“Parking lots are a terrible option, but there are options that are worse,” said Jennifer Erb-Downward, director of housing stability programs and policy initiatives for Poverty Solutions, a University of Michigan project to promote economic mobility.
These are on the way to South Station in Boston. Aren't they nice?
Statue of St. George slaying a dragon. Sainte-Georges, Quebec, Canada
As we've entered this school year, I've noticed as I keep an eye on things across the country that we have some reoccurring things that don't serve kids well that we can actually fix. Yes! These are things that are within our power! Here then are eight dragons to slay this back to school season:
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.
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
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.
How exactly is the "masks for the unvaccinated only" policy supposed to be implemented in secondary schools? Are you imagining an honor code system (which was such a failure when implemented nationally)? Are you under the impression that staff will have a record available to them of which students are vaccinated and which are not? Is the expectation that they then will individually tell students who are not vaccinated that they must wear masks, while not doing so for those who they have evidence are vaccinated? Will they have this list memorized for their over 100 students each? Who keeps track in the hallways? What is the consequence for a student who is unmasked who is unvaccinated in this scenario?
As all students are now required to come back full time and thus no spacing is possible (or even noted all that heavily in the guidance), how is lunch working? What about elementary student snacktime?
The guidance recommends continued student testing. Many districts have declined to participate due to how unmanageable the system is. What changes and additional supports has the state made to make the system more accessible to districts? Is the state dedicating funding to this for this school year?
For districts that are doing testing, the guidance imagines that districts will do a 'test and stay' policy for students who we know have been exposed to COVID. As we also know that tests aren't positive immediately upon exposure, and that those in that stage can still spread it, how exactly is this cutting down or even stopping the spread of the illness?
Obviously, students not attending school when they are sick is more important than ever. It is also clear that quarantine will still be necessary in some scenarios. How is the state adjusting a) remote learning options and b) attendance accountability status to reflect that students may well not attend school for appropriate health concerns?
What further efforts is the state making to get those who are ages 12 and up vaccinated? When can we expect DPH to require such a vaccination for school attendance?
What is the state doing to get staff vaccinated?
Will there be further guidance coming regarding sports, particularly those held indoors or requiring close contact among participants?
"It's a luxury to worry about these long-term, sort of abstract damages to these kids and their parents," Samaha said. "The risks are all around them — the risks of not going to high school, the risks of not making it into college, or the risks of of falling into kind of the street path that they'd seen other people around them fall into."
Football is their ticket out. But Samaha argues that America needs to reckon with the broader ethical implications of the sport.
"America's dual commitments to football and racial oppression have meant that the danger of the sport will increasingly fall on the shoulders of low income black and brown kids," Samaha said.
Read it alongside this piece from (former New England Patriot) Martellus Bennett about the dreams we allow Black boys:
Our dreams on the field or the court seemed to be the most important ones to those around us. So they became the most important dreams to us, as well. They were the only dreams that those around us made us believe in.
And in Alief, where I grew up — and in places where so many black boys like me grow up — we had to believe in something. In my neighborhood, more than one-third of adult residents don’t have high school diplomas; fewer than 20 percent of black men in the Houston area have college degrees. Nationwide, black students get expelled from school three times as often as white students. Half of all black men have been arrested at least once by age 23. No wonder dreaming up a way out feels so urgent.
Looks like a light agenda!
There is no report of the superintendent.
There are no reports of subcommittees.
There are a number of congratulations.
There is a request from Miss McCullough for a report on bus tracking; note that this has been raised before.
There is a request that the committee accept $305.00 from the Tri State Truck Center, Inc. to the South High Community School’s Diesel Technician Training Program for the cost of a bus for a field trip.
Mayor Petty is asking about soccer for the Main South high schools.
Ms. Colorio is requesting a report on online learning.
She is also asking how many teachers were on administrative leave.
Administration is asking that the following courses be approved (note that this will go to TLSS for consideration; right now there's no information on the courses):
English Composition & Literature I
The Development of Early Civilizations
Science Engineering & Technology I
Advanced Seminar (in what?)
There is also an executive session on (you guessed it!) PCBs, negotiations with the teachers, and a grievance from an HVAC employee.
OH! And note that the WPS Facebook page has moved and is now here.
The Worcester Crew Team (we have one for the city) Booster Club is running a pancake breakfast next Saturday morning, February 1, 9-11 am at St. George's Church on Brattle Street. As the invitation we received put it:
Proceeds from this event will support the Worcester Crew Booster Club for crew activities, including the purchasing of varsity jackets for the athletes that cannot afford them. The menu is as follows; all you can eat pancakes, juice, coffee, and any two slices of meat. Tickets will be $10 at the door; $5 for children under 10.
