Myths of the WPS budget: BUSTED!

As we head into March and the schools  hear a bit more about how the district budget will affect them, I suspect we'll begin also to hear some of the myths about the Worcester Public Schools budget that come back every year.

Let's take care of those now.

Myth #1: "Every year they say that there is a HUGE gap and every year it is magically taken care of by June."
To begin with, we don't always start off with a deficit: this time last year, we didn't have a structural deficit, and we were close to break even in 2012; the last time we had a structural deficit was in 2011.
More importantly, we are required to pass a balanced budget: our expenses must equal the money coming in. Any deficit does not magically vanish: it is made up by cuts. So, for example, back in 2011, the structural deficit was filled through cutting teaching positions, skilled trade positions, 2 finance office clerical staff positions, a school plant manager position, and merging two vocational admin positions.
It doesn't just happen. We as a Committee don't have the power to increase the funds coming in; we can only reallocate what we get, and administration has the harsh job of making recommendations that will make the budget balance.
This is why I'm concerned not to be hearing more from parents and community members about the FY15 budget. As presented to us in January, we have a deficit of $27 million. That isn't magically going to vanish. It's going to mean cuts unless the money coming in increases, which can only happen through advocacy with the state and city (more on that to come).

Myth #2: "Worcester spends too much on education already."
For FY14, 35 cents of each tax revenue dollar went to the Worcester Public Schools. This is not a substantial amount compared to other communities. Moreover, as my colleague Mr. Monfredo points out in Worcester Magazine today, Worcester remains far behind the rest of the state when it comes to covering the real costs of education by funding above foundation: we're in the bottom 2%.

Myth #3:  "Too much money goes to administration."
We've now heard this one so often that it got its own slide last year. The vast majority of the money spent on administration--for FY13, the budget is $11.3 million--is for school-based administrators. That's principals and assistant principals.
As far as I know, no one is actually complaining that we have too many of those, so I assume that the complaint is actually about central administration, which for FY13 is budgeted at $2.5 million. That's somewhere around eight-tenths of a percent of the entire budget. It's also, if you see the chart above, a number that puts us right in the middle on administrative spending, and that's when we include the cityside administration costs over which we have no control.

Myth #4: "It's a black hole: I don't know where the money goes."
The whole FY14 budget--every last nickel of it--is here online.If you want to know how much each specific school costs, it's in there. If you want to know how much we spend account by account, it's in there. If you want to know what comes in as grants and how that's spent, it's in there.
I have a sneaking suspicion that in some cases this is really a bit of "math is hard" at bottom. The numbers are big, no question. How some of it gets figured out can be, at your first time through, pretty overwhelming. But there are lots of us, myself very much included, who are happy to go through this with anyone who wants some help figuring it out. So please don't give up: give it a shot.


Next up: what you can do!

It's Net School Spending calculation time!

Notice went out late (working at 6pm at DESE!) yesterday that the Net School Spending calculations for FY13 (actual) and FY14 (budgeted) have now been posted. You can download the chart yourself here or I've put it in my Dropbox here. 

We're in January, so the fiscal year finally matches the fiscal year again--we're in FY14 now. FY13 is the year that ended in June of 2013, but reporting out what was actually spent takes a full wrap-up of both WPS and City books.
Worcester is (always) community 348 on the list (the regionals are listed after the single town districts). For FY13, our net school spending was 99.3% of required spending, or 99.7% of foundation. The first percentage includes the carryover from not meeting net school spending requirements in previous years (by $2,243,503); the second is just from last year, which we didn't meet, either.
DESE also has our projected numbers for this current fiscal year (FY14). They've got us at $2,054,754 under where we should be, which is 99.3% of net school spending. You'll see, though, that this is all carryover from previous years, as the current budget is 100.1% of foundation.

More to come on this, as we should run some charts comparing us to other communities, but I wanted to get Worcester's numbers up right away!
And if you need a hand with figuring out your community, let me know!

year end FY13

Foley comments that we finished the year with $.76 (that's on a budget of $285,570,702)
Ideal is to spend all of the money allocated for education, as anything left goes to free cash
"phenomenal achievement...all of the dollars we are receiving, we are allocating fully"
Allen: flexibility given by School Committee allows this to happen
motion to file, with our compliments

Meetings this week

A few meetings of interest this week:

• There is a meeting of the Finance and Operations subcommittee on Tuesday at noon. You can find the agenda here. In addition to the usual quarterly transfers and finishing up FY13, we've got a bit about completing forms online, security cameras, and OPEB.
• We have a special meeting of the full committee on Wednesday at 5:30 for training in the new evaluation system. The agenda is here, 'though that's all it says. Note that it (and the meeting above) are at the administration building in the 4th floor conference room.
• Later that evening, at the usual CPPAC meeting, Maureen Kavanaugh from the our data office is presenting on the MCAS results for the district. Maureen is excellent at what she does and is taking questions, so I'd really recommend coming to this if it is of any interest.That's at the downtown branch of the public library.

