Worcester School Committee hears the first presentation on H2, the Governor's budget, for FY21

Allen: Worcester a leader in the foundation budget gaps identification
90 teachers a year needed through FY27 in order to close the 720 teacher gap (non-special education)
that would be $6.8M a year
in FY20, we hired 84 so close...

• benefits and fixed charges
• guidance and psychological services
• special education
• English learners
• low income students

expect $14M each year for each of next seven years
$15.7M increase in FY21
$10M of inflation had been built into the online assumptions (totalling $75.9M over the seven years)
really only $98M, then would be SOA (if what you've seen online was $173M)

enrollment decline (of almost 400 students)
modest inflation growth (2%)
overall foundation budget growth of $19.2M
$7.7M increase in inflation
enrollment change: LOSS of $4.2M
thus the base foundation change is $3.4M
it's the SOA funding bringing in $15.7M

enrollment is back down to 2017 levels (the 400 students went in and out last year)
thus it's hard to predict from one year to the next what enrollment is

low income count responsible for $10M
low income rate change $2.4M
benefits $2.1M
EL $581,301
Guidance $304,679
sped $246,940

no longer having carry forward state funding hurricane assistance $1.6M
no ELT $1M the Governor cut this in his budget
innovative pathways grant $275K
HEARS grant $100K
down by $2.9M in total, then
federal grants are not yet known and could also be reductions
thus $16M available

level service budget 3.8% or $14.1M increase
plus new positions added $1.3M

remaining available fund for budget priorities $1.9M
But the Commissioner thinks we can spend $8.9M on new priorities

low income count could DROP again next year, if DESE plans on collecting forms (on top of eligiblity)
could lose $33M next year

school allocation meetings going on right now
House budget April 15
Senate budget?
WPS budget expected May 15
SC does budget June 4 and 18

Allen to Q from Mayor: can get within $2.5M of what Department requires
Q: what would have been the budget cut if we hadn't had SOA?
$10-11M
"a fairly significant reduction in the budget" There would have been layoffs "significant layoffs"

Foley: it's rather sobering to see the dollars that are there
seven year phase in
hopefully over next six years will see some significant dollars
plans should be over those years
preschool down? are we doing anything on that?
Allen: preschool kids age in: fluctuations in enrollment thus
159 in Head Start: state's minimum wage is disqualifying families from Head Start
Petty: we should have a conversation with Congressman McGovern
need to keep advocating low income rate phase in
state is using 2.4% for inflation; ours is 3.8%
"that really makes no sense from an operational point of view"
why dollars cut?

McCullough: was our loss of students due to Puerto Rico responsible
Allen had already identified a slight decrease in enrollment
are our cost needs covered in Commissioner's list?
Binienda says yes, now facilities is in there

Biancheria: concern around collecting forms; staff time for low income count
Binienda: no reason for students to bring form back
Biancheria: importance of adding facilities to the list

Monfredo: discussions are about the next six years not this year
importance of small class sizes
so many needs that we do have, it is going to be difficult to pick and choose
do we have room for adding preschool classes? motion to ask 

Clancey: could the increase in the minimum wage depress our count?
Allen: it could
Clancey: if a student is low income and special education, can funds be used for the other?

Petty: important to look long range over multiple years