Crew is not an inexpensive sport, by any means, and it is due to the generosity of many, including the Booster Club, that they can stay on the water. If you can, please go support them!
We're hearing a citizen petition on coaching as it relates the teaching contract. Currently, teachers have first dibs, so to speak, on coaching jobs, without regard to level of coaching ability.
Referred to negotiations
The FY14 passed in budget session, as amended by yesterday's memo. That's a budget that:
dealt with a $3 million hit in federal cuts due to sequestration
hired an additional 30 (as of yesterday) teachers
added a significant number of options for our high school students largely language and arts
added middle school intramural sports
added sixth grade at Worcester East Middle per their innovation plan
added additional sports opportunities for high school girls
found a net $2 million saved on special education as students are brought back into the system
adds three nurses, meaning we now not only have nurses at every school; the big ones have two!
began the five year cycle on replacing all the district's computers
funded rental space for the Chandler Magnet kindergarten thus keeping them from classes of 30
added a year to the dual language immersion program
added a network technician the ones who keep the system online and technology clerical trainer who gets principals, secretaries, and teachers up to speed on things like online report cards
managed a very slim 1% increase in utilities
...plus all that you'd expect from a school system of 50 buildings, 44 schools, nearly 25,000 students, and 4000 employees.
My sympathies to my compatriots on the Wachusett School Committee on what I can only describe as a gruesome school committee meeting last night, that ended with cuts of over $1.2 million. What positions (because it will be positions) will be cut will be determined at their next meeting on Thursday. Proposed is cutting all library staff and fifteen teaching positions, plus an elementary principal, and a number of service cuts, including athletic transportation. The teaching cuts will result in some classes of 28.
We fought to bring down class sizes this year (and you'll have to hunt to find one as high as 28).
We have free, full-day kindergarten in every school in the district.
We're bringing back elementary librarians, and we have librarians in our middle and high schools.
Every elementary school has either a full-time or teaching assistant principal.
We added school nurses this year, so we're completely staffed (finally!) at the elementary level..
We've never gotten rid of art or music, and students across the district can get free instrument lessons in elementary schools.
We raised our student supply budget this year.
We offer (without charge) dual language immersion programs at three elementary schools in the city.
We expanded (again) the number of Advanced Placement courses we offer (and we don't charge for them).
We've added Mandarin Chinese to the high school, so kids who started in middle school can continue.
We've added to the engineering program at Doherty and the health sciences programs at North.
We offer a huge number of chances, places, connections to get kids into everything from the UMass Medical School to local colleges to local businesses for everything from college credits to work experience to internships.
...And this is a list literally off the top of my head.
I say none of this to run down our neighboring districts; we're a larger system, we have more options in some ways, and we get more of our support from the state.
At a time, though, when way too many decisions about who's doing "well" and who's not are made by this chart right here, it's useful to consider other ways we could be looking at what we're offering kids.
report on costs for crew: Biancheria
"We have said a number of times that there isn't a dollar amount that is attached...not a dollar amount to participate.."
"if we are looking at dollars that are much higher to be on the crew team than elsewhere, perhaps we need to look at this process"
School committee approved $87,000
out of state travel approved (this is a zero)
in state travel: $62,500
Allen comments that this is largely for in-city travel between schools by itinerant teachers
out-of-state travel is paid for grants or other sources
Day-by-day subs: O'Connell asks for recommended number of subs per day; is it funded enough?
Foley points out that this account is decreasing $35,000
passes as amended
Reconsidering the item regarding gym and sports:
kids will need four years of gym (four quarters) now
can use this outside/sports options for those four semesters
Monfredo: health
O'Connell: students using it "for increased rigor"
make sure the program has standards, goals, guidelines
Mullaney: support this, support even more now that requirement is spread out over four quarters over four years
Novick: concern of how this will be handled, monitored, additional work for guidance, coaches, gym teachers
things done in house that we believe are important
Foley: limited number of students who will take this
additional rigor, coursework
Biancheria: get an update in January
forms that will be completed by those doing this: asks for them in the Friday letter so that "we aren't piecemealing"
Salmonsen: "wonderful idea...in the competitive world of valedictorian..." students who have to take PE or don't have to take PE, and how that figures into GPA
suggests morning calisthenics
Trobaugh: question on district or state policy
(this includes both the question of kindergarten age and the sports counting as gym items)
several motions coming out asking for information and funding formula changes on the kindergarten item, including a request that preschool be included in state funding, and that teachers have conversations in April with parents about potential holdbacks
report coming back in December
