by Frank Schroth
The School Committee voted on a FY2015 budget at their meeting last Monday and presented it to the Warrant Committee Thursday. The FY15 budget weighs in at $39,674,142, an increase of $2,107,591 over FY14. Assistant Superintendent John Phelan presented the budget and explained the reasons for the increase.
Phelan recapped the previous year’s request which included funding of $515,000 for the first year of a 3 year Advancement Initiative. The initiative targets three goals: to enhance early literacy, increase focus on Science and STEM for all students, and close the proficiency gap between certain sub-groups and the general student body.
He reviewed use of funds to date which include but were not limited to hiring of reading specialists, a media specialist, science coordinator, purchasing curriculum materials and professional development . He also identified the impact the spending has had (e.g. hands on science materials at all 3 grades of middle school impacted 900 students, professional development for Pierce staff on new materials, instructional practices and assessment). Data regarding actual achievement and what impact the spending has had on that is not yet available as MCAS testing has not yet taken place.
Phelan cited the most MCAS data in part to support the school’s belief that the goals of the Advancement Initiative were still valid. For example, 60% of African American students scored below proficient in Science according to 2013 MCAS data. He went through similar data points to support the need for continued focus on early literacy and STEM.
The FY15 budget request includes the Advancement Budget 2.0 initiatives and contractual obligations (e.g. spec ed services, negotiated and anticipated agreements with union and non-union employees, and technology costs). The advancement portion of the budget request is $538K:
- $191K for new positions (Literacy specialist, Parent Liaison, Digital Coordinator [half time] and Data specialist [half time} and
- $347K for professional development, extended day programs, and curriculum materials
The total increase including the advancement initiative is $2,107,591. Phelan pointed out that $500,000 of that is in one time expenditure requests for such items as professional development and curriculum materials.
The discussion with the warrant committee on the budget number will be covered in a future post.
so one way to look at this , is that the proposed FY 15 budget is approx. a 5.5% increase over FY 2014. Given that we can only raise our levy by 2 .5 % every year( predictable) plus new growth ( unpredictable) to fund our entire Town budget, the numbers don’t make sense.
I wish the WC good luck with this issue. Does the School committee have any thoughts on where to cut other departmental budgets to make up for the shortfall or is an override Plan A. My sense is that they better start discussing a Plan B.