting or referenda)
18% post-budget (if budget is rejected by voters, prior to resubmission to voters)
6% not invited to participate (If checked, skip to question #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 participation? N=32
41% present at all or most meetings
34% occasionally attended meetings
22% rarely attended meetings
0% never attended meetings
6% not applicable
6. During the last education budget cycle, if elected town officials were invited to participate, how did they participate? N=33
6% observer (no speaking, no voting)
9% information resource for board (respond to questions, no voting)
73% non-voting participant (speak to any issue, no voting)
0% voting participant
9% multiple response
3% not applicable
7. During the last education budget cycle, if elected town officials were invited to participate, do you believe it was beneficial to the process? N=33
70% yes
27% no
3% multiple response (voluntary)
8. Do individual members of the Board of Finance or Board of Selectmen take a public position on the regional school budget? N=32
58% yes
39% no
3% multiple response
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? N=34
24% yes
71% no
6% multiple response
Board Governance and Oversight
Long-Range Capital Planning
10. Should there be a requirement that all regional boards of education produce a long-range capital plan? N=34
94% yes
6% no
11. Does the regional board do formal long-range capital planning? N=32
44% yes
41% no (If checked, skip to question #14)
16% not sure (voluntary response)
12. How does the regional board communicate their long-range capital plan to local legislative bodies? (check all that apply) N=31
10% input solicited prior to plan adoption
19% copy of plan provided after adoption
19% no formal means of communication
3% other (please specify) __________________________________________
13. In developing the long-range capital plan, how does the regional board take into account the long-range capital plans of member towns? (check all that apply) N=33
12% input from town officials solicited prior to plan adoption
9% public hearing
27% other (please specify)__________________________________________
29% town plans not formally taken into account
6% town does not have a long-range capital plan
Reporting of Routine Information
14. On a scale of one through five, rate how informative the following documents are in understanding the regional board's fiscal activities:
Not Informative |
Very Informative |
Not Provided | ||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 | ||
General budget document N=32 |
9% |
19% |
28% |
22% |
19% |
3% |
Budget detail N=33 |
6% |
12% |
33% |
18% |
18% |
12% |
Monthly/quarterly financial statements N=28 |
7% |
0% |
7% |
11% |
7% |
66% |
Annual Report N=31 |
0% |
7% |
29% |
13% |
10% |
42% |
Annual Audit N=29 |
7% |
3% |
17% |
21% |
10% |
41% |
Long-term planning documents N=28 |
11% |
14% |
7% |
4% |
7% |
57% |
Line item transfer explanations N=30 |
7% |
7% |
10% |
3% |
3% |
70% |
Other Information N=9 |
10% |
20% |
10% |
0% |
10% |
74% |
15. Do you feel sufficiently informed about the regional district's fiscal activities? N=34
41% yes
59% no
16. In your opinion, does the regional board exercise sufficient oversight over the regional district's fiscal activities? N=34
38% yes
59% no
3% not sure (voluntary response)
17. In your opinion, should a regional finance board be established? N=34
62% yes
35% no (skip to question #19)
3% not sure (voluntary response)
18. If you answered yes to question #17, what authority should the regional finance board be given? (check all that apply) N=21
67% greater access to regional board of education financial information
67% participate on an advisory basis in board of education fiscal matters
95% approve proposed board of education budgets prior to regional meeting or referenda
24% other (please specify)_____________________
Union Contract Negotiations
19. For the most recent contract negotiations for certified personnel, did the regional board confer with local officials prior to opening contract negotiations for certified school personnel? N=34
35% yes
56% no
9% not sure (voluntary response)
20. 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 school personnel? N=34
3% always
18% sometimes
24% rarely
47% never
6% multiple response (voluntary)
3%don't know (voluntary response)
21. Since 1990, has a negotiated contract for certified school personnel ever gone to referendum? N=34
0% yes (specify year/s)______________________
85% no
15% don't know (voluntary response)
22. Since 1990, have local fiscal authorities provided fiscal information during arbitration hearings between certified school personnel and the regional district? N=33
36% yes
42% no
15% not applicable
6% don't know voluntary response)
23. Since 1990, has the arbitration award ever gone to referendum? N=34
0% yes (specify year/s)______________________
79% no
18% don't know (voluntary response)
3% not applicable
Overall Relationship
24. How would you describe your board's relationship with the regional board? N=33
3% excellent
15% good
33% average
18% below average
27% poor
3% multiple response (voluntary)
25. If you answered average, below average, or poor in question #24, do you have any suggestions on how to improve the relationship?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
26. In your opinion, should a town be able to withdraw from a regional school district without the approval of other towns in the district? N=33
36% yes
64% 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