Some things to read this last week of May

I tend to share most of my "here read this" stuff on Twitter* but for those who might find another location more congenial:

• While I am very much not in the habit of recommending retirement system pieces this Wall Street Journal (gift link!) on the Plymouth County Retirement System, which is outperforming systems many times their size, was interesting, and it's a public pension system, so, related.
  
  
• A federal judge struck down New Hampshire's version of a "divisive concepts" law. " The judge went so far as to call some elements of law 'fatally flawed.'"
  
  
• Google itself has found that most image-based misinformation online is now AI-based, and the way they conducted the research suggests the problem is even worse than they have found.
  
  
• Significant piece in Houston Landing that Texas districts were suspending homeless students, contrary to state law, and no one was doing anything about it.
  
  
• Over the weekend, the New York Times ran a searchable map on gun violence, which you may find useful (gift link).

___________________________________________________

*it's Twitter. It will always be Twitter. Surrender already, dude.

What happened at the first June Worcester School Committee meeting: budget

 in two rounds...

Have I mentioned that it is budget season for Worcester? Happy budget season!

Our June sessions start at 4 with budget, run until about 6, when we break for executive session, then come back at 7 for the regular session, more or less. Here's the budget session.

As I noted earlier this week, the two documents you need to follow budget deliberations are the budget itself and proposed sequence of accounts, This has us do start with the non-salary accounts--very much the smaller part of our budget--before going through the salary accounts. You can find the video of the budget session here. 

And remember: the budget isn't done until the final bottom lines are voted. We may review an account and come back to it, if we still have questions or something new has come up.

Because we do budget over two sessions, two weeks apart, we do have the chance to ask questions that may require reports, as they can come back in the second session. As we started Thursday, I requested the following (taken straight from my notes):

• My understanding is that there are changes in recommendations from administration since the book was printed; could we have those in writing, please. 
• If we could please have the relative levels of vacancy in:

• Teaching positions
• Paraprofessional positions
• Wraparound coordinator positions
• School psychologist positions
• School adjustment counselor positions
• Custodial positions
• Maintenance service positions
  
  
• We have not yet received the report requested to be received prior to budget on the realignment of the social emotional learning department; could we please have that information.
• We’d requested updated school-by-school budgets, as those in the book do not have all expected-as-of-now assignments; if we could please have that ahead of taking the salary accounts, please.
• I’d like a report, please, on what both the intent and the perceived need is for the additional position in communications, as that is not otherwise outlined. 
• We have as yet not received any information regarding the efficacy of the climate and culture positions, including the deans. If we could please have that, as there is a proposed expansion.

Mayor Petty decided to take athletics out of order--Athletic Director Dave Shea wanted to make the Doherty boys' volleyball post-season game against Chelsea (they won)--and thus we took both the non-salary and the salary accounts for athletics first. Member McCullough asked if the operational budget is adequate for supplying what the athletic teams actually need, noting that it comes up often in the community, where we also see a decent amount of fundraising. Mr. Shea affirmed that it was. Member Mailman asked where we could find the streaming services the School Committee voted to add this year; it's coming from the cable access funding, which Mr. Allen noted is a special revenue fund, which we (the Committee) don't allocate by cost center. I asked how MIAA dues is calculated (it's the number of teams) and track rental ($3400). Member Johnson followed up on Member McCullough's item (sent to budget so we'll hear about it at the next meeting) asking about athletic trainers, which were not included in this year's proposed budget.
On athletic salaries, Member Clancey asked what sports were being added in middle schools; Mr. Shea said the schools were polled, and the middle schools all decided on flag football for both boys and girls. Volleyball, soccer, and basketball are already played in the middle school; Forest Grove does softball, baseball, and field hockey, as well, as club sports. On that last, I tried to poke a bit at this inequity, the result of parents being able to volunteer at Forest Grove (you can see this about 24 minutes in), which is a capacity lacked by most of our middle schools, and I'm not sure that I'm all that satisfied with the answers. I also asked how middle schoolers are included in high school sports teams (grades 7 and 8 at 7-12 schools can play on the teams; grade 8 can play on an associated 9-12 lowest level team IF there aren't cuts made to get them AND we get a waiver from MIAA ahead; the district applies for the waivers as a matter of course). 

On retirement, Member Mailman asked a bit about how it is put together and how those increases come about; you can find some of this on page 157 of the budget. Mr. Allen noted this account has been going up consistently at a rate higher than inflation. The state requires that the city fully fund by 2038; the city is projecting that it will be done by 2032. 

On transportation, Mayor Petty opened by commenting that it has been "very successful...you proved to be correct, Mr. Allen." This account is the non-salary side, which means many of these costs are going away, leading to my question of what is going to be left here once we've moved off stop gaps. Mr. Allen said we'll be continuing to have some out-of-district contract service, even as much of that moves in house; McKinney-Vento transportation is being moved in house, and out-of-district vocational, we are doing ourselves. The "stuff" of the final line in this account is dropping as the bus leases go away. Maintenance, fuel, and technology on the buses will continue to be here. Dr. Monárrez reminded Mayor Petty of the MASBO award just received as well: 

The @worcesterpublic was recognized tonight by @MASBONet with the Donald Johnson Operational & Cost Efficiency Award for the successful move to full district-operated student transportation this year! Award comes with a $2,500 student scholarship. pic.twitter.com/TRnV7BrVx4

— Brian E. Allen (@Brian_E_Allen) May 18, 2023

On health insurance, Mayor Petty commented that it wasn't going up that dramatically. 

On workers' comp, there were no comments or questions.

On personal services, Member Johnson asked about security guards still being included; we'd discussed that this would be discussed as part of the safety audit, which hasn't yet come back. Mr. Allen said they hoped to have an update at the next meeting; administration wants to have the report back to make a recommendation. I noted that professional development has historically been underfunded, so it is good to see it increasing. I asked what the collaboration is with UMass Med is with the North quadrant that requires payment from us; I was told that the internship for the Ch. 74 program is what is being paid for; we're also going to get further information on that. I also raised the $35,000 that we are paying WEDF for publicity and alum services; Dr. Monárrez said that this is more alum services and "ability for them to have someone to have the ability to generate the funds." I'm just weirded out by this one. Member Mailman also wanted to clarify if it was UMass Med versus the hospital back on the North pipeline.

On special education tuition, Member Mailman did some division, coming up with $35,000/student for the collaborative and $55,000 for tuition (on average). Mr. Allen noted that some programs cost more than others, that this would be the average; circuit breaker gets applied against the out-of-district costs. Ms. Seale noted that we don't, for example, have a Deaf or hard of hearing program. I asked about the lesser impact of the increase in 766 tuition on Worcester (which jumped 14% statewide this year); Mr. Allen notes that we're serving fewer students through such placements. Ms. Seale also noted that students also had aged out.

