The Stafford County Public Schools Efficiency Review was published in December, 2004, by the Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. Stafford County was one of the first districts in the state to volunteer for the independent review.  The study was funded by the Governor’s office and coordinated by the State.

On the first page of the published review, Gibson reports that “The division [Stafford] ranks the lowest out of nine divisions in total operating expenditures per pupil, and also ranks the lowest or second lowest in per pupil spending in four of eight major functional categories.” 

Following the presentation of the results of the study, the Free Lance-Star published an editorial praising the Stafford County Public Schools’ wise and efficient use of taxpayer money:

“EDUCATING over 25,000 students in one of America's fastest-growing counties is no mean feat. Doing it efficiently and well deserves a tip of the hat and a round of applause. Stafford County, consider yourself the recipient of both.”                     Free Lance-Star Editorial, January 21, 2005

Read the Full Editorial on the Free Lance-Star Web Site

Further, the Gibson study states on pages ES-2 and ES-3:

”In addition to its low cost ranking, the division also has many commendable practices that contribute to increased efficiency and effectiveness. The Stafford County Public School District:

• Created a principal mentoring program for first year and novice principals;
• Is implementing MyLearningPlan, a Web based service for tracking Professional
• Development activities for educators, which will be used to ensure that all staff members are engaging in learning opportunities aligned with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Highly Qualified Staff Development criteria;
• Actively uses inclusionary practices for its special education students;
• Effectively uses mediation practices in its special education program to reduce the number of due process hearings and special education complaints filed;
• Offers exemplary training for its teachers of students identified as gifted;
• Trained teachers to assist other instructional personnel to gain skills necessary to meet technology standards defined by the VDOE;
• Completed an innovative project to expand students’ technology skills via the creation of an infomercial;
• Partnered with a local financial institution to offer an interest-free loan to assist new teachers with relocation costs;
• Uses the Visiting International Faculty (VIF) program to increase its pool of qualified teacher applicants;
• Has excellent planning (demographics) practices and personnel. Through accurate projections and effective long-range planning, the division has managed its growth without the use of modular (transportable) facilities while maintaining a 100 percent average utilization rate for the last five years;
• Uses efficient prototype designs, saving on design costs and continually improving facilities quality through design updates;
• Appropriately out-sources services and continually compares the effectiveness of out-sourced programs with in-house capabilities;
• Implemented a number of advisory committees designed to improve planning and communication;
• Implemented a number of initiatives to reduce the cost of current operations including negotiation of a fixed pricing contract for propane gas, reductions in textbook freight management, and the implementation of a rebate program for a credit card program, in addition to other initiatives detailed on pages 5-7 and 5-8;
• Recently restructured the existing health care plans to pay a portion of costs for family coverage and offer employees health care choices including a new dental plan;
• Invited a review of the Transportation Department by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) in January 2003. The department has implemented many of the recommendations in the VASS report dated March 2003;
• Administration supports staggered bell schedules to increase the effectiveness of pupil transportation bus routes and schedules;
• Integrates, with the automated routing and scheduling system, up-to-date geographic information maps;
• Participates in cooperative purchase agreements with other local and state agencies to capture competitive prices and acquires buses through a lease-purchase agreement. In addition, the SCPSD capital plan includes a formal plan for purchase of new and replacement school buses;
• Reduced the number of buses in the spare bus fleet in 2003-04 to 24 percent of total route buses;
• Use of the eSurplus internet auction program to dispose of surplus property reduces auction costs, eliminates staff time in handling surplus property, frees up storage space at schools and departments, and generates additional revenue;
• Uses an automated textbook management system integrated with its student information management system to efficiently manage and control its textbook inventory in realtime; and
• Solicited and received broad stakeholder input in developing an integrated and comprehensive technology plan. The plan includes measurable goals, objectives, and strategies that have assigned timelines and responsible parties, and are supported by the budget.”

Read the Full Gibson Efficiency Review on the Stafford County Public Schools Web Site