DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION BOARD, BOARD OF EDUCATION AND GERS DEFEND FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET

ST. THOMAS – The Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Kurt Vialet continued budget hearings today, in the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall. The agenda consisted of the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget proposals for the Virgin Islands Board of Education, the Virgin Islands Career & Technical Education Board, Virgin Islands Board of Education, and the Government Employees Retirement System.

Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Ph.D., the Commissioner Nominee for the Department of Education delivered testimony. The recommended appropriation for the Department totaled $177,210,943 for Fiscal Year 2023. This includes $118,915,349 for personnel services; 51,038,094 for fringe benefits, $5,000,000 for utilities, and $2,257,500 for miscellaneous items. The recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2023 is $4,693,441 or 3% lower than the $181,904,384 appropriated under the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2022. In addition to the $177.2 Million that has been recommended for Fiscal Year 2023, an additional $725,000 in other miscellaneous appropriations for the Department.

The total enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year was 10,234 students. This was 5,091 in the St. Croix District, and 5,143 in the St. Thomas-St. John District. Public school enrollment has steadily declined in the territory during the past 11 years. 3,317 students were enrolled in Grades 9-12 for the 2021-2022 school year. There were 716 students enrolled in the 12th Grade at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. 683 students graduated in May 2022, a total of 95%, 354 in the St. Croix District and 329 in the St. Thomas-St. John District. An additional 8 students were eligible for graduation in the St. Thomas-St John District and 2 in the St. Croix District after completing outstanding credit requirements.

There were 2,172 full time equivalent positions. There were 125 filled exempt positions, 16 vacant exempt positions and 1,972 filled classified positions. There were 83 vacant classified positions. There are 1,028 active employees in the St. Thomas-St. John District and 1,114 active employees in the St. Croix District. There are currently 184 total vacancies, 89 in the St. Thomas-St. John district and 95 in the St. Croix District. There were 1,955 classified employees and 187 unclassified/exempt employees. Wells-Hedrington spoke of various difficulties in the Department, stating that historically, funding has been minimal to maintain the current state of school facilities. Based on calculations provided by the Office of Insular Affairs in 2016, it would cost the Department $20 Million to maintain the footprint that existed at that time. Further challenges in the Department included a large number of resignations, retaining and attracting new staff, and competitive salaries.