On instructional materials, in an exchange that starts here, Member Clancey reminded us that the outline of the budget was providing an expected baseline for schools, "and my question is: is $75 per pupil enough?" Dr. Monárrez offered that she'd been told by the team that it is, but looking at it, she did wonder, since we haven't done a major increase and inflation has an impact. Member Clancey asked what "behavior monitoring software" is; Ms. Azarloza said that it was the Panorama universal screener being used for social emotional surveying, saying that it drills down to which student and which social emotional competencies they are. Member Clancey asked for more information on that, leading to a back and forth on what it was that was being referenced. Member Johnson said that he had the same comment on materials, as we had talked about it, and agreed it needed to be resolved. I agreed that "behavior monitoring software" was something we needed more information on, as that sounded ominous. I also agreed that the per pupil allocation needed to be looked at. I then made a motion, acknowledging that district-operated transportation was saving us money, to move $600,000 from transportation (salaries) to instructional materials, specifically to the line A, which is the per pupil allocation, which is about $25/pupil, thus bringing the allocation to $100/pupil. Mayor Petty asked where the money would come from; Mr. Allen said it would represent savings that was realized from last year, and that there was flexibility to make the transfer. Member Mailman then asked if we had targets on funding other categories with SOA dollars; if we're 50% through.
Mr. Allen said (this matters, so you're getting a block quote):

In an ideal world, we would be closing those gaps in all areas, proportionately to the complete increase in our SOA money--that'd be the ideal world--but because of ESSER and CBRF and other monies that became available through the pandemic, a lot of money has been spent on Chromebooks and instructional materials through those other funding sources, which do not get credit in those charts, so, however, when those funds run out, we'll still then have--even though we'll have all these Chromebooks and all these textbooks--there'll still be technically a gap in relation to our SOA spending in instructional supplies and materials. So with three years remaining, we will be, through purchasing Chromebooks, through additional textbooks that may come of need, and through increases in per pupil money, those are ways that I would see us over the next three years closing that gap, whether completely or not, that will kind of pan out as we get into the FY25, '26, and '27 budgets.

Member Mailman asked if asking for a three year, rest of the budget, would it be appropriate? Mr. Allen said that he thought it would be the administration's desired state as well, but if we're still adding special education positions greater than the SOA increase,  still seeing employee benefits and fixed charges increasing at greater than the inflation rate, and we're still spending at foundation, then we won't get there. There need to be adjustments, but that won't happen until SOA is done and the foundation budget is being reconsidered. Mailman said as a school committee member, her confusion is how this relates to longer term. Allen said, they're agreeing; by half through SOA, we'd hope to be halfway closing the gap, but we won't be due to special education and benefits and fixed charges. Mailman asked where the biggest challenges are, if he knew offhand; instructional materials, professional development, to which Allen added operations and maintenance. Member Kamara wanted to know more about the behavioral monitoring software, as well; Mayor Petty noted that a request for a report had already been done, and reminded the Committee that nothing is done until the full budget is done. Kamara also asked about the transfer, wanted to understand "the deficit being done" through money being moved. Mr. Allen said that administration did not have any hesitation or objection to the transfer request, that it could be done with no impact on transportation services. 
The transfer passed unanimously.

Miscellaneous Ed OM has many things in it, including Worcester's MASC dues, which goes to pay my salary, from which I thus need to recuse myself. I asked if we had any information about Worcester Future Teachers is creating future teachers; Ms. Perez said WPS would like to see that, but we don't necessarily know that. I then asked about rental of space, and what the process is on weighing of rental spaces; some of rented spaces and some don't. I also asked about being realistic and clear on travel costs, which support professional development in some cases. Member Mailman asked why instructional technology is less than last year; Mr. Allen said it was Chromebooks coming off of lease, as presented at F&O a few months ago. Dr. Kyriazis said that the leases are being started over time so there isn't a huge single cost, with continued replenishment of supplies. Member Mailman asked about renting space; some of the space at Northeast Cutoff is the computer techs office (Nutrition, Facilities, and Transportation is also there). Mailman asked what the longer term game plan was for leases and if the city decided to sell any of our buildings, how would that be impacted. Allen said that those are the conversations that were started with the City Manager; a long term of plan for buildings, uses of space, leases of space, uses of Becker buildings, to decide if we need to continue some leases or end them. He believes we could have a more comprehensive plan over the next year for use of buildings. Mailman also asked if all vocational programs were a member of Skills USA; Allen said he'd have to check, but the increase is that the district is covering that cost for the school rather than it coming out of per pupil funding. 

On unemployment compensation, Member Mailman asked about expected for this year versus projected; Allen said this is based on historical use, but that close attention would be paid in quarterly reports.

On building utilities, I said I hoped that I'd live to see line C, which is number two fuel oil, finally go away (we're down to JUST the building at Foley Stadium, now that we're no longer at St. Casimir!). I asked what "reallocating net metering costs" meant (that's part of how they balanced the budget). WPS, in addition to net metering credits from the solar arrays we have over our parking lots and on some rooftops, gets credits from the solar array at the former city landfill (you can see it from Route 146); Mr. Allen said it was a reallocation of some of those credits being referenced. I also asked if the city has yet gotten a new natural gas contract; the projected 35% change is reflective of the continued volatility of the market.

On facilities, Member Mailman noted the significant increase; Mr. Allen said it was a deliberate attempt "maybe not as much as we should have" to add money to facilities maintenance to fix the schools. Mailman asked for the connection with the capital budget; Allen said the cutoff was $150,000. Mailman said "this is a purposeful attempt to do better." Allen agreed. Mailman asked if we'd see greater detail in our upcoming F&O meetings. Allen said these funds are for not only doing the emergency repairs but do the repairs that are flagged ahead; to be proactive and do active maintenance. He said he thinks there are 6000 outstanding SchoolDude requests; they're prioritized by greatest need. Rich Ikonen, our new facilities director, was introduced by Dr. Monárrez, who noted that he'd stepped into a big task, and said that they had great confidence. I echoed the Mayor's comment that this was more money that had been budgeted in past, while still not coming close to what we know is necessary. I did ask about the $1.7M specific to schools, that it isn't going to lessen attention elsewhere; it's increasing school based requests, Allen said, without taking away. I said that measuring ourselves against foundation isn't necessarily going to be useful, as it doesn't take into account two decades of an underfunding capital and an underfunded maintenance budget does to actual need. Allen noted, as the superintendent had Tuesday, that just from 2019, what was deemed inoperable was $70M of repairs in our schools, so we'd have to clear that backlog, and then we'd need to be doing "way more preventative maintenance," but that isn't something we're going to approach in SOA. I said that it would only be of use in going back to the state. I then asked about the $1M in filters as ongoing as part of the upkeep of larger modern systems in our new buildings; Allen said upkeep of the modern systems was partially included here, but that the $1M in filters would need to be added to the general fund, as it is in ESSER this year.

and then we recessed to executive session. The budget gets picked up with salary accounts on June 15.

What happened at last night's Worcester School Committee meeting: May 19, 2022 edition

 What happened at last night's Worcester School Committee meeting (agenda; video)? Here are the highlights:

First, the headline news: 

We have a contract! 

This is the final page of the contract of the 

Worcester School Committee with Dr. Rachel Monárrez;
signed by us Thursday night, in the mail to California Friday morning.

We have a contract with Dr. Rachel Monárrez for three years starting July 1. Signed, voted, voted down reconsideration. 

We also voted a three year contract renewal with Kay Seale, who is our director of special education. 

We're in contract negotiations, so I don't want to say too much, but we did have some of our WPS bus drivers speak to us. 

...which gives me a good excuse to share this photo! 
Yesterday, I got to ride a morning set of bus routes on S-29,
with driver Tina Mansfield (left) and monitor Justa Fernandez 
as part of the EAW's Walk a Day in Our Shoes initiative.

We also had--and, honestly, I can't tell you how proud I am of this--a strong showing of school psychologists and school adjustment counselors, who spoke on their petition regarding student mental health, in response to the report of the superintendent at the last meeting of the School Committee (also covered behind the paywall here). It takes courage to show up at a meeting and say, "No, it's really this way," when the dominant narrative has been otherwise. As covered in the WGBH piece linked above, our staff strongly argued, and gave data supporting, the need for additional resources and connections in our schools. Staff also used the public comment portion of our meeting--which is new this year!!--to make additional remarks on this issue.
Also Mayor Petty had an item on this agenda to set up a meeting between our mental health staff and the Mayor's Task Force on Mental Health. 