Prior fiscal year payment

Totalling $7202.90
for translation and interpretation

Last minute budget balancing in Haverhill

As a member of the body elected to provide general fiscal oversight of the school system, I think it's important to post something like this once in awhile to remind us all of what is not happening in Worcester.
For which we are all profoundly grateful.

Third quarter report

Day by day subs is projected as a deficit $73,249
coaches at a surplus of $19,631
summer school days now surplus of $210,000 (all of summer school days are now next fiscal year)
crossing guard added at Grafton and Hamilton street and one at Apricot and Goddard Memorial (deficit of $6,997)
need substitute nurses; increasing nurses next year
transportation increasing: adding out-of-district transportation (due to IEP)
deficit in workers' comp (as per always)
personal services up for translation and legal consultation
in-state travel (which is largely for teachers who are at multiple schools)
increase in price of gasoline
projected deficit in utilities as we have not seen the ESCo savings projected: "somewhat puzzling as to why those savings have not occurred"

Allen: workers' comp is annually underfunded, unemployment account underfunded, tuition account has been in deficit due to cost of third party services (bringing them back in will not necessarily mean that we don't need them any longer)
FY14 will fully use the unemployment just on tutors
School Committee should know that there may well be need for transfers again next year
request for transfers for end of fiscal year on tomorrow night's agenda

Foley: dally with workers' compensation and unemployment: already under-budgeting them

Novick: good to see responsiveness of administration to school need on crossing guards
concern with low amount of money left in facilities budget at this point in the year; investment of state in our buildings; need to do our part as well
Allen: districts underspending across the state; generally found to be spending not as much as needed in teachers, but not true in Worcester
underspending in facilities, support staff, administration
question as to where to find the money

Lots going on this week!

There is a LOT going on this week in and around the Worcester Public Schools!
First up, it is GRADUATION WEEK:

• Burncoat graduates TONIGHT
• North graduates Tuesday
• Doherty graduates Wednesday
• South graduates Friday
• Tech graduates a week from tonight

All of those are at 6 pm at the DCU Center (downtown motorists, be aware!).

Tomorrow, the Worcester City Council again takes up the Worcester Public Schools budget. As both the mayor and the superintendent have to be at North's graduation at 6, that will be happening right at 4 pm tomorrow. Please join us!

On Wednesday, there are two subcommittee meetings: at 3* pm, there is a Finance and Operations meeting. You can find the agenda here.We're getting the third quarter report, along with the updates on accounts. We've got the report from the Collaborative coming in, a report coming back on the Open Space and Recreation plan (with no backup...hmmm), a claiming review of the Medicaid reimbursements, and AUDITS! Here, here, and here. We also have to consider raising the school lunch price (not that we really have a choice, as it's a federal requirement) to $1.65 for next year

The second subcommittee, meeting at 5 pm, is Teaching, Learning, and Student Supports; you can find the agenda here. There's a review of middle and high school report cards, a request for a middle school ad-hoc committee, a summer program review, a report on admission to middle school honors, and a report on summer reading.
Also, the following courses are being considered for next year:
 

-     Three Dimensional Design

-          Advanced Three Dimensional Design

-          Photography

-          Digital Media Research

-          African American Studies

-          Financial Literacy

-          Forensics

-          Arts Appreciation & Critique

-          Class Guitar

-          Community Arts Internship

-          Dance for Fitness

-          Introduction of Music Theory

-          Introduction of Music History

-          Introduction to Theatre

-          Percussion Ensemble

-          Songwriting

All of that will be carried over into Thursday's meeting of the Worcester School Committee, for which you can find the agenda here.  PLEASE NOTE: the budget hearing begins at 4 pm. We do not yet have the order of accounts (we usually get that at about 2 pm on the day; I'll post it when I have it). We will go to the REGULAR agenda at 7 pm, after executive session at 6.
On that agenda: we are recognizing the Worcester Tech robotics team for their national victory, and Eftalia Economou who was a prize winner in the statewide "My Ideal School" contest with MSBA. We're also getting all of the above subcommittee reports. We have an alleged Open Meeting Law violation.** 
We've gotten back our proposals for changes in the policy handbook. We've got a few recognitions going out. A few of my colleagues are asking that Councilor O'Brien's white paper on city schools be considered. I'm making my annual "who is at Worcester charter schools?" request. We're being asked (as we are every year) to a) set the annual grant rate and b) give the superintendent authority to allocate funds internally to close the fiscal year. There's also a boatload of things going off for consideration in various directions, including an updated policy manual, and the exam school report (yes, really! Though not up online yet). 

