School Department budget projection is growing, special education costs unpredictable
Published on February 13th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - Things tend to worsen before they get better, and so it is in the case of the School Department’s fiscal 2003 budget.
Last month, School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly presented draft one of that budget to the School Committee. Draft one called for $21,646,847 to fund the existing level of service in the schools. That figure was well above the projected five percent increase the town would likely be able to afford, according to Town Administrator David Berry and Finance Board Chairman Richard Gregorio back in December.
Nothing has happened to change that forecast, Connelly told the School Committee last Thursday night.
“In fact, it’s gotten more bleak,” he said.
Last week, Connelly said that the draft one budget would have to go even higher, to $21,800,711, in order to accommodate increases in special education costs. Those costs cannot be ignored since the state mandates the programs to be provided to special education students. Director of Pupil Personnel Bob McArdle told the Committee that not funding the increases to the pertinent state mandated programs would necessitate outsourcing some services - a more expensive proposition.
School Committee member David Sheils supported including the increased SPED costs into the budget draft stating that to not do so would be “only turning a blind eye to another piece of the problem.”
Committee member Dan Moynihan agreed, putting it another way. If the committee voted in favor of incorporating the $153,864 in additional SPED costs, it would save up to $300,000 that would otherwise have to be spent to find the programs elsewhere.
“We’re limiting the expense by implementing the $153,000,” Moynihan said.
The School Committee voted unanimously in favor of the draft one budget which now reflects a 7.99 percent increase over the current year. While cuts to the budget are likely, just how deep depends on town budget figures expected from the TA this week.
“I think it’s important to show the town what level of funding we need to maintain the existing level of service, and if we can’t get that funding... at least we’ll know what we need to maintain that level and what we’ll have to cut to fund a budget that the town can afford,” Connelly said.
“I want to make if very, very clear,” he continued, “that we’re not saying this is our final budget. ... As responsible officers of the town, you’ll look at the town’s ability to fund the budget, and we’ll do what we have to do in subsequent meetings.”
Committee members are holding budget review meetings with department heads and keeping a watch on cost savings. And Vice Chairman Jeanne Craigie encouraged members to also consider revenue increases.
Connelly advised that one such area being reviewed is the user fee busing program.
This program was initiated several years ago when budget limitations forced the School Committee to consider discontinuing bus service altogether until the Board of Selectmen came up with money to cover a portion of the costs. The user fee program was initiated with parents funding the other half.
Buses were on the road again in October of that year, and since then, Connelly said, the program has been successful. In subsequent years, parents continued to fund 50 percent of the program with the school budget picking up the other half.
The fee structure has not changed in four years. But bus costs are expected to rise significantly for next year, and user fees likely will too.
Connelly presented possibilities for raising fees, including implementing a nonrefundable registration fee. Other fee structures were also presented with varying charges for the first, second and third or more riders from each family. The fee structures reflected a continued 50/50 split of busing costs. That too could change if the schools are made to increase the budget by only five percent. And there is always the possibility of the schools not being able to fund the service at all
Craigie’s term will be over by the time a final budget is presented to the town, but she remains committed to working on this budget.
“It’s always been my position - you cut the furthest thing away from the classroom,” Craigie said.
“That may be the task at hand,” Connelly said, pointing out that the difference between a 7.99 and a five percent budget increase is about $600,000.
But Chairman Marie Christie argued that discontinuing the busing program did not make sense amidst a school building program and students traveling from various ends of town to reach school.
“Last year, we were pushing busing to alleviate traffic. This year we’re going to dismantle busing? I have a problem with that,” Christie said.
Committee members agreed that it was premature to make any decisions about the program or fee structure until the town budget figures are presented.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!