In reporting out on two subcommittees, I do want to note that there are ongoing discussions in TLSS on elementary libraries, and Governance is continuing to chug through our student handbook, as well as do some preliminary work on our revision of our strategic plan.

The COVID update was not good. The latest meeting of the medical advisors, as transmission remains high and the local hospitals are becoming concerned, yielded a "strong recommendation" that those in schools (and elsewhere inside) wear masks. The district's student vaccination rate is 35.5% double vaxxed, with another 6.74% with the third shot. That's lousy. 
This week's positives: 252 students, 84 staff.

We got a report back on principal succession planning, which didn't include which principals are leaving and being replaced--we aren't being given this information at all--but did have a bit of an outline on school-level involvement, described as follows: 

Candidates are screened by Human Resources for the appropriate DESE license. Licensed candidates are reviewed by an administrative team which selects candidates for the school-based committees to meet. The Site Council and the principal at each school identifies family and/or community members for the interview panel. Each committee consists of representatives from schools, central office administrators, the Chief Diversity Officer, members of the Superintendent's Advisory Committee, and school leaders. The committee meets the candidates, reviews resumes, asks questions and discusses the candidates responses. The Superintendent receives the interview committee's recommendations, meets with the candidates and makes the hiring decision.

After asking, we're going to receive a list of which principals are being hired.

We also filed some new items, to wit: 

• a request for a report on CORI reports on student volunteers. My colleague Sue Mailman put this one on, and, as CORIs effectively bar some parents and family members from volunteering, asking the grounds is super important.
• a request for a report on teacher shortages and substitute coverage this year (also Mailman)
• a request for a report on specialized programs by quadrant and student access to those (these from Jermoh Kamala)
• a request from me that we get a report prior to the end of the fiscal year next month on district adherence to MGL Ch. 32, sec. 90 and 91, as operational under the waiver passed during the FY22 budget process. This is hiring former employees who are now retired; there are caps on hours and pay. 
• a request from me that we look at our sexual harassment policy and its alignment with federal requirements (which are in a weird state of flux, as the rules from the Trump administration largely remain in force, but the Biden administration has said they're revising, plus Attorney General Healey has reminded us that Massachusetts has a higher standard). This one stemmed from some considerable concerns that have arisen among students on how the district handles sexual assault and harassment cases, in some cases. At the meeting, Superintendent Binienda passed out to us paper copies of a proposed revised policy in light of some of the issues that have been raised locally (which I'll share on here once we have it electronically). That goes to Governance for revision.
• A request from me that the Superintendent and her staff and the other employees of the district follow policy GBEBC and the state ethics law in refraining from using district resources, including district emails, from private fundraising, however good the cause. Enough said.
• And I'm really proud that my colleagues unanimously passed a proposed resolution for the MASC Delegate Assembly in November. If five committees across the state pass the same resolution by June 1, it automatically goes to the Delegate Assembly for consideration as part of MASC's state priorities. The resolution asks that the Legislature pass sanctuary laws like those proposed in other states for those who are trans and their relatives. It reads as follows:
  

  WHEREAS The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a long history of standing for civil rights, including advocacy for a bill of rights in the U.S. Constitution, and
   WHEREAS Massachusetts codified gender identity as a protected class in the 2011 Act Relative to Gender Identity, and
   WHEREAS All children deserve a safe environment in which to grow up, and
   WHEREAS Some state governments are now criminalizing supportive medical care for trans individuals; moving to bar families from traveling to access such care; and otherwise violating the civil rights of trans children and their families, and
   WHEREAS The defense of the civil rights of the historically marginalized is contained within the first article of the Massachusetts Constitution right of “seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness,”
   THEREFORE the Massachusetts Association of School Committees call on the Great and General Court to join with other states in the passage of so-called “sanctuary” laws to ensure such children and their families have “the power of enjoying, in safety and tranquility, their natural rights and the blessings of life,” as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Commonwealth.

FY22 Worcester School Committee budget deliberation: round 1

 writing these up later for both my and your use

The budget is online here. The schedule of accounts we're using is here. My memo to my colleagues is here.

Worcester Public Schools FY20 budget deliberations round one

It's 4:10 and the committee is all here but the superintendent is not...the budget is here; I've stuck the account order ("recommended") here.
And it looks like they may be starting at 4:15...
Posting as they go

Worcester School Committee deliberates FY19

What the School Committee is reviewing is the line item budget, which is online here. Personally, I'm keeping the Table of Contents, which is hyperlinked, opened and jumping from there.
The order in which it is suggested that they review accounts is here (which this year is the order in which the budget book is arranged, non-salary, then salary accounts).
Posting as we go once we start, which clearly isn't yet, as no one is here:

Worcester School Committee on FY18 (round one)

The budget is here. The sequence of accounts they're following is here. Page 8 of the PDF has the table of contents which link to the items. 

Worcester School Committee meets September 1

The agenda is here (and note they're back to meeting at 7pm).
The report of the superintendent is "Worcester Comes Together," which I assume (as there's no backup) might be about the staffing kickoff last week (?).
From her week's schedule, I see that Treasurer Goldberg is planning on attending this meeting, so look for the item on $eedMA to be taken out of order.
There are the usual opening of school lists of retirements, resignations, transfers, and new hires.
Clark Street wants uniforms.
Cotey Collins has two citizen petitions in on civics/voter registration and a municipal government day (look for those to go to subcommittee).

Of most import to most parents is a consideration of a new elementary report card.

There's a response on including chronic absenteeism in school improvement plans. Likewise a response to Mr. Monfredo's request for an absentee awareness month (it involves a marching band).

There will be a response on the level of participation in summer school (not posted).

Ms. Colorio had asked for the testing schedule; it's here. Worth noting: it's also in the student handbook.

Mr. Monfredo has a request around the mentoring of principals.

Burncoat Middle has a $90,000 21st century Learning grant for the School Committee to accept (remember that these rotate now).

There are also three prior year fiscal payments.

There's also a request from administration that account transfers be made. There's no backup as yet, but I'd assume this has to do with the news from last week that half the money for kindergarten assistants and four teachers is found.

The School Committee also has an executive session for negotiations with bus drivers, custodians, teachers, IAs, nurses, and computer techs.

No liveblog this week

Worcester School Committee meets January 21

The first regular meeting of the Worcester School Committee is this Thursday, January 21. You can find the agenda here and here.
There is an executive session at 6: to discuss the special education director's contract (one of the few done with the school committee) and to review the superintendent search submissions, as recommended by Finance and Operations subcommittee back in December.

On the regular agenda (which is a long one, as there hasn't been a meeting in a month), there is no report of the superintendent.
There are a number of midyear retirements, resignations, and new hires.
The rest of this is NOT in order; I'm going to start with "heads up" and list the rest.

For consideration: as noted earlier, to limit the superintendent search to an "internal" search managed by the mayor and finished by the first week of March.

Also, Mayor Petty wants to consider making South a vocational school or expanding vocational offerings there. 

The Committee is also being asked to forward school building priorities for MSBA. 

And Mr. O'Connell is requesting that the Committee review the ALICE program ("Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate") (you've seen this written up as the one where kids throw things at active shooters).

