Christina School District May 2015 Referendum Talking Points How much will it cost me? 37 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The average home in the Christina School District is assessed at about $64,000. This assessed value is not the same as the sale price or market price of a home—it is significantly less. For an average assessed value home, the increase would be about $4.50/week (about the same as a “foot long” at Subway). Why is it needed now? The portion of school taxes that is used for the daily operations of a school district, including funds that follow students to charter schools, cannot be increased in Delaware without a successful referendum. When districts ask for an increase, they typically ask for enough to last three to five years. The last CSD operating referendum votes were in 2010 and 2003. Costs have increased. This referendum request will be phased in over three years. It allows schools to maintain current programs, and keeps the district from going into debt. It will also prevent substantial reductions to charter school budgets. Can I trust the district with my money? Yes. Since the last referendum, CSD paid off their prior debt from previous financial issues on time. Financial procedures were strengthened. A volunteer group, Citizens Budget Oversight Committee (CBOC), reviews financial reports monthly. All financial information and reports are available on the district website for full transparency. Improvements committed to in 2010 were made as promised (Full-Day K in all schools, middle school sports, elementary counselors, etc.). CSD did what they said they would do. Isn’t CSD top heavy (too many administrators and paying them too much)? No. CSD has 18% fewer administrators (such as district staff, school principal, or school assistant principal) per employee than the next lowest New Castle County school district and, due to already approved reductions, it will soon be 24% lower. With these reductions, CSD will have 31 fewer administrators than Red Clay. CSD administrators are tied for the lowest paid in NCC. CSD administrators are paid 5.7% of all the district funds used for salaries. This percentage is tied for the lowest in New Castle County. Why should I support this now if the Wilmington schools will be leaving CSD in the next few years? Two main reasons: 1) We don’t know if or when this will happen – we do know it won’t be next school year. Without these additional funds, cuts will happen this fall that will impact classrooms and students across every traditional public school and charter school that CSD area students attend; 2) We know high need schools are already underfunded whether they are in Wilmington or suburban areas of CSD. There is talk about the state giving high needs schools more. Let’s not dig a hole any additional funds must fill. Let’s start from the supports that are in place now and then give the students the additional supports that they need. What will the money do for students? It will ensure class sizes don’t expand due to teacher layoffs. It will continue to enhance school safety by allowing school resource officers to remain deployed in secondary schools. It will help support the social and emotional needs of students by continuing to provide a full range of counseling and support services. It will keep existing programs in schools like elementary instrumental music and strings, robust after-school activities, as well as unique programs like Chinese and Spanish immersion and Montessori. Christina School District May 2015 Referendum Talking Points Who can vote and where? Any US and DE Citizen, who lives within CSD, and is 18 on or before May 27th may vote on May 27th between 10 am and 8 pm. Polling locations are listed below and absentee ballots are available as well from the New Castle County Department of Elections, 302-577-3464. Bancroft Elementary School Keene Elementary School 700 N. Lombard Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 200 LaGrange Avenue, Newark, DE 19702 Bayard Middle School Kirk Middle School 200 S. DuPont Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 140 Brennen Drive, Newark, DE 19713 Bear Free Library Leasure Elementary School 101 Governor’s Place, Bear, DE 19701 1015 Church Road, Newark, DE 19702 Brader Elementary School Maclary Elementary School 350 Four Seasons Parkway, Newark, DE 19702 300 St. Regis Drive, Newark, DE 19711 Brookside Elementary School Marshall Elementary School 800 Marrows Road, Newark, DE 19713 101 Barrett Run Road, Newark, DE 19702 Carvel State Office Building McVey Elementary School 820 N. French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 908 Janice Drive, Newark, DE 19713 Christiana High School Newark High School 190 Salem Church Road, Newark, DE 19713 750 East Delaware Avenue, Newark, DE 19711 Downes Elementary School Oberle Elementary School 220 Casho Mill Road, Newark, DE 19711 500 Caledonia Way, Bear, DE 19701 Elbert-Palmer Elementary School Pulaski Elementary School 1210 Lobdell Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 1300 Cedar Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 First Presbyterian Church of Newark Quaker Hill Place Apartments 292 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19711 200 N. Washington Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 Gallaher Elementary School Shue-Medill Middle School 800 N. Brownleaf Road, Newark, DE 19713 1500 Capitol Trail, Newark, DE 19711 Gauger-Cobbs Middle School Stubbs Elementary School 50 Gender Road, Newark, DE 19713 1100 North Pine Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 Glasgow High School West Park Place Elementary School 1901 S. College Avenue, Newark, DE 19702 193 West Park Place, Newark, DE 19711 Jones Elementary School Wilson Elementary School 35 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19702 14 Forge Road, Newark, DE 19711
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