Worcester Public Schools budget before Council

They're taking the law department first, so not quite yet...will update as we get there...also, note Council just making a quorum of six here this afternoon...now up to seven...eight..nine
Zidelis notes that the increase of 4.2% or $11.4 million from FY12

Boone notes to create greater transparency over the past several years
final document of budget is at press, received by Council June 4
"puts us at Net School Spending and the foundation requirement"
increased enrollment
up to ten councilors...and the City Manager...
Boone notes that the local piece of the increase is $2.8 million (out of a total of $12 million)
runs through how NSS spending works; transportation, rental, and crossing guards don't count
enrollment increasing "pushing at" our operational capacity and our building capacity
rundown of list of grant funding lost, cut, or requiring that we move positions off of them; now in general fund
rundown of savings in utilities, health insurance, special education (at $1 m each)
also saving on unemployment by not laying people off (true!): Total of $5.6 m
91 classrooms between 26-29 students for next year (15 in kindergarten) list follows:

 City View: 9 classes of 26 or more
Quinsigamond: 9
Goddard: 8
Nelson Place: 8
Gates Lane: 6
Roosevelt: 6
Thorndyke Road: 5
Elm Park: 5
Lake View: 4
Worcester Arts Magnet: 4
Tatnuck Magnet: 4
Chandler Elementary: 4
Woodland Academy: 3
Flagg Street: 2
Grafton Street: 2
Union Hill: 2
Vernon Hill: 2
Belmont Street: 2
McGrath: 2
Lincoln Street: 1
Burncoat Prep: 1
Clark Street: 1
Columbus Park: 1

Boone: $27 m in ongoing needs to give us necessary programs; first $5 m:

• $700,000 for elementary class size (10 teachers)
• $330,000 for elementary school nurses (that would give a nurse at every school)
• $1,050,000 for (15) teachers for MassCore (new state graduation requirement)
• $490,000 for (7) for career/tech education
• $1,000,000 for special education teachers (15)
• $490,000 for English Language Learners (7)
• $940,000 to update technology, equipment, and supplies for above programs

...for a total of $5 million ABOVE FOUNDATION