Civic education: Board of Ed

Sagan: not doing a good enough job
some disagreement on adoption of report
have heard frustration on not pushing this hard enough
Chester: appreciate "benign neglect...it could have been a lot worse"
"we're looking at our staffing across the board"
have lost a substantial number of positions between end of RTTT and early retirement
heavily dependant on federal dollars
no general curricululm item in state budget, one for literacy, some for math
"piece together the curriculum work that we do from a variety of funding sources"
of items, none more important than statewide advisory councils
commit to coming back to you with more on this
"my experience is advisory councils generally don't propel themselves"
"we do not lack for advisory committees that have been established through statute...over 20 that are statutorially required"
Willyard: state advisory council meeting with stakeholders, would like to see that happen
"don't want to see that go untouched"
Sagan: offer from Kennedy Institute
"never want to look a free meeting space in the..."
Stewart: excited about having students take some leadership role in civics education
but needs stronger department support
"pretty much every year there are bills filed all around civics education"
McKenna: Board endorsed the recommendations, but now it's as if we're only going to do one
"public education was created to educate engaged citizens"
17% of 18 year olds vote
"if we can't make this a basic tenet of what we do, I don't know what we can make a basic tenet"
"I think this is critical"
"have had literally hundreds if not thousands of people engaged in this
seldom we have people offering to help us and us saying no
"I think it's the wrong answer"
either come back in October or create an advisory committee of the Board to follow up on this work
"students are out in front of us"
Basically, we're got early retirement and #RTTT coming home to roost here. Civics ed being held up by lack of DESE staff.
Sagan worried that subcommittee will come back with another endorsement but without staff to implement
McKenna: have had some suggestion of resources
Sagan: "we all agree, this is just too urgent"
Craven: from years in the budget world, Legislature looks askance at these one-off things
look at my daughter's schedule and has some holes in her schedule where she could participate in something like this
should have committee of the board
how much money would be involved in this? Satisfactory start to this
Chester: ask Board to indulge me in: this is a very deserving area, "there are a lot of deserving areas that are not in the budget"
lists teacher prep, social-emotional areas
commit to be back on how to move this ahead
Sagan: one of the items that the budget committee will work to move ahead
Peyser: this is really about mobilizing our resources
"I don't think this is saying we're not doing it"
asks that assessment be added to history and social sciences review of frameworks
McKenna asks that this be on next agenda

Side commen: this was all just about DESE fudning for implementation: what about DISTRICT funding for implementation?

Liveblogging the Foundation Budget Review Commission

live from a well-refrigerated fourth floor room at the State House (which still doesn't have wifi)
posting as we go 

UPDATE: Because it becomes relevant, a partial cast list: Pat Francomano is Mass School Committees president; Dave Verdolino is MASBO (finance people)'s Executive Director; Barbara Madeloni is the Mass Teachers' Association (union) president; Melissa King does some finance things for DESE;Tom Moreau is there for the Secretary of Ed; and Ed Moscovitch wrote the foundation formula originally.

in approval of minutes, Q from Francomano: preliminary report was going to lay out remainder of things that will be discussed beyond sped and health insurance; not reflected in the minutes
motion to add consensus report will innumerate "all of concerns"
Chang-Diaz: recollection not crystal about this, recall discussing it in the workplan
thought preliminary versions of findings included?
Francomano: that they would be listed, "that it was essential that these be dealt with as well"
Peisch: told that third paragraph on second page, essentially verbatium from that
by notes he's right; the suggestion was made by Sen. Jehlen
Jehlen: we all understand that it's going to be the case; would that be sufficient in your view
Francomano: I don't want to have a preliminary report be issued with other items that are equally valid
Peisch: I don't think there's great disagreement about what needs to be addressed over this month
varying recollection of what was produced
minutes are not a transcript, a reflection of actions taken
Francomano: would not have voted for compromise item if it did not include other items
MBAE member expects other items
EEC: today's conversation will be included in preliminary report in some way, "captured" in some way
"I think whether it's reflected in the minutes are not" that's consensus
Chang-Diaz; include in minutes for THIS minute that catagories that will continue to deliberate on over the session in preliminary report
Francomano agrees
minutes approved

review and discuss feedback on health care and special ed
vote was "subject to input from advisory members"
comments have been submitted and distributed
chairs have reviewed comments and have in packet a proposal
under health care benefits: adjust health care to reflect average group insurance rate, separate health care cost adjuster
Peisch: in reviewing comments from advisory group, this is the proposal that reflected the majority of the comments that were received
Madeloni: recommend blended rate, not just GIC
some municipalities don't wish to shift costs to employees
acknowledge that not everyone is using the same rate
MBAE: into details of what the average is and what the average means
not clear it's being driven by actual cost, actual numbers
have to consider that
"it is not clear...what the average means here, is there some weighting, are retirees in there...what average means versus what other factors are included"
whether or not we take into account a weighted average versus the cost of all plans or as Mass Taxpayers suggested the highest enrollment plan
a little more understanding what just what we mean by average
Melissa King (DESE): average employer share of the premium
"to do any refinement of that primarily relies on getting good data"
MASBO: might be helpful to know, back in '93, what was the basis of this rate
"I have trouble trying to blend something with other providers who may come and go"
assuming that GIC being used because many are in GIC
anything from how number was derived then? (this to creator of formula)
met with five superintendents, who shared their information
at the time thought of having several inflation rates
why are we looking for a different rate? You want something that goes up at whatever rate the cost of health care goes up
Is our purpose to fund whatever health costs are occurring or a reasonable rate?
Edward Moscovitch: Don't just want to fund what everyone is spending
"I was thinking last night about the politics; it isn't so much what we're going to vote on but what's going to pass the Legislature"
important to understand what made the conservative Governor to fund a $2B increase in education
business community pushed for proposal: "It was the business community's proposal"
the other thing that gave it legs was a number of other things having to do with schools: charter schools, testing increase
"they believed that built into this were things that were going to change schools"
"if we don't include those sorts of things it this, I don't think we're going to be successful"
regional schools: have to find a benchmark people can live with
"I think there have been a number of legsilative" measures with GIC
think retiree part is excellent
also some cost of living
"we're never going to come to a perfect solution"
brings $684M to the table to begin to address some of the areas we've all heard about
another: think average will be nailed down (later)
send a bad message (if use something other than GIC)
"presumably that money has gone back to schools in varying fashions"
Chang-Diaz: Q on costs of insurance (family/individual)
Madeloni (MTA); most of our districts are not in GIC; even if we could look at BC/BS, get a more realistic view of the costs
Peisch: some may not be part of GIC but costs are in same general rates
"I think it's a reasonable benchmarks"
motion to amend using Mass Taxpayers recommendation of average of GIC rate
"rate has to be multiplied by something"
"most widely used GIC program weighed according to the way it's actually used in family and individuals"
MASBO: "I don't disagree with what Ed's saying, but isn't that farther down the line?"
"in two lines, there's a lot of work to do of what's captured in that sentence"
I'm making the assumption that they're going to look at split at family/individual and range of copays
"if we were to try to capture all of that in here, we wouldn't get anything else done today"
Peisch: thinks number is embedded in calcuation
King: it's the statutory staff (not actual employees)
Peisch recommends that people think about the time
Tom Moreau: you're picking up the average, you're picking up the commonality of usage
of reforming health care: "like this, these things don't come down from Sinai"
Peisch asks if there are any further comments
motion seconded by Francomano
Madeloni: using MassBudget, this proposal will leave a gap in funding
MBAE: does this give leverage to municipalities to have 'is this a good conversation to have or not'
"it certainly is directionally covering part of the gap"
regionals point out that the conversation has to happen every year, anyway,as they need to show gap between most common and plan used by district
Chang-Diaz: don't know that we can get there today
"worry a little bit about volitility"
Reville: incumbent upon us as we set benchmarks to create "maximum efficiencies" at the local level
aka: districts may spend more, that doesn't mean it's right
Reville: review of history of standards applying to everyone, some periodic measures of accountability
Peisch: any comment on other two components as related to health care
now onto retiree health insurance
One way or the other, it has to be in for everyone or other for everyone
MASBO: had it be included in 93, wouldn't have the gap we have now
could be most significant part of proposal
Mass Taxpayers wants to include retirees health insurance in NSS
argument is that there's no formula that would captured it
assume that towns actual costs would be included, can't come up with any way to do it
Peisch: recommendations are intended to be general for those who will actually draft legislation
"how municipalities deal with unfunded liabilities they have in the past is not part of this"
MBAE: some capture of inflation has to be in here, some thing that has to be in here is frequency (of taking this measure)
actual drafting of report should include; montior for volitility
like Mass Taxpayers' argument on leaving it out; how it can be part of mandated spending
Peisch: draft report will be circulated for comment
Moreau: concern about crowding out happens currently, as it isn't included in all but is included in that
"expenditures towards that are being counted as expenditures towards education"
"has been a thorny, troubling problem that no one has been able to resolve"
regionals: remember that if we take it out, communities will pick it up as an additional assessment
those towns it does impact will not be supportive
consensus to move forward on using "most common" versus "average"
Reville asks what the difference is; Peisch "we don't know" as the calculation hasn't been done
staying with average, rather than most common

