It's Worcester Public Schools budget day!

And it is posted online on this page; the full budget is posted here.

Isn't it pretty? 

The Worcester School Committee received the following email from Superintendent Binienda:

The FY21 Budget will be posted on the district’s website at 4:30pm today at the following link: https://worcesterschools.org/about/budget/
Due to COVID-19 workplace restrictions, the budget book will not be available from the printer until middle of next week. Once they arrive, they will be delivered to your house (and left in a safe location outside by the delivery driver).

In collaboration with the City Manager, the budget reflects the budget amounts included in the Governor’s Budget from January. The economic impact resulting from state and national mandated closures makes the 2020-21 budget highly uncertain for federal, state, and local revenues. We expect the final budget to be much different than this recommended budget when revenue estimates become better known. Some indications are that a final state budget will not be available any sooner than July or August. We continue to monitor state budget forecasts and potential federal CARES Act funds for both education and state and local governments to mitigate significant expected revenue losses.
(emphasis added)
Based on this preliminary budget:
The total general fund budget by the City Manager is $388,455,204 which represents an increase of $18.9 million, or 5.1% increase from the FY20 School Committee’s adopted budget of $369,535,330. The budget increase represents a $19.8 million increase in Chapter 70 state aid and charter school reimbursement, $1.1 million increase in city contribution, offset by a $2.0 million increase in charter school tuition, school choice and state special education assessments. Most federal grants assume level funding until actual grant awards are known, although reductions in the Federal Title 1 Grant are expected due to a decline in poverty census numbers. Also, most state grants are level-funded, except the elimination of the Extended Learning Time Grant, and phase out of both the Innovation Pathways and Inclusive Pre-School Learning Grants. The budget reflects the reduction in the Displaced Student Assistance funds from the State (non-recurring assistance funds).

This budget accomplishes the following:

• Provides 13 teachers (two added during FY20) and 12 educational service positions to support students with disabilities (SWD) in the following areas:
• 3 Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) and 1 Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant (SLP-A)
• 2 elementary special education teachers (both added during FY20)
• 2 elementary autism program teachers
• 1 pre-school teacher
• 1 K-1 program teacher
• 1 Learning Disabilities / Language-Based Program teacher
• 2 elementary support positions at the Academic Center for Transition
• 1 Behavior Specialist
• 11 instructional assistants to support various programs in the district

Provides an additional 6 teachers (two added during FY20) at the middle and high school levels to address enrollment increases and course offering needs.
Included in this increase are the following:

• 1 Foreign Language teachers for Burncoat High School to support the dual language program offerings
• 1 Foreign Language teacher at Sullivan Middle School to support course section needs
• 1 Mathematics teacher at Doherty High School for course enrollment needs
• 1 History teacher at South High School for course enrollment needs
• 1 Health and Safety teacher (added during FY20)
• 1 Safety Center teacher (added during FY20)

Provides 7 additional teachers (1 added during FY20) to support English learners at mandated service levels based on student language proficiency. (Between FY18 through FY20 the district has provided 41 additional ESL positions to address mandated student instructional services). In addition, this budget provides two English Learner Instructional Assistants (one for Chandler Magnet School and one added in FY20 for Woodland Academy) to support the district’s dual language program.

• Provides 3 school psychologists (one added during FY20) to support social-emotional learning of students throughout the district. 2 Guidance Counselor (added during FY20), and 1 School Adjustment Counselor (added during FY20).
• Provides one wrap-around coordinator position to support South High Community School.
• Provides funding ($291,000 additional funding) for a third-party student information system (including online grading and parent portal) to be purchased in 2020-21 and implemented in 2021-22 school year.
• Increases the Day-by-Day Substitute Rate by $5 per day (from $75 to $80 per day) totaling a $63,000 cost increase, continuing the Administration’s commitment to phase-in the daily rate increase up to $85 per day by the 2021-22 school year.

The Worcester Public Schools Budget Hearing with the Worcester City Council on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 5pm. We plan to participate in the hearing virtually via the Webex remote access.

The Worcester School Committee will take this up, first with a public hearing, on June 4 and 18.
More, you won't be surprised to read, once I have a chance to review it.