I'll be liveblogging most of the above (well, not the graduations!), so plenty of posts to come. As always, please consider attending the public meetings, and get in touch with comments.

*Yes, that's much earlier than usual. Due to graduations in particular, it's been nearly impossible to get a meeting scheduled. Apologies for those who can't do an afternoon.
**The doors were locked at City Hall during our last meeting. If you follow City Council agendas, you may have seen that this is an ongoing problem; we're told that it's being dealt with.

Worcester School Committee meeting tonight!

The Worcester School Committee has its regular meeting tonight at 7 pm at City Hall. You can find the agenda here. The first agenda is just a hearing on school choice, which we are required to have every year to confirm that we want to allow students from other districts in the system (space available).

• We are starting our meeting by honoring Patricia Ryan and Kevin Chviruk, who received the Thomas S. Green Awards last month.
• We're being asked to open negotiations with Locals 125 and 135 (plumbers and tradesmen).
• We don't have a report of the superintendent, but we do have three subcommittees reporting out: Governance and Employee Issues; Teaching, Learning, and Student Support; and Accountability and Student Achievement.
• We are setting dates for budget deliberations: June 6 and 20 at 4 pm.
• We've got lots of people to appreciate and thank: donations, awards, and plenty of good news!
• We have four items tonight on inBloom: requesting our delegation look at a New York state bill on student privacy; a request that we abide by 201 CMR 17.00; a request that parents know who is getting their children's information and how to refuse to allow it; and a request that we report on who gets our information, why, and how it's protected.
• We're being asked to accept a grant from the state on setting up a career academy at North.
• We're being asked to accept a grant from the state on financial literacy for Worcester Tech. 
• We're being asked to accept a truck for our summer food programs (!).
• We have an item requesting that access to the DCR area be reviewed on behalf of our crew team.
• The administration is asking us for input on the 2013 student, teacher, and parent surveys. This is going to Accountability, so please plan to weigh in!
• There are three items on the proposed slots parlor: one requesting a report from the City Manager on impacts on schools and youth; one asking the superintendent for a parallel report; and one setting a public hearing on the proposed parlor as to its impacts on youth and schools.
• There's a number of items going to administration: summer reading kickoffs, the Worcester Police Summit (which is May 15 at 5), rail safety education, science kit use, alternative ed use.
• We have a prior year fiscal payment and overtime account transfers. 
• And some proposed new classes are going off to subcommittee.

It all starts at 7 pm at City Hall!

Second Quarter report

report here
Vacancies and attrition in IAs and Instructional support
overtime on bus monitors
custodians...contractual manpower overtime wipes out custodian vacancies
health insurance: senior rates lower than anticipated
workers comp: deficit of half a million "We underfund that consistently every year."
personal services: two new languages for translation and additional needs for specialized med services
"we'll be doing a third quarter report pretty soon"
projecting an $85,000 deficit at this time which Allen calls "manageable...no additional action needed at this time"

To consider an additional appropriation

Boone: not one time funds, will carry over into coming fiscal year
challenge of allocation and what we do with it
issues and needs
went back to $5 million request for additional appropriation; how close we had gotten to those goals
have included only a few personnel items
for filling a position, would be close to the end of the fiscal year
instructional materials, teacher training,
free up that money for next year
different make-up for next fiscal year as a result
able to use them in the four remaining months of this fiscal year
address past and current needs
adjustment to NSS line item
parking lot lease: issues around Gates Lane School ; large school on a small footprint
city has asked us to address the parking issue

Phrase of the day

"subject to School Committee allocation"
You might not get this from the press coverage, but the memo from Superintendent Boone to City Manager O'Brien is a set of recommendations to the School Committee. It doesn't happen until it's passed by School Committee; that's not just pro forma, either, as the Committee has been known to make changes.
Also, as I added in my notes last night: it is the City, not the Schools, that build schools. They run the show when it comes to things including the size of parking lots.

Operational transfers

$500,000 to WPS
Passes unanimously.

at Council

Here at City Council to see the finance items go through. This reminds me that I have not yet officially welcomed to blogging Worcester City Councilor Joe O'Brien. Thrilled to no longer be the only blogging elected official in Worcester!

