Wednesday, November 4, 2015

...catching the end of the presentation of the update on Chapter 70 (Mass Association of School Committees)

looks like they've just run through the findings
Francomano: Commission is "officially done"
"we no longer exist as an entity" (this in response to a question on advocacy)
Q: did you only talk about inflationary rate of health insurance or did you talk about proportion of what district pays v individual pays?
"you're talking about issues involving collective bargaining"
Schuster: sets cost assumption at average employer rate of insurance across the state
Verdolino: easier to get to a number with the split already baked in
Tobin: you're in charge of negotiating the split at the community level

Allen: (examples from Worcester)
spending $60M more on special education and health insurance than called for in the foundation budget, thus $60M less on other areas
72% of non-special education case: 660 fewer teachers
42% less on staff development
67% supplies and technology

recommendations in foundation budget report for Worcester would mean:
low income: $20M
ELL: $4.4M
inflation additional $10M

Tobin: some aspects have been kicked down the road to the Legislature
Where do we go from here?

Francomano: wraparound services, essential services that children need that we can't provide
sit down the legislators and bring your story
two main questions: how do we fund this? may hurt/help districts variously
"essential for you to compile the data" in your district

Verdolino: data advisory committee "sleeper in the report"
"could end up being my organization's (MASBO) biggest nightmare" but useful to state/districts

Tobin: each district should crunch the numbers of how the proposed changes would impact the budget of your individual district, and how much of it is local contribution versus state budget

impact on sped and health insurance: DESE ran the spreadsheet on every district
spreadsheet in report IS NOT EVERYTHING IN THE REPORT in terms of costs; those don't exist yet

Figure out your numbers and go talk to your legislators!

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