Worcester School Committee: Budget update and fall planning meeting

The agenda is posted here.
Allen: To the best that we know at this time
ASBO /AASA costs that would be needed for cleaning, supplies, nursing, custodial
average district of $1.7M; 10-14% of our size
estimate for us would be $12.7M

DESE sent out survey of cost of 12 week supply for masks, gloves etc students, teachers, nurses
would be $2.9M, thus full year is $8.6M
this is just for PPE, no staff (and no cleaning)

assume "level service plus budget" to bring back students
"still needs to be defined"
level service is doing this year next year, plus inflationary increases "in my world"
know there will be ESSER funds; based on Title I of about $9.5M
PPE, Chromebooks, technology, internet, 4 IT coaches, set aside for non-public schools and city indirect charges
$225/pupil foundation budget $5.6M for next year
up to $15M in competitive federal funds; $25M for technology grants; 100% state match
FY21:
Baker: school aid answers coming in 30 days

expecting FY21 to match FY20; this is a state/municipal side "cash flow issues"
two major elements in considering local aid from state: amount of income tax filing (July 15) and 4th federal stimulus package
"bracing for full range of possibilities"
talked about everything from an increase in SOA to no SOA
DoR DLS, paying municipalities 1/12 of Chapter 70

need both FY21 Cherry Sheet estimates AND basis of FY21
"what this is saying is it's not" the assumption of FY21 payments
"that's a cash flow issue for municipalities"
"don't think it is in any way indicative" of the direction of remainder of year
some scenarios across the state: 10% cut in Chapter 70 is $45.5M cut from budget passed

"don't think that's likely...would place a disproportionate" cut for Gateways
level funded would be $17.9M cut
no SOA (inflation and enrollment) $15.7M cut
"just for illustrative purposes"
$1M is equivalent of 13 teachers or 25 instructional assistants
Ch.70 increase of $303.5M increase or 5.9%

there is $321M of hold harmless and minimum aid in the FY21 House 2
the 27 years of CH. 70, WPS has been hold harmless only once in 2015
level fund would be $5.9M cut across the board
eliminating hold harmless and minimum aid "there's clearly a Boston problem here" as Boston is lined up $42M

"as a Gateway City, we should advocate to fully fund" the foundation budget
a reduction in Ch. 70 would place Worcester below the foundation budget; an elimination of hold harmless and minimum aid would NOT put those communities below the foundation budget"

advocate for full foundation budget spending
watch state revenue collection
watch federal on stimulus
then balance remote learning with added budget needs
"needs that are not going away that we'll need to meet with our resources"
responding to Q from Mayor: do not have enough information to issue layoffs to staff
"if that's a collective bargaining issue, perhaps we should refer" to counsel
if 4th CARES stimulus comes through would resolve state budget for next year
if it does not, we have to brace for those cuts
multiple ways to cut Chapter 70
Petty: motion to refer to counsel; don't see sending out
Foley: about a break even point right now on additional aid
Allen: open school as anticipated when we built the budget
HOWEVER, things have changed
leverage a chunk of the federal sources that are there
need full funding of the foundation budget and the federal money
Foley: I think it underestimates some of the costs pretty significantly
partitions, custodial, HVAC
"I can see this really really expanding dramatically"
Biancheria: access to supplies
Allen: going out to bid for PPE, using state contracts for 12 week supply
Biancheria: purchase their items
Allen: do have supply for our districts at this time
Biancheria: considering gym, cafeteria and so on
Binienda: we are going to do that, but first have to look at classroom space we have right now
then branch out to auditorium and gym
challenge not using cafeteria; covering teachers' lunch breaks
Biancheria: are we looking at other transportation options?
Binienda: not looking at transporation analysis yet
we will be looking at all options
Petty: don't yet have guidance from the state
buying PPE: 12 week plan
Allen: number of units per day per week; that's a starting point
"we're just using the DESE guidance at this point"


reopening:
Binienda
opening activities list
Pezella and Bedard are leaders
students desks, teachers desks "that is a very important part for us"
custodial cleaning
evaluate building infrastructure as we go
assigned carpenters to put plexiglass up at offices and PIC throughout system
cleaning supplies we're going to need
thankful to Verizon: 110,000 masks donated this year; cotton masks
cleaning schedules
will need to change hours
survey going out to all parents; being translated now
DoJ required to have everything in 8 languages; really important to answer this survey
does ask if they want to send children back
going to attempt to get translated into every language spoken
8 languages for videos; every single parent for every single child
School nutrition: still have to figure out how we're going to do feeding
programs outside coming into our schools
HR doing back to school training with personnel
covid19@worcesterschools.net
starting working committee; now decided on chairs of each committee
we'd like School Committee members to join these committees and parents
prepared for the three models
one form in all three models explained on these forms
Learning accelerator; One8 foundation funding planning for best practice for school reopening

"could be a little messy process" for a safe and effective reopening

one elementary, one middle, and one high school to work things out

seven other districts at the same time

so this is like a pilot?

Barr Foundation grant on learning accelerator

Petty: DESE came out with their three alternatives in reopening schools

think we should focus on one, think we should focus on hybrid model

focus one plan as much as we can; a lot of focus on online learning 

recommendation on continuing the path of the hybrid

"from a health recommendation, it's six feet"

"one bus trip turns into two or three bus trips"

$14M becomes $45M

"that's my thoughts" 

McCullough being put on districts for us to figure out with unattainable guidelines

agree with what the mayor is saying

"all of sudden it's okay to put kids three feet apart; that doesn't seem okay"

"I think having a blueprint for each one...the sketch"

I know that the Commissioner mentioned that we have to be respectful of keeping students home

plexiglass: permanent?

Binienda: even moveable ones for testing of students

probably going to be different based on the space

McCullough: working with community agencies, multiple languages

looking for potential parent training for technology?
Binienda: question on survey of if that is needed and also if there is an adult at home

reached out to Latino community to talk to people in churches

Petty: community interfaith group, help parents to understand

McCullough: add student representatives to get some feedback

 and I asked some questions

Monfredo: preK needs instruction in person

Foley: shouldn't waste any time on going all back "one or two sentences"

agree on hybrid being the way to go

"put a lot of effort into making our remote learning go better"

also support the hybrid for parents who won't support their children going back to school

as much as we can help our teacher

"it was convenient to find a three feet and oh that's the way to go"

it minimized the impact of the virus on children, didn't talk about the impact on teachers and staff

have we heard about staff about anxiety about coming back?

Binienda: on list to do

questions even came up with hybrid model; what if teachers live out of town and children are remote

Foley: this is a daunting task in the time available

Clancey: as we're making decisions, really need to start reaching out to EAW to be sure they are on board

special education population

"keep families involved every step of the year"

"three weeks to plan for daycare is not a lot of time"

"as soon as we know the plan, we have to get it out to them so they can plan for the fall"

Biancheria: neighborhood centers as outreach

need to move forward with talking to teachers

make sure each student has a Chromebook; and not everyone is computer savvy

daycare needs

and look at hours of teaching; youth at risk

Q on time online; three hours is a very long time

Q are we able to record

children can't be recorded, but teachers can record themselves

I think we're going to be extremely creative; virus mutates itself

Petty: hybrid is best, we can pivot if we have to

add something on reopening on the website

"I don't want us measuring three feet apart when we aren't doing three feet apart"

MOTION: focus on the hybrid model, "I wouldn't put too much time in that...why it's not something we should be focusing on"

MOTION: update on Chromebooks

MOTION: teachers, students, 

MOTION: neighborhood centers 

All motions pass unanimously