Of the 120 Kentucky counties, Union County ranks 92nd, she reported. Sheffer added that Union County ranks above the state average in only two of the key indicators from which the report is derived—the percent of high school students not graduating on time (UC has ten percent-- the state average is 12 percent) and the percent of birth mothers without a high school diploma (UC has 12.1 percent; the state average is 16.8 percent).
Sheffer contended in her remarks that of the four domains, education “could and should be the catalyst for overall community improvement.”
She also emphasized that early literacy is the key to “our learners’ success; we need to focus our attention/resources on improving the number of students ready for kindergarten.” The superintendent reminded those present at the board meeting that children need economic security, adding that one in four Union County children live in poverty, and the median income in Union County is $40,700, which is $12,000 below the state average.
Poverty is a real concern, Sheffer said, and as educators, we understand the need to ensure optimal learning can take place. She noted, “We are very thankful for the volunteers and associates like Happy Pack and Happy Feet who ensure basic needs of our children are met.” Sheffer added, “It is critical that our students are exposed to new experiences; it is critical to provide as many opportunities as possible for all learners.” According to Sheffer, statistics also show that one in four local babies were born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy. She added that 64.5 per 1000 youth in Union County are incarcerated, far higher than the state average of 37.5. “That is an alarming difference,” she noted.
“It’s important to hold our youth accountable in a way that is appropriate for their age and development to help them get back on track for success. Children want and need structure and accountability. As adults we must teach our children to take responsibility for their actions.” Sheffer added, “This data tells us we face dire challenges; we have a long way to go to get Union County where it needs to be for our youngsters.”
The superintendent also expressed her appreciation for Garrick Thompson, Jeff Barton, Holly Keeney and Evan Jackson for the work they have done to help Union County become a Work Ready Community. “Higher ranking counties realize the value in true partnerships and the compounding effect they have on the entire community, which allows them to turn obstacles into opportunities,” Sheffer said.
“We must ask ourselves...what needs to change to help our children fare better in Union County,” Sheffer added. “We rely on the community and business leaders to use this data as they set goals with aligned resources to help children succeed holistically.” The superintendent also presented information regarding unfunded state mandates which have eaten into the local fund reserves. Over the last five years federal funding has been cut for K-12 by nearly 20 percent, Sheffer said. She urged those present to contact their legislators and implore them to fully fund their mandates.
Budget information for the past three years was also presented as well as the efforts the district has put in place to reduce spending. Sheffer said when she accepted the position as superintendent, she sat down with then finance officer David Waggener, and the two began putting measures in place to reduce spending and re-structure positions by consolidating duties. “Unfortunately, as we continued to make reductions, the state continued to add unfunded mandates that were significantly more than the revenues we received from state and federal levels,” Sheffer reported.
By 2014-15, the district finally had a balanced budget that was developed with efforts from all school employees, but the district was then hit with the sale of the TVA land and the closure of two coal mines and then required to provide a two percent raise for all employees. Those events once again put the district’s back against the wall financially.
During her tenure, Sheffer has recommended that 22 positions be cut and four positions have been left vacant, and earlier this year, Sheffer asked the board if they wanted to give the community the option to increase revenue locally by a half penny tax with a cap of $2500. The tax would be a half cent occupational tax; however, a group of citizens filed a petition asking that the matter be put on the ballot, and in November, voters declined to pass the half cent tax.
At that point in Sheffer’s address, she asked finance officer Amy Morris to review some of the district’s savings initiatives. Morris reported that the district has put in place more than $1.6 million in budget reductions including elimination of positions both certified and classified, collecting outstanding food service fees, eliminating recognition plaques, reducing bus purchases, closing Sturgis after school childcare and reducing the number of instructional coaches’ days and salaries. The list of budget cuts is long, and more cuts are in place for the 2015-16 school year.
The district has also cut some preventive maintenance, which could be disastrous for the district. Morris pointed out that the district has implemented energy saving measures, strengthened purchasing control, implemented workers’ compensation safety measures, reduced unemployment claims and reduced legal fees as they strive to save money and be more efficient. Those initiatives have saved the district about $800,000 she said.
“The community spoke loud and clear (in November),” Sheffer said. “They are tired of taxes, regardless of what will be sacrificed. It’s hard to compete with neighboring communities...it’s hard to entice applicants with four to eight years of college to Union County when they can travel 30 miles down the road where they can teach in a brand new building with state of the art technology and plethora of resources to support their delivery of instruction, not to mention the salary and benefits being better.”
Sheffer added, “We will continue to be thoughtful and strategic in considering how to allocate scarce educational resources. As program cuts (become) necessary, priorities will be set and difficult choices will be made. All future reductions will have a negative impact on students/staff; I will recommend reducing some from all programs/services, versus one specific area.” She continued, “Since we’ve already cut fat and muscle over the past couple of years, we’ve now come to that difficult time of cutting down to the bone.”
Sheffer concluded her remarks asking what does “We are Union County mean? When we are ranked 92nd out of 120, I truly think Union County as a whole needs to redefine that. Our zip codes have defined us far too long. We must experience a paradigm shift in this county, to move from a fixed to a growth mindset working together moving in the same direction to grow this community. I welcome community members to join us as the district conducts the next strategic planning process.” Strategic planning for the district will begin in January.
Sheffer noted that she is concerned about the future of Union County children, but she is determined to provide them with the opportunities to be better leaders. She encouraged all county residents to take a step back and see the big picture and see what’s best for the whole.