- There's an addition of 22 "elementary enrichment teachers," which is...good, I guess? I heard an offhand comment that they were "per the contractual agreement," so it appears that they were part of the settled teachers' contract. But where are they going (not everywhere; there are 33 elementary schools) and what are they doing? And is the best use of 22 elementary teachers? Quite sincerely: we don't know.
- There's the switch from the Microsoft universe to the Google universe which, again, okay (I mean, Blogger is a Google platform; I get it!)...but is there going to be any sort of discussion about this major change of resources?
I suspect the real emotion is going be around the elimination of ALL elementary tutors, and I hope someone's got some potent arguments on that, as they've largely been credited with the kind of attention students in elementary school get to their particular math and ELA needs.
Likewise, I'd imagine the elimination of all summer 2019 programs is "fingers crossed some money comes through so they can be restored," but I can't imagine it will be popular.
Again, none of this is to say it's bad; let's hope for some good explanations.
Oh, and beyond the low income change and the ongoing foundation budget issue, here's a thing to keep your eye on:
The hope, of course, is that next year there is supplemental as well, and then the kids get pick up with the foundation budget. That's why the funding is there. But there's a reason that there's a big red exclamation point next to this one.
Posting as we go...here we go...
Binienda: hope that there's an increase so there are fewer children in our classrooms
best so far
Allen: what has changed since last presentation, the Governor's budget, where we currently are with city funding, and some of our funding decisions so far this year
foundation budget increased $1.3M
House increased the amount for employee benefits (an FBRC recommendation)
House version also "corrected a statewide error...the state actually missed 3000 students statewide, 64 students were ours"
Of increase nearly a million is state aid, the remaining $300K is from the city
"we use the House version of the state budget for recommendations to the School Committee"
Senate budget comes out next week
will make adjustments as needed
increased $7M in foundation aid, of which $4.7M is Ch. 70
$12.5M funding in House for economically disadvantaged change: "we are not using any amount of this in our projections...we don't know if it will be in the Senate version...we don't know how much of it will come to us"
"something to look for but not something we're counting on"
enrollment numbers...
"still seeing some class size challenges over a number of schools"
inflation rate of 2.64% this year, "a $9M increase in our budget"
"a number of recent years, it's been relatively low"
employee benefits is a 14% implementation of the health insurance change
economically disadvantage is a loss of $2.5M expected
state numbers are coming closer, as more students are captured
it would have been a $136.5M increase statewide this year if same dollar amounts as last year
$300 per pupil decrease; total dollars spent is about the same as last year
Worcester has the largest dollar decrease due to this
increase is inflation factor, employee benefit change...$7.2M...a 2% increase over the prior year
in FY19 budget being underfunded by $4.1M or 55 fewer teachers (just for this year)
required contribution plus the free cash the City Manager forwarded last year
"fairly low general fund budget increase"
about 1.1% above NSS "as you can see, the highest it has been in a long time" (since FY09)
received first payment of transitional aid for displaced students and $2M is included in FY19 budget
BUT IT IS ONE TIME MONEY
loss of summer is a temporary reduction because of the grant shift; "we could pick it up out of city money" and make it up in the FY20 budget
note the increase in teaching positions up to 2250 positions; 164 positions since FY09
but new positions:
with the ongoing and upcoming capital projects, city spending on school capital works out to $800/pupil
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
and the public hearing is May 23rd
Foley: it's a bit like Groundhog Day; "we hear the same information every year"
"remarkable that the state will set a rate for disadvantaged students, and then, when they see a jump in the number of students, will adjust the rate...it's so hypocritical"
asks how much the $12.5M would come here
Allen: we don't know..."is that FY19 impact or does that go back to FY18 impact?...there's no level of detail"
that's why the district isn't using the money in the projection
"I bemoan the loss of the elementary school tutors the most"
"the real conversation here is about the foundation budget"
"I hope we keep the pressure on at the state level...I hope we align with Brockton and other communities"
May 23 at 7 o'clock at DAB is the public hearing
Monfredo: "hopefully tonight what we say will transpire and legislators will listen to what we have to say, because it's so important"
"no one ever considers prevention in education"
tutors for our most needy students; need for summer learning
"and another thing is charter school reimbursement...can we get to full reimbursement...next year we'll be $1.1M underfunded...and that's 19 teachers"
O'Connell: " are we in fact meeting that [level of an adequate education]...we are not"
"the state indicated this year that the funding was better"
"this year the state has met, and projects to meet, its benchmarks"
"we don't have sufficient funds to meet our levels, all told"
asks about circuit breaker supplemental
Allen: anticipating half a million from FY18 supplemental "baked into" next year
federal grants?
Allen: change in economically disadvantaged, "could impact us in Title I"
longer exchange here about using vans for athletic teams
O'Connell: count of reduced lunch, "working poor" who would be reduced lunch but not counted in economically disadvantaged
Allen: conversation with state in direction of a long term decline due to such shifts
advocating for change in decile rates; either to weight them higher or to skew higher for greater disadvantaged rates
Biancheria "would you say the spending is different or are they all equal" across elementary
Allen: with exception of additional need, "they're roughly equal"
Bianchera: "they should be ashamed of themselves to come up with that" on change to rate to economically disadvantaged
federal grants "with their presentations on how they're improving education across the country, we're looking at eleven cents?!?"
asks about nurses
Binienda: not a nurse at every site full time
Biancheria: ultimately will be at the goal of every school goal having a nurse
Binienda: "we'll be close to our school site having a nurse"
Petty: is it the position there or is the people?