Peisch: special education
moves it up to the level of what actually is
16% receiving special education services 25% of the time
Jehlen: I know that it's about 17% receiving services; I don't know that it's 25%
Peisch: number was put forward by superintendent
Jehlen: is number based on what's typical, what's average?
MASS: based on "what's typical"
Francomano: have heard that this number has varied
does MASS argue that this is a realistic representation of what currently exists?
MASBO: we've not done the math to quantify
I don't know if data was available to support 25%
"some districts are going to overrun 25% on average"
"I think for the purposes of what we're doing here you have to have a benchmark"
"I don't think that has come from the administrative group; I know it didn't come from MASBO"
Francomano: if it's merely better than what we have, that's not a benchmark for what we should be striking for
DESE: state average for sped is 17% head count
MASS: don't collect under federal
"it's a benchmark to start from"
Francomano(MASC): don't want to start from, concerned about grabbing something while we can
Moreau: there was a time when we had better information
information we need
"you want to base it on practice rather than what we've been doing"
Francomano: want to be sure we all know that and include that in the report
reminder that the assumption was low
if the assumption was low or if the costs were low
running through what the assumptions of the costs were when foundation budget was constructed
Ferguson: year to year it looks different
different program may have different models
"we're not going to be able to do it" (in getting a standard)
"you could have a great program for autistic program in one district that isn't replicable in other districts"
"what you look at staffing and things, it's a whole other ballgame...we aren't going to investigate it without" much more work
Jehlen: recommend that it is an inadequate measure and should be revisited in three years
"I believe that 25% is too low...know a lot of kids that have one on one and I don't want those kids outsourced"
this assumption should be revisited after three years of data collection of actual amount of time students are being served
Madeloni: is the rate adequate accurate?
MASBO: really have to get one of them right, recognizing where only one of them lies
"I think there should be something aspirational to this rate"
in other words, he's arguing that the state should be pressuring districts to drive this cost center down
"there's two components to sped: an in-district component and an out-of-district" component
MBAE: modest movement in the direction of actual costs
'there is a difference with special ed" versus health care
Peisch: out of district cost to eliminate gap between
some back and forth about mathematics of how it works
MassBudget: still has a comment on in district
in-district may have a problem "and we just don't know yet"
set current staffing against previous assumption
"I hope moving forward there's room" to discuss
"I didn't hear an amendment to the language that's being adopted"
Peisch: no, there wasn't
MassBudget: so statement of the problem isn't what's being dealt with right now

and everything else. They have a list. I haven't seen it.
Peisch: proposal preschool adjusted from half day to full day for those who provide full day
particularly for those who can most need full day
Chang-Diaz: mention of early ed has been woven in
demonstrated best practices
Edward Moscovitch concern that preschool could be expensive
"you could have every district in the state do it!"
if every district does half day does full day
"are you saying that every district could have as much preschool as it wants?"
Melissa King: don't think you'll see a rush, but a slow take-off
Moscovitch: full day K is more important
Peisch: percentage of fullday K is very high
Chester: up over 90% for full day K
Moreau: delivery system, bringing up to speed, it's a robust conversation
think it's an item to get discussed over summer to November
Madeloni: important that we don't do this just piecemeal
question about what works and what we want our young people to be experiencing
Reville: don't think a lot of districts do it, don't have space
not worried about a stampede
Peisch: straw poll on preschool in for June versus putting it off
most want to put it off
Chang-Diaz: wish to say something about early education even without a high level of detail
if we are putting it off, are we signing ourselves up for a more complex consideration
Francomano: think could develop a bulleted point, this is a priority for us, yes it needs to be looked at comprehensively
Moscovitch: thought always seems to be that you can do so much for these kids in preschool, neglect K, 1,2
Reville: so late in dealing with low income factors, seems to me that this is one
some inclusion in June report, more detail to come in November report

Peisch: to go into some accountability measure that we might be able to include in the report
based on something from superintendents proposed and others
also run through list of other items to be included
Moreau: to look at data in three years, either as part of discussion or otherwise
staffing and budgeting information from districts
Peisch: discussion in late June meeting for district data collection
Verdolino: because of information of special ed, to have some wording to put up front
"remains unaddressed by the really good comments that make up the report to this point"
Chang-Diaz: how much of this is knowable at this point?
Could we over the summer get really numbers
Moscovitch: asks teachers and superintendents to nominate ten schools that are 'good' and ten that "aren't"
look at actual special education spending
"we heard some testimony about school buildings in terrible condition...I'm curious if they're spending what the foundation budget calls for in custodians"
actual numbers on if those numbers are about right or not about right
Moscovitch: including instructional coaches
MASS suggests including PD as part of language
suggestion that mental health and wraparound services be separated
what if a strong mayor cuts the school budget: could ten taxpayer suit be brought?
Peisch: three or four more meetings ;can't put everything in
five more catagories, have added two more
Chester: real concern about low income or ELL: have a real concern if those increments really benefit the kids that they're intended for
concern about small district
"staying solvent by stripping away offering for kids and incentives for teachers"
incentives offered efficiencies for scale
Jehlen: would make low income separate from extended learning time
Chang-Diaz: slash marks mine
extended learning time presented as one way of helping low income students
not saying that the thing on one side of the slash is the solution for the other side of the slash
Moreau: discuss what we have, what we do
MBAE: if discussion is going to be about increment, also tracking of it
adjustment about technology: "don't envision how we come up with a number"
Moreau: will low income include a discussion of how the students are counted?
Peisch: yes, since change in technical count is problematic due to federal government change
Chang-Diaz: would hope that technical discussion of how we count does not need to be more than ten minutes, technical discussion of how we count them is more broad
Francomano: need to look at western part of state
they have particular issues delivering services, as they are scattered about
(not that they don't want to work together; there's so much space!)
Verdolino: no one wants to take anything off, would it be helpful to prioritize for discussion?
Peisch agrees
Jehlen: how we're going to make decisions about what these numbers are going to be
"who is going to do this work?"
took all the categories they had and made an expert judgment in 1993
either we can take what exists and update it
or we can take what an adequate education is, which is our charge
"there are studies that we can look it, but I would settle for expert judgment on what we should do in each of these categories"
Francomano: part of it is methodology, but it's beyond methodology, it's validating the assumptions
MASS: similar to previous, recommendations on all these particular areas
Moscovitch: would suggest that numbers of special ed
"I think there's a sense that because the health care is too low that everything is too low"
"is eight to one reasonable?"
"you'd have a better idea of what's underfunded if you see the staffing levels"
Peisch comments that they think they've seen that
Schuster: think that would really interesting
having trouble picturing the four to six topics on the agenda
could think through, for example, eight to one, and why there's still a really big gap
similar discussion on low income and what those supports and staffing look like
Chang-Diaz: one version of what this could look like is the work plan is the superintendents' working group
do work, put that out to group and respond, then August compilation going on
September group reviewing collated responses
maybe categories of districts to be part of the working groups
could also focus on studies, without casting out, working groups
Peisch: seems to me that we've exhausted what we can get out of these topics
back with recommendations about how we will analyze the topics
Chang-Diaz: remainder in bullets? or some paragraph
Peisch: put together some language for rest of group by next meeting

