[CabotCommunity] Override and Allocation School Budget Information

[marykathf at aol.com]

TO:                 Cabot Community

FROM:            Sue Covitz, Sarah Ecker and Isabelle Thacker, PTO Political Issues Co-chairs

DATE:            January  31, 2008

RE:                  OVERRIDE AND ALLOCATION SCHOOL BUDGETS 

 

 

The budget process is here, and it’s complicated this year.  Superintendent Young has presented two budgets to the School Committee for next year.  The override budget is the proposed budget that would be in place if the citizens of Newton vote to approve an override this May.  The allocation budget is the proposed budget that would be in place if the citizens of Newton vote against an override in May.

 

To give some context to the latest budget proposals, it is helpful to remember what happened last year. Last March, the School Committee directed Superintendent Young to prepare a budget that restored some (but not all) of the cuts made in previous years.  Mayor Cohen then gave the school department the additional funds to cover this comprehensive budget.  The direct benefits that your children see at Cabot this year from this budget are many.  The average class size for the school is 20 students.  The separate recorder program is back for 3rd graders.  The art, music, library and PE programs were not reduced.  The modular classrooms’ needs (teachers, supplies, furniture) were funded.  There is a full time literacy specialist at Cabot.

 

In order to maintain most of the services presently in our schools, the school budget for next year needs to increase by $11.5 million.  That would cover the costs of contractual obligations, enrollment related increases and fixed and mandated costs.  Those three items are being called maintenance of effort.

 

In addition, in order to make some improvements and restorations to our current budget, the budget for next year needs to increase by a further $2.4 million.  The improvements and restorations in the override budget call for increasing funding for: the per pupil allocation, elementary school staffing, PE, health and wellness, curriculum and instruction, secondary education, pupil services, regular education transportation and benefits to cover the increased staff.

 

To continue the ongoing initiatives put into place this year would cost an additional $2.4 million.  The ongoing initiatives are: the middle school BRIM initiative, mathematics initiative, technology initiative, building maintenance initiative and benefits for increased staff.  If the override budget passes, Cabot is one of the schools that has been chosen to receive a full time mathematics coach.  A mathematics coach is similar to a literacy specialist for math.

 

If the citizens of Newton do not approve the override this spring, there will be huge cuts in the school department budget. In the maintenance of effort category alone, over 100 positions will be eliminated.  All the improvements and restorations will be eliminated, except one additional school bus and ELL translations.  All of the ongoing initiatives will be eliminated.   

 

For the elementary schools, this means:

•increased class size

•reduction in specialist teachers (art, music, PE and library)

•elimination of all existing math coach positions 

•elimination of curriculum specialist

•50% reduction in literacy specialists (this means each literacy specialist will cover two schools)

• elimination of 22.5 FTE literacy aids 

• reduction in social workers; and 

• reduction in support staff.

 

 

To see all the budget details, go to:

http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/FY09_Override_Budget_01_14_08.pdf

 

http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/fy09_allocation_budget.pdf 

 

The public hearing on the budgets is on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 7:00 pm at Day Middle School.

To see a schedule of the budget hearings go to:

http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/schedule_09_budget_mtgs.pdf 

 

The budget process is not going to be fun to watch this year.  As citizens of Newton, as parents and guardians, we urge you to get involved in this process and consider what type of education you want for your children in the Newton Public Schools. 



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