Recommendations for additional City Council allocation

We've just this afternoon received this memo from Superintendent Boone to City Manager O'Brien, outlining her recommendations for the additional $500,000 he tomorrow night is recommending that the City Council allocate to the Worcester Public Schools.
Details after the jump; reserving judgment on this, because we just got it. I welcome your thoughts.

School funding court findings

Just before Christmas, the Washington Supreme Court found that the state legislature isn't working hard enough to fulfill their responsibilities on school funding:

In January, the Supreme Court ruled the state isn’t meeting its constitutional obligation to amply pay for basic education. In the past decade, education spending has gone from close to 50 percent to just above 40 percent of the state budget, despite the fact that some education spending is protected by the constitution.State lawmakers have in recent years been dealing with large budget deficits, and earlier this year they cut $300 million in state funding.The Supreme Court has given the Legislature until 2018 to fix the problem, but it wants to see yearly reports that “demonstrate steady progress.”

It will be interesting to see if the Legislature makes any progress for this coming fiscal year.

Likewise, today's New York Times pointed out, in an article laying out education recommendations going to Governor Cuomo, that New York is likewise not funding education as required:

Several observers said that the commission’s ideas came at a time when the state owed roughly $5 billion in aid to poor school districts, under a 2007 agreement that followed a lawsuit and a Court of Appeals ruling.

So...watching FY14...

Now we're at $1.3 million under Net School Spending

According to DESE, the adjusted charter school enrollment figures, based on Oct. 1 enrollment (rather than estimates), are significantly SMALLER this year than in the past.
We will, he said, therefore be $500,000 ADDITIONALLY under net school spending.
(Because the state funds the estimate, but then funds only the actual number of students in charter school seats.But the state taking that funding away does not change the bottom line of what needs to go to schools. The difference needs to be made up with municipal contribution.)
That brings the total to $1.3 million under net school spending.

Updated Net School Spending report

Sorry, late posting on this one.
The state has sent us an updated NSS report. An item on special education tuition was not in the previously posted sheet, changing the carryover from FY12 from $1,500,195 to $1,353,709, a difference of $146,487.
What does that mean?
The City entered FY13 $1.3 million under in Net School Spending (from the previous year).
We now are $799,207 under Net School Spending.
(Yes, this does include last Tuesday's transfer.)

I am sure this will be a topic of tomorrow's joint meeting: 11 am, 4th floor, Durkin Administration Building.

Regional schools update

• You might remember that Quabbin Regional is still without a budget for FY13. The state was to impose a budget by December 1, but Oakham has asked for a delay to speak with DESE about it.
• The 20-member Wachusett Regional School Committee is up for two additional members from Holden unless they rewrite their regional agreement. The Committee last night voted to look at rewriting the agreement, rather than expanding the board. Any chance in the agreement not only requires DESE approval; it also requires the approval of a super majority of all five member towns at town meeting. 

It appears that I will have to post this here

I wasn't going to post on today's T&G editorial, which largely repeats much of what was said in earlier editorials, as well as repeats some of last Tuesday's confusion. It also continues the "math is hard" attitude that the budget is far too complicated for mere humans.
This last is simply not true.
As is my habit, 'though, I read the comments, because it's not uncommon for legitimate questions from citizens to show up in response to such a column. Thus this evening, I responded to a series of questions regarding the WPS budget with a post much like the following:

It does not take 'significant expertise' to understand the Worcester Public Schools budget, which is a straightforward document (and intentionally so).
  You can find the WPS administration budget--which includes both central and school-based administration--on page 99 of the FY13 budget here:
 http://cfo.worcesterschools.org/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=943960&fid=17332251&sessionid=a62bf2ebbfda610d15bae218dcfba743&#page=109
For this fiscal year, the Worcester Public Schools have budgeted $11.4 million for administration, of which $2.5 million is for central administration; the remainder is school-based administration, which includes principals and assistant principals.
If you are interested in the positions within central administration, you can find that in the Durkin building budget on page 288 of the FY13 here:
 http://cfo.worcesterschools.org/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=943960&fid=17332251&sessionid=a62bf2ebbfda610d15bae218dcfba743&#page=298
This includes every position that works in the Durkin Administration Building, including all secretaries and support staff. Salaries are specified by position. 
Over the past several years, we have had a smaller number of central administrators than previously.  

The comment was posted at about 6:20 this evening.
It appears, however, that this comment displeased someone, for it was 'removed' at 6:26.

I will only add that for those who have confusion regarding the WPS budget, there are many of us who would be more than happy to answer your questions.
When we are given the chance.