Superintendent Doug White opted to wait until the Mattapoisett School Committee’s March 12 public hearing before laying out the specifics of the proposed FY 2013 budget for the town’s two elementary schools. He said ongoing talks with town officials – the result of which could lead to multiple scenarios – precludes him from going into too much detail.
“We don’t want to lay out scenarios until we are clear with what that would mean,” Mr. White said. “It gets people anxious before they need to be”.
However, some general information was provided, including that the budget subcommittee is so far proposing to increase the budget $130,250 over last year’s levels. This increase incorporates teacher contract agreement increases, rising participation in vocational/technical schools for Mattapoisett students (which comes out of the town’s elementary school budget), more supplies and ELA/Science materials, special education increased costs, and support for a new District Technology Director. The budget would not replace a retiring teacher although no other layoffs are in the preliminary estimates.
“We are no longer receiving Ed job [federal] dollars in this budget. $41,557 had supported a teacher in this past year’s budget,” Mr. White said. State funds also will remain the same as last year under Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget.
For now, the superintendent said that he is working with town officials who have asked the schools to prepare a budget with no increases – thus $130,250 less than what they are hoping for at this point.
If these reductions are fully required, “we’d need to make tough decisions that impact class sizes and programs,” he said, but adding “we are working with the town to provide the high level of educational services we have all come to expect.”
According to Chairperson Gracinda Knox, preliminary data is showing that Mattapoisett likely is better off than its Tri-Town counterparts – Mattapoisett and Rochester – which are both facing extensive budget cuts.
“We are in a terrific position compared to our sister schools,” she said. “We’re in a very good space.”
In other topics brought up at the meeting, Ms. Knox and Mr. White noted the recent developments on the federal level to exempt Massachusetts from certain No Child Left Behind provisions. Massachusetts schools will have until 2017, not 2014, to bring everyone into the proficient level for math and science.
“We’ll have a few years to work on this, and develop strategies and guidance,” Mr. White said.
Also, the schools will not have to earmark certain Title I and II monies toward No Child Left Behind.
“I’m very excited about that,” commented Director of Curriculum and Instruction Elise Frangos, noting that mingling the money into “one pot” will have “collective power” to improve student programs and services.
In a related conversation on freeing up more revenue for the town, committee member Charles Motta suggested that Mattapoisett lease out its school rooms for Wood School’s Fairhaven students displaced during the upcoming building of a new school.
“This could be a source of income,” Mr. Motta said.
In other business, the committee appointed Mr. Motta to work with Ray Andrews on storing clock mechanisms as the Center School Clock Tower undergoes restoration.
Also, Gerald Johnson was appointed to a new Special Education Subcommittee established at the Joint School Committee last month to investigate special education funding mechanisms.
Currently the Tri-Town elementary schools shoulder all out-of-district costs for special education for students from 2.5 to 22 years old. The committee is looking into spreading out the costs regionally so it is less of a squeeze on the elementary schools.
“It’s just a conversation at this point in time. It’s an ability to look at how we are doing business and whether we are using best practices,” said Superintendent White, adding that any changes in special education funding practices would require town meeting approval with two-thirds majority vote.
“There is a lot of discussion to take place before any action,” he said.
By Laura Fedak Pedulli