accountability for how funding is spent
in order to access additional funds, districts would have to submit a plan on how those funds would be spent
areas (UPDATED with full list): low income, ELL, professional development, ELT, instructional coaches, common planning, "hiring staff at levels that support student improvement," technology and instructional materials, wrap-around services,
recommend some plan on how those areas would be addressed be submitted
Francomano: have a problem with the concept
foundation budget has been underfunded, but comment is that somehow districts have been mismanaging their funds
"I've had to cut things in order to meet my obligations in special ed and health care"
"you're increasing the foundation budget...but it's just reflecting my actual spending"
"maybe I want to restore art or music...maybe I want to deal with overcrowded classrooms"
there has been nothing to indicate that districts have been mismanaging funds
MBAE: state and local contribution
original grand bargain, results, whatever those results are giving
fix to the foundation budget: is acknowledging gap
"it's just the reality"
perhaps regionalization, perhaps getting dollars to follow the student
Reville: how will it go to a cause that it's been targeted for
"I don't think the main feature is second-guessing locals"
MASS: don't see this as strings, as ties
Verdolino: don't see an option in one or two that we're going to spend special education and health insurance
"tell me from what we've heard in the public hearings...where else would you spend it on?"
MMA: there are so many needs on local level
"there are things that we've cut, things that we've gone without to take care of the most basic needs"
"to be handcuffed to a specific list of the needs and the responsibilities does a disservice to the 6000 students I'm responsible for"
Peisch: to clarify: asking districts to submit a plan
there may be districts were any number of these particular items are not being funded
I don't anticipate
Francomano: but if it's not in numbers 1-8, I can't spend it
but if I want to add money for a music teacher
argument that you can add staff "to improve student performance"
DESE is going to tell me that a music teacher doesn't do it
"the way that we measure student improvement these days is MCAS or PARCC; music isn't included"
Peisch trying to get to general agreement on some accountability measure of some kind
Jehlen: this commission is supposed to say what's adequate
we are supposed to be fulfilling the grand bargain "and we haven't"
many more measures than there were in 1993
there's the wrong message in putting these limits
"to say that Boston can't spend money to put in water fountains...I don't think that's our intention"
districts at foundation are spending less than they're supposed to on class size and teachers
"it's insulting"
If it's submitting school improvement plans, that's fine.
"I think that's moving away from something...we should not both be controlling the outputs and the incomes"
Moreau: reminded of Reville's phrase: loose and tight concept
McDuffy: constitutional obligation does fall on state and local
Moscovitch: this money isn't going to happen without people voting for it
senior legislators won't vote for it without some assurance it will go to
my thought was a broad area that most likely effects the way teachers teach
can't only spend money, you have to report on it
Madeloni: I think this is a huge decision and a major change in thinking
needs a lot more thinking
in a particular social-political context: micromanagement is the wave of the day
a shift to this kind of accountability is dangerous
"I like a lot of things on this list...but what's not on this list...I can't even tell you, because I'm not going to be able to tell you until I'm putting my budget together"
(sorry, didn't catch who this was)
we need to also justify our budgets: for us to simply ask where is this money going
reconvene on June 23

Notes from the Foundation Budget Review Commission

Just walked in for the Shrewsbury superintendent Joe Sawyer talking about last year's override and class size issues
Query as to how they could have class sizes so high yet still being over foundation: is it teacher salaries?
Teacher salaries average for central MA
Q: percentage that's circuit breaker
enormous
Q: what's driving gap in teacher salary?
unrealistic assumption about teacher salaries, more teachers with master's degrees
Q (which we've heard before) Do we need a full redesign, or do we need a tweak?
circuit breaker is trailing, fees for transportation, athletics
"clearly...the idea around equity is important...combining some of the various sources, around grants, could be important"
Q: change census from once to twice?
fairly stable population, not a lot of effect on us
ELL tend to arrive midyear, has some effect on us
Q: $3.7M override this past year: what about this year?
budget increase of a bit over 3%, "very realistic and modest request"
given funding OPEB, snow and ice control
"even with a very modest request...our town manager's request is below even at that number"
"without additional state support...that's what tends to be causing the unpredictability"

Wachusett is in the house! Julie Kelley, Stacey Jackson
appreciative of having these hearings
"don't just identify a problem, offer a solution"
formula should not go beyond 2% increases of Prop 2 1/2
"strongly supports regionalization"
"alarming inability of towns, especially regionalized towns, to meet their obligations" to fund
1,2,3 towns that aren't able to afford their increases
of increases, half goes to education, and half to town services
in some cases, education is taking up 50,60 or more of the increase in revenue
should have a trigger if much of new revenue is being taken up by education services
Rep. Ferguson comments on compelling data

Rep. Hogan: sped costs don't reflect real costs and real needs.

missed a speaker there

Elaine Rabbitt: Dudley-Charlton regional SC
answer a challenge offered by Rep. Ferguson: was interested in hearing something new and hearing a solution
need change concept of special education and regular education
teachers no longer have students who come in without a backpack of baggage
what our students require is what we need to fund
"at best we can fund having a teacher in the classroom, but we can no longer afford other supports for our students"
Q: foundation formula makes an effort to account for different needs: would you say that there are catagories that we are missing? or is it that the classroom teaching catagory needs to be larger in general?
"the mental health component"
impossible task to think that a teacher can teach to the multiple needs of the classroom in front of them
minimal increases of budgets over past several years
"We have 200 Chromebooks used to test 2000 students"
"these things we are talking about did not even exist in those days"
"they don't have the resources, and more importantly, they don't have the time"
"that's a serious issue that we need to address"
supports have never existed
Q: what do you see as the drivers of that reality?
financial history that we've just been through; parents both working, sometimes multiple jobs
impact of what we're trying to prepare our students better
have children that are physically sick from the stressors we're putting on children around testing
Comments from Peisch is that it would be hard to recommend a substantial increase, as taxes would increase; encourage to think about other sources of revenue
Rabbitt: if we maximize what we provide students now, we'll need to provide less for us later (paraphrase)
"I really just have to challenge you with that"
"As a taxpayer, the best investment I can make is in the future of my community, and that's in education"

Rob Cohane, parent, WPS:
involved in CPPAC: where the money comes from
"I don't necessarily envy you for taking on this challenge"
special education, inflation, health insurance no longer provide services students need
urban challenges: difficult to make up that gap
when 20% of the foundation budget is going to fill in that gap
"who ends up paying for that? It's the students"
parents are paying for photocopiers, parents are paying for copy paper
cost of importing technology into the classroom
"that our children have an equitable chance to compete"
"parents in my community are paying more; it may not be a tax, but we're paying"
circuit breaker doesn't seem to be working: "By the time you get the money, it's two years gone."