Binienda: these are not covering sick leave; these are real positions
moving forward on capital projects
"there are some really terrific things to talk about that we are doing"
Biancheria asks about Ch. 74...Binienda same programs...Allen adds that Worcester Tech is adding students ('though not programs)
McCullough: certain programs have been saved from the chopping block from the city manager and city council sending funding our way
need to fight for state and federal funding
reduce class sizes, bring back those support positions
"think you really have to put funds into early childhood"
Petty: maybe we can work something out with the city manager...look a few months down the road
relatedly: joint meeting with City Council Education committee on May 30, which will include, says Foley, the long-expected facilities plan
Binienda: hope that there's an increase so there are fewer children in our classrooms
best so far
Allen: what has changed since last presentation, the Governor's budget, where we currently are with city funding, and some of our funding decisions so far this year
foundation budget increased $1.3M
House increased the amount for employee benefits (an FBRC recommendation)
House version also "corrected a statewide error...the state actually missed 3000 students statewide, 64 students were ours"
Of increase nearly a million is state aid, the remaining $300K is from the city
"we use the House version of the state budget for recommendations to the School Committee"
Senate budget comes out next week
will make adjustments as needed
increased $7M in foundation aid, of which $4.7M is Ch. 70
$12.5M funding in House for economically disadvantaged change: "we are not using any amount of this in our projections...we don't know if it will be in the Senate version...we don't know how much of it will come to us"
"something to look for but not something we're counting on"
enrollment numbers...
"still seeing some class size challenges over a number of schools"
inflation rate of 2.64% this year, "a $9M increase in our budget"
"a number of recent years, it's been relatively low"
employee benefits is a 14% implementation of the health insurance change
economically disadvantage is a loss of $2.5M expected
state numbers are coming closer, as more students are captured
it would have been a $136.5M increase statewide this year if same dollar amounts as last year
$300 per pupil decrease; total dollars spent is about the same as last year
Worcester has the largest dollar decrease due to this
increase is inflation factor, employee benefit change...$7.2M...a 2% increase over the prior year
in FY19 budget being underfunded by $4.1M or 55 fewer teachers (just for this year)
required contribution plus the free cash the City Manager forwarded last year
"fairly low general fund budget increase"
about 1.1% above NSS "as you can see, the highest it has been in a long time" (since FY09)
received first payment of transitional aid for displaced students and $2M is included in FY19 budget
BUT IT IS ONE TIME MONEY
loss of summer is a temporary reduction because of the grant shift; "we could pick it up out of city money" and make it up in the FY20 budget
note the increase in teaching positions up to 2250 positions; 164 positions since FY09
but new positions:
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
and the public hearing is May 23rd
Foley: it's a bit like Groundhog Day; "we hear the same information every year"
"remarkable that the state will set a rate for disadvantaged students, and then, when they see a jump in the number of students, will adjust the rate...it's so hypocritical"
asks how much the $12.5M would come here
Allen: we don't know..."is that FY19 impact or does that go back to FY18 impact?...there's no level of detail"
that's why the district isn't using the money in the projection
"I bemoan the loss of the elementary school tutors the most"
"the real conversation here is about the foundation budget"
"I hope we keep the pressure on at the state level...I hope we align with Brockton and other communities"
May 23 at 7 o'clock at DAB is the public hearing
Monfredo: "hopefully tonight what we say will transpire and legislators will listen to what we have to say, because it's so important"
"no one ever considers prevention in education"
tutors for our most needy students; need for summer learning
"and another thing is charter school reimbursement...can we get to full reimbursement...next year we'll be $1.1M underfunded...and that's 19 teachers"
O'Connell: " are we in fact meeting that [level of an adequate education]...we are not"
"the state indicated this year that the funding was better"
"this year the state has met, and projects to meet, its benchmarks"
"we don't have sufficient funds to meet our levels, all told"
asks about circuit breaker supplemental
Allen: anticipating half a million from FY18 supplemental "baked into" next year
federal grants?
Allen: change in economically disadvantaged, "could impact us in Title I"
longer exchange here about using vans for athletic teams
O'Connell: count of reduced lunch, "working poor" who would be reduced lunch but not counted in economically disadvantaged
Allen: conversation with state in direction of a long term decline due to such shifts
advocating for change in decile rates; either to weight them higher or to skew higher for greater disadvantaged rates
Biancheria "would you say the spending is different or are they all equal" across elementary
Allen: with exception of additional need, "they're roughly equal"
Bianchera: "they should be ashamed of themselves to come up with that" on change to rate to economically disadvantaged
federal grants "with their presentations on how they're improving education across the country, we're looking at eleven cents?!?"
asks about nurses
Binienda: not a nurse at every site full time
Biancheria: ultimately will be at the goal of every school goal having a nurse
Binienda: "we'll be close to our school site having a nurse"
Petty: is it the position there or is the people?
Binienda: these are not covering sick leave; these are real positions
moving forward on capital projects
"there are some really terrific things to talk about that we are doing"
Biancheria asks about Ch. 74...Binienda same programs...Allen adds that Worcester Tech is adding students ('though not programs)
McCullough: certain programs have been saved from the chopping block from the city manager and city council sending funding our way
need to fight for state and federal funding
reduce class sizes, bring back those support positions
"think you really have to put funds into early childhood"
Petty: maybe we can work something out with the city manager...look a few months down the road
relatedly: joint meeting with City Council Education committee on May 30, which will include, says Foley, the long-expected facilities plan
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