Questions from City Council: elementary education and school closings

Councilor Palmeri appreciates the superintendent meeting with him and answering his questions.

"All of the councilors are more than passionate about the Worcester Public School system...as passionate as Councilor Rosen..we also have to find a way to get there...have a vision and a plan that will follow those monies...a real foundation to secure those funds...$5 million (lost) from the federal government..still no reform (on chapter 70) All of us would like to see the Worcester Public School system in a place it hasn't been in quite some time."

Urging everyone to meet with the legislators. He continues to think that the problems seem to lie with the state: "separate those that will from those that will not"

Ah! A question!

Elementary education. Palmeri thinks the teachers' pay should be doubled (you heard it here first!). Any sort of pilot program for K-8 configuration?
From Superintendent Caradonio:
ALL school has K-8 and pre-K -12.
7-12 at Burncoat
Sullivan and South share a campus.
"Some of the schools we closed in the past" are mentioned.
K-3 and 4-6 was "a very hard sell" in Rhode Island (East Greenwich) where he worked at one point. Palmeri takes issue with that; he seems to believe that times have changed.

Ouch. Pameri address the crowd: "you need to have accurate data...not just one person's feelings" He's lost three of his five schools in his district.
"$1.3 million for 38 students at Harlow Street School"
He wants a gifted program or school in Worcester.

and the lottery ticket

Smith is up for his lottery ticket idea.

"This has gotten the conversation started..what I had hoped"
"think outside the box"
"may even benefit the entire lottery system...overall boost for the entire system"

Additional order: work with state delegation reflect lottery funds generated here come back here.

"Every city and town would get back the revenues generated by its own city and town..would bring in significant additional revenues that then could go back to the Worcester Public Schools."

He also wants a report comparing how much money Worcester has sent into the lottery system to how much money we've gotten back from the lottery system. "We shouldn't be subsidizing others..."

"Glad it's gotten attention..."

"Work to change funding formula..."

Much discussion on the stage left councilors while he's speaking; should it go to legislative affairs or should it go right to the Manager? This leads to the mayor in essence rebuking them for not paying attention when they ask for a repeat of the other orders.

Palmeri: "Not realistic...can't vote for it"

The orders are referred to Legislative Affairs committee on a vote unanimous except for Palmeri.

(here's Worcesteria's take on this one)

Item 7.30 A (part 2)

Councilor Rosen catches the mood of the listeners: "we recognize that our students are very needy...such great needs...we provide the best education we can...the most affordable education we can...it's too easy to look at numbers and money all of the time...it is a human being, a child...we can't undo damage in the future." This may be the first time I've heard someone on the council floor concede that we can't wait this out: that there are kids going into classrooms every day, regardless of the funding levels. Councilor Rosen also asks, "Are we out of the woods yet?"

Councilor Palmeri takes that metaphor and runs with it: "We are out of the jungle, but we are still in the woods...working together we may be able to get out of the woods...tonight gives us a chance to exhale...be prudent in out decision making." As Councilors Palmeri and Clancy were those who were most incensed at the School Committee's request for an additional 1.8% in the fiscal year 2009 budget, the change in tone this evening is remarkable. However, Palmeri continues his colleague's attempt to pit areas of the city against each other: "Public students are leaving the East side...a very serious issue...we need a budget that is fair to everyone." A budget that cuts teachers for the sixth year in a row is not fair to any student in the city.

Councilor Toomey urges us to focus "our efforts on reforming the Chapter 70 (funding) formula" at the state level. She also reminds her colleagues that "education is the primary focus of our future...all great societies in history put education as a top priority."

And that was it on the funding, except for a parent who got up at the end of the meeting to remind the councilors that even if the budget is balanced, we are still nearly $60 million dollars in the hole from the past six years of cuts.