Westboro: testimony is very consistent, lacks in the available funding of the information of the education system
is there anything that you haven't heard that you'd like to?
part of your charge is to look at how we prepare our students for testing and for their future
Do a zero based review? What kind of content and skills do we expect our graduating seniors to have? Is that affordable?
"then we can put together a formula that provides" equitably

Ralph Hicks: past 11 years have been a superintendent
"would really like to see us live up to Horace Mann and our forefathers"
Ashburnham-Westminster district
fully recognize that local aid has taken a hit
"we need to be able to fund education if we aer to maintain our leadership position, not only in the United States, but in the world"
trying to bargain a GIC-like plan with our employees, which would make our increase 5.8%, but when the inflationary increase is only 1.5%, we have a problem
about $400,000 to put towards next year
last override that passed was in 2004
"going to outline what teaching positions we need to cut"
Q: talk about mental health
runs through very small numbers of staff available
"problems kids come in with today are insurmountable"
most schools do not have the counselors that they need
one town might be willing to give us more, but because of the way that the regional agreement work we cannot take it
Q: is it not a matter for the regional school district agreement for different levels?
the way it's written right now, we're using the statutory method
have written a new regional agreement, hope to have it passed
Q: has talked about going to SC with cuts on Tuesday? Could we get those?
will email them
Q: changes in enrollment?
having a slight upswing, we were down for awhile
"if you build it, they will come" built a new school, young families saw a new elementary school
have increased school choice numbers

Richard Bedard: school business manager in Millbury
health insurance and retirees health insurance
have worked for many years to bring down the cost of health insurance
Millbury has bid health care to one provider, have increased employee costs, copays
health care costs have decreased
"even with those decreases, the foundation budget allocation is still low"
a $2.4M shortfall on a $22M budget
spending 2 1/2 times the foundation allocation
retirees health insurance only included in NSS if they checked it off in 1993
that needs to change; phase in a level playing field
would put Millbury closer to the state average
foundation budget plus circuit breaker is only 60% of our special education costs

Tyler Keenan, Leicester School Committee
22 of 32 years have had increases more than 2 1/2
"real decline in spending power over time"
override votes are frequent, but don't pass
tuition of special education programs
rate increases tied solely with inflation are not accurate
fewer students=/=fewer teachers
but a smaller district it's necessary for things like AP if they are to be offered
size of district and challenges faced by smaller districts as opposed to larger districts
shouldn't have a model that's "overfit"
look at what districts are actually spending, not just what the foundation budget calls for

Mendon-Upton Regional
have a constant fear that we won't be able to keep up
$25 per pupil increase $59,000 per year for M-U
"doesn't even cover the average cost for an out-of-district placement"
"money I cannot spend in other critical areas"
"critical areas where I feel the promise is not being kept"
starting us in a deficit for FY16
regional transportation reimbursement "doesn't come close" to actual costs
try to share costs with area, but are a remote district
"have made a tremendous investment in technology" $1M this year: $410 per student
"do our best to do what we should be doing: equipping our children to be ready for the 21st century and beyond"
should add technology to foundation budget
93% and 97% residental communities
"district limit to the tax ability of my communities"
"cycle of necessary overrides every 3 to 5 years will continue" unless something changes
Q: data or suggestions about how much technology allocation should be?
$400 per student this year, though some of that is a one-time expense
Committee would be interested in suggestions on this one

Adam Gaudette from Spencer: part of two regional school districts
foundation budget is well-intended
mandated local contribution is devestating to local municipal services
still haven't recovered from the economic downturn
tax receipts and local aid both down
22% where we were in 2008 on local aid
"have done everything possible" to save money
Town Hall only 3 days a week, cut recreation dept, cut salaries in fire and police
not only eliminating jobs, eliminating services on town side
"making a plea to not only look at foundation budget, but to look at MLC rates"
suggest matching 2 1/2 percent

and then there was a long part where Worcester spoke...Testimony of Superintendent Boone, of myself, of Mayor Petty, and letter submitted jointly by Superintendent Boone, Mayor Petty, and City Manager Augustus.
Two tweets regarding questions taken by Superintendent Boone: 

One: @SenPatJehlen inquiring on what we can learn of the needs of schools though successful turnarounds. #FBRC
— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2015

Two: @SoniaChangDiaz noting that #FBRC has been getting efficiencies & effective spending work all along, woven in.
— Tracy Novick (@TracyNovick) February 28, 2015

On that last: while those testifying may not have labeled them as "efficiecies," anytime someone has said "We did this to save money," they were offering those examples. Thanks to Senator Chang-Diaz for noting this.

Brian Lewis, parent WPS
UMass Med committed to having a robust and diverse workforce
need for successful public schools to support that
"if our public schools do not have resources for simply things like supplies...we cannot expect them to meet the needs of those programs"
would urge commission to think about how it is allocated and supplied

sorry I missed who this is...from Leominster
Look at OPEB and health insurance for retirees
should have a whole commission on OPEB alone, because it is so technical
properly to recognize cost in year it's incurred
once OPEB fully funded then can be freed up to deal with other services
"grossly underestimates, especially on the OPEB side, the costs"
method of paying for right now is the most inefficient, pay as you go
if you pay as incurred, rather than pay as you go, better later
"that's the most cost inefficiency way of paying for it"
call on them to "start recognizing OPEB in the foundation budget"
wanted to bring that aspect of the fringe benefits, for you to become leaders in this issue

member, Acton-Boxborough SC
echo a lot of what was said today
"a lot of different areas that could use modernization"
assumed special education enrollment based on a number of factors
use numbers "truly reflective of what the enrollment is"
"I'd like to ask you to be bold in moderizing education in Massachusetts"
"bold action in adverse times"
"there's a statue that stands in Concord, Lexington, Acton and elsewhere...it's your turn"

Westborough finance committee
bascially the only thing we get is to pay our insurance; nothing towards teaching, or anything else

Opening of school report

Can be found here
My notes here are going to be light, as much of the info can be found in the report itself: posting as we go

As of right now, WPS enrollment is 25,397, which is 483 students up from last year
(That isn't our official enrollment, as we won't do that until October)

High school enrollment increase of 3.6% (overall)
Middle school enrollment increase of 0.7% (overall)
elementary is going in both directions: largest increases at Burncoat Prep, Vernon Hill, Chandler El, Rice Square, Chandler Magnet (and all are double digit percentages)
Largest percentage drop in elementary at Goddard, Clark St, Tatnuck Magnet, Wawecus, Columbus Park (none of which are a trend)

Classroom teacher to student ratio is 1: 22.2
adult to student ratio is 1: 20.9
(in both cases in elementary, and there is variation across classrooms)
302 of elementary classes have fewer than 23 students
208 of 23-26 students
59 classes of 27-30 students
2 classes of 30 or more and both are due to space
(and those numbers don't balance yet, as shifts are happening)
October 1 report will be sent to school committee

while there are positions eliminated, there were also new hires (due to retirements and resignations) 203 new hires
there also were 2641 payroll changes
WPS has 3840 employees, making us the city's third largest employer (after UMass Memorial and UMass Med) (and that doesn't include coaches or after school programs)

piloting the electronic report card in 8 schools
last year, evaluated the K-12 arts magnet program
rolling out literacy plan
Family and Community Academy happening
5 new courses happening this year
Diesel Automotive added at South High
PSAT test now available to all 10th and 11th grade
expansion of ABA service delivery to children with autism
district-wide mathmatics pilot is underway
professional development institute for grades 4,5,6 and 10 teachers this year
more work with K-3 and grade 9 (they had the institute last year)
Universal Design for Learning for all coaches and liaisons ('how do we think about instruction in a meaningful way')

Now serving 12,000 breakfasts served daily and 15,900 lunches
22 elementary breakfasts in the classroom (over 400 classrooms)
75% free and reduced lunch eligible students
14 schools added for the state fruit and vegetable grant
Over the summer, over 13,000 students were served over the summer; 50,000 meals over July & August. Another truck coming, so that will be even bigger next summer.

