Schools need more revenue to maintain services

School Superintendent Jeff Granatino informed the School Committee last week that just to maintain current staffing levels and all school programs for the next school year, the FY13 school budget would need an additional amount of $934,861.

The actual budget limit will be set in mid to late January by the town’s revenue committee, which consists of Town Administrator Bill Friel, Finance Director Jim Murgia, and a member of both the Board of Assessors and the Finance Committee.

The budget for municipal and school operations is set annually following a projection of new business development, local revenue, state aid, and Proposition 2 ½ tax limits.

The budget for the current school year is $30,440,970 and just to roll over all programs and staffing would require a budget of $31,375,839. In comparison to other fiscal years, the FY09 budget was $27.5 million, FY10 was $28.8 million, and FY11 was $30.5 million.

Granatino said the slightly lower budget in FY12 resulted in the reduction of nine total staffing positions, including teachers, support staff, and custodians, as well as fewer electives at CHS, larger class sizes, increased fees, crowded buses at certain levels, no cost of living adjustments for employees, and less supplies for students and staff.

Granatino said the level-services budget for next year adds no programs, staff, supplies or professional development, and addresses contractual obligations, a reduction of a federal Jobs Bill grant, and fewer non-resident tuitions.

He added that one of the goals of the next school budget is to maintain the district’s class size guidelines, which includes a limit of 15 students for Pre-K, 16-20 for kindergarten, 18-20 for grades 1-2, 20-24 for grades 3-5, and 22-24 for middle and high school.

The superintendent listed some measures taken to save money for the next school year. Among them were the creation of three new in-district special education programs that have allowed 17 students to return to Canton, saving an average of $50,000 per student in tuition and transportation costs. Granatino also expects energy savings through several capital projects as well as an initial lease payment for the construction of solar panels on school rooftops, which will bring in close to $25,00 in new revenue. An increase in building rental fees will also create additional revenue.

A preliminary budget will be submitted to the School Committee by January 27 and a public hearing on the budget will be held April 5. The annual town meeting, which approves all town budgets, begins April 30.

In other news:

* Granatino said any changes to the start time of any Canton public school will not be made this current school year or even early next year. Granatino said a review committee is now exploring the option and said such a move would impact the entire school system.

* The committee heard an enthusiastic report from the elementary and math specialists detailing the activities they have undertaken to improve student results. Making presentations to the committee were Stacy Mann, Erin Hagens, Amanda Walsh, Kim Seaver, Susan Brass, Kerri Falzone and Maryanne Biedermann.

Granatino said the specialists and elementary teachers are working on a unified reading and math curriculum for grades 3-5 at all three elementary schools. Weekly assessments are done for all students and additional help is given to students who need it. Granatino said this is the second year for the specialists. He said significant progress was seen from the Luce School MCAS result last year, and he expects continued improvement on elementary MCAS results from the work of the specialists and the unified reading and math curriculum.

* Granatino acknowledged various private donations to the schools, including $15,000 from MediTech for technology and instruction, and $3,000 from the Simoni Foundation for scholarships.

* School Resource Officer Chip Yeaton will begin instructing Galvin Middle School students on internet safety and cyber bullying.

* Granatino said that as a safety precaution, building inspector Ed Walsh and school maintenance workers will inspect all school buildings for wall structure integrity following the collapse of a wall at Marshfield High School just before the holiday recess. The wall collapse hurt one student.

* TEC, the Education Collaborative, has saved the Canton Public Schools at least $39,000 this year, including 18 percent on natural gas costs. Canton’s annual assessment for TEC is $24,270.

* The committee’s next meeting is Thursday, January 19, at 7 p.m. at CHS.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jan 11 2012. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.