96 large school buses; 135 smaller buses
12,320 students transported each day
10,000 miles a day; 1,800,000 miles a year

last year we were awarded $38,6 million grants (70 grants of which 24 were competitive)
online requisitioning over vendor portals for school and office supplies

Several MSBA projects either completed or ongoing
boiler WILL BE IN for October 1 (hooray!)
window projects ongoing at Columbus Park, Worcester Arts Magnet, and Tatnuck Magnet; completed at Chandler Magnet
and go check out those nice new windows and doors at Chandler Mag!
and all the good stuff on this list here

7500 new computers and monitors out there (and we recycled over 70 tons of electronics as a result)
district internet speed has doubled (hooray!)
completed the transition to the web-based student information managment system

NO MCAS RESULTS YET: COMING TOMORROW!

Legislative update from MASC

MASC Division IV (central MA) at Wachusett Regional High School
Panel for Senator Brewer, Reps Gobi, Gregoire, and Ferguson

Billing other districts for retirement

This article from Quabbin* caught my eye this morning, regarding one district billing another for retirement costs of those who retired from one district, but worked previously in another. We have had some discussion about this in Worcester, but I couldn't quite recall where we had left it.
I inquired of the city this morning, and Worcester is billing and being billed for retirees, both for retirement and for health insurance.

*Also, is it just me, or has the T&G stepped up their local meetings coverage? Reporters writing full articles lately: good stuff!

Extensive update from Finance and Operations today

You can find this Friday's letter from Superintendent Boone here; most of it is an extensive update from Mr. Allen regarding Finance and Operations.

• Not great news on the budget (that Governor Patrick signed today): due to the way that the charter assessments shake out, we've got $265,984 to make up in FY14. Expect an "adjustment" (that's a cut that'll go to Worcester's charter schools) sometime this fall.Not in the memo, but on the good news front: the state budget took the Senate's number for McKinney-Vento reimbursement, which was the higher of the two. As the city has now recognized this as a reimbursement for a service provided by the Worcester Public Schools, but used the House number to do so, we have a conversation to have with Council.
• We don't know about federal grants yet, but we will later this month.
• We'll be leasing four classrooms from the YMCA this fall for Chandler Magnet students; no word on which classes yet.
• The city is transferring 6 Claremont Street (a tax-title property) to the Worcester Public Schools for Woodland/Claremont use. The plan is to use the current (Woodland Street) parking lot as a playground (Woodland only has a teensy paved spot to play on now) and move staff parking to the 6 Claremont lot.Super cool that the city administration is seeing kids having space to play as a worthy use of space!
• Kindergarten is nearly at what we projected already (and there are always more who register as it gets closer to the fall), so it looks as though most of those reserved six teachers are going to be teaching kindergarten.
• On facilities, apparently MSBA is SO successful that we're now backing up window manufacturing! Jacob Hiatt is on track to get their boiler this summer. Caradonio New Citizens is also on track to get their boiler, and should have their windows by fall; if they don't, they'll be finished over weekends. May Street and Lake View are going to have their exterior windows done this summer, all others done this fall over weekends (May Street's gym will get done this summer). Chandler Magnet is having all exterior doors and windows done this summer, which is a surprise: it's a big enough building where it was projected to take two summers! Note that all of the above is MSBA reimbursed work. Vernon Hill's exterior masonry is getting fixed this summer (no more scaffolding!). Heard Street's roof is contracted out, and it is hoped that it will be done this summer. And finally, Worcester East Middle's science labs (at a base level; no reworking of gas or water lines or any other rooms) is being contracted out to be done for next year! In response to a reader question: Yes, we're still on track for Columbus Park, Tatnuck Magnet, Worcester Arts Magnet, and Worcester East Middle work, but those projects were just approved on June 5. That work would be for next (we hope!) summer.

And finally, I'm just going to quote Mr. Allen's final paragraph:

Jack Navin, the district’s Coordinator of Maintenance and Custodial Services and Robert Alvarado, the district’s Working Foreman, both recently retired after a combined 80 years of dedicated service to the Worcester Public Schools. In addition to their “normal” workday, both Jack and Bobby have been critical members that worked tirelessly through hurricanes, blizzards, fires at schools, and other events. Their dedication and support of school operations were certainly second to none, and the combined loss of institutional knowledge will be difficult to replace.

To which I can only add, they will both be missed.

Other Insurance, Retirement, workers comp, health insurance, unemployment

Other insurance passes
Retirement
O'Connell: early retirement incentive: how many people did that?
Petty asks if the numbers have to be there forever
Allen being paid back over
passes
Workers Comp
Foley: talked about at our Finance meeting
"this is an account that we have traditionally dabbled in...also traditionally underbudgeted"
$952,300 "pretty aggressive number"
would support recommendation
O'Connell: have our settlements put us in a place where people will be collecting less now?
Allen: no
people were not necessarily collecting at the time that we settled
"In no year in the last five years have we spent anything less than $1.2 million"
O'Connell: inclined to leave with administration
passes
Health insurance:
O'Connell: anything from city to adjust rates?
Allen: calculated : now under by $100,000
O'Connell: any suggestions?
Allen: to resolve in first quarter report
Biancheria: grant funded employees have their health insurance also grant funded
Unemployement:
O'Connell: are we assuming a number?
Allen: 29-30 week basis; if you look annually, need $100,000
teachers returning, long-term subs need this
32 tutors eligible..
"full exposure is greater than the amount budgeted here" (by about $500,000)
O'Connell: hope that in the upturn in the economy could get employment
Allen: usually use health insurance savings to cover unemployment costs; cannot happen with tutors (as they don't get health insurance

Not recommending early retirement

Allen: "We pay in the long term for those retirements...long term impact negative"
Admin does not support early retirement at this time.
salary differential (between those leaving and those coming in) is smaller than it has been in the past and is completely negated by health insurance

City Auditor on actuarial benefits

Foley: increase in payments that are to our retirees?
What should we be aware of that's happening?
8% assumption on return, coming in much lower
Allen: the one account that seemed unclear to many, what the future looked like for the retirement account
"this is the assessment provided to us by the city...what the long-term projections would look like"
DelSignore: 2008 was a horrible year, it "could have increased 50%"
"assets moving" smoothing both gains and losses
anticipating investment income is going to be lower than it has been
formula based on when they were hire
"I wish I had good news for you, but I don't"
schedule comes out almost identical to last year, expect an 8% increase for this year (how much we have to make up)
28.25% of the City
"benefit increases have not gone on recently"
"we have one more year of smoothing to go...another $56 million to smooth out"
a couple of years of gains, another year of actuarial loss in 2011
whatever amount; over 8% or under 8%
Foley: is that 8% return a reasonable expectation?
DelSignore: city has always met its annual expectation
8% has historically been a reasonable number (not now)
others thought a discount rate of 4%; assessment rate would double
"should have faith in the markets"
problem with oversight agency; now has been resolved
alternative investments continue to do very well
"could already have been a lot worse if we didn't use assest smoothing"
$56 million to overcome...would have to earn 15% this year
probably going to increase 8% every year for awhile
impressed rating agencies were very impressed
stretched out the assessment, but you have to pay it sooner or later
"if the market recovers, does better, it won't"

City Auditor on unemployment benefits

Allen: reforms needed with regards to unemployment compensation
(this is in reference to a letter that was co-signed by our city auditor)

• retirees who come back as tutors (for example), are laid off, and collect unemployment
• teachers who are laid off and collect unemployment during summer months

DelSignore: reasonable expectation of being employed, cannot collect unemployment

those who work a 40 week year

report recently came out with suggested solutions

"it would help the city and the school side if those things were passed"

Foley argues that cafeteria workers are not full-year contracts

Allen: can receive their pay over the full year just as teachers 

Foley: anything in the report that we should be aware of?

Allen: don't know if anyone is filing this in the new session

Foley: add to our legislative agenda

task force taken after that

Colorio: any teeth to this?

Allen: not any time soon
DelSignore: not as much as used to be