Published in the March 9, 2017 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

NORTH READING — On Monday, Finance Director Michael Connelly unveiled the preliminary school budget for fiscal year 2018, totaling $29,984,968.

The proposed spending plan for the school system represents a 5 percent increase ($1,438,826) over the current fiscal year budget of $28,546,142.

The current school budget gap is between $690,427 and $875,215, depending on whether the School Committee adopts a 5 percent modified level services budget or a 4.4 percent level services budget.

As part of the FY’18 budget development process, Connelly said school officials debated three different proposals. In addition to the 4.4 percent and 5 percent school budget increases, he said a third proposal representing a 7.5 percent budget increase was discussed. He said this proposal would have addressed a number of priorities such as expanding the district’s foreign language program and hiring another custodian.

Connelly said budgetary constraints prevented the 7.5 percent proposal from moving forward.

Kindergarten positions

Connelly said the school department needs 2.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, totaling $123,576, as part of a 4.4 percent level services budget.

The Batchelder School has requested a 1.0 FTE full day kindergarten teacher equaling $63,720. The Batchelder School is also requesting a 1.0 FTE full day kindergarten paraprofessional equaling $27,996. Connelly explained that the full day kindergarten teacher and paraprofessional are needed because kindergarten enrollment for next year is higher than originally projected.

“The full day kindergarten enrollment for next year is higher than this year,” said Connelly. “We have a commitment that we would provide full day kindergarten to anybody who wants it, but it would require additional staffing. We have to add a third full day kindergarten section to accommodate enrollment.”

Connelly said the third section of full day kindergarten will ensure each class has between 18-22 students. If the school department does not add a third section of full day kindergarten, he said there will be “as many as 25 or 26 students in a kindergarten class.”

Additionally, the Little School is requesting a .50 FTE half-day kindergarten teacher for $31,860. In an email sent to the Transcript, Connelly said the Little School’s half day kindergarten teacher request was “driven by the kindergarten enrollment numbers next year.”

“The full day kindergarten enrollment and half day enrollment next year at the Little School warrants adding a .50 FTE half day kindergarten teacher to ensure enrollment does not exceed between 18-22 students per class,” said Connelly in an email. “If we were to run a hybrid model like we did this year, with a combined full and half day program, there would be 25 students in a class for half the day.”

School Committee member Mel Webster stressed the kindergarten positions are necessary in order to provide level services.

“People keep misunderstanding what level services means,” said Webster. “If we have 40 people who want full day kindergarten for their children, that means we need two full day kindergarten teachers and two paraprofessionals. If next year we have 80 people who want full day kindergarten, then we need four kindergarten teachers and four paraprofessionals. It’s double the amount, but it’s still level services.”

Webster said having kindergarten classes with 25 or more students is “not educationally sound.”

NRPS 2021 positions

In addition to the three kindergarten positions, the school department is requesting 2.9 FTE positions as part of the school system’s NRPS 2021 strategic plan. These positions are included in the 5 percent modified level services budget, totaling $184,788.

Connelly said North Reading High School is requesting a 1.0 FTE academic teacher totaling $63,720. He said the academic teacher would address large classes at NRHS.

“Seventy-four classes in core academic subjects have 24 or more students,” Connelly said about the need for the high school teacher position.

The elementary schools are requesting a 1.0 FTE team chairperson for $63,720. “This position would provide additional support to elementary students who have special needs,” said Connelly.

The Batchelder School is requesting a 0.4 school psychologist at $25,488. Connelly said the psychologist would help meet students’ social emotional needs.

The Little School is requesting a 0.5 reading teacher for $31,860. Connelly said this reading teacher would be working with students who need additional support.

Budget challenges

There are a number of budget challenges facing the school department this year, Connelly said. He noted that state aid is “flat” next year as Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposed state budget would increase the town’s Chapter 70 education aid allotment by just over $48,000, which equals an additional $20 per student.

“State aid is not increasing to the level of inflation,” said Connelly.

According to Connelly, the town has constrained local revenue as property taxes are “capped at 2.5 percent.” He also said fixed costs are increasing, particularly health insurance, adding there are limited school revenue offsets available as most of the grants the school system receives are “fixed and flat.”

Connelly said the school department needs to meet its contractual obligations in FY’18 as teachers are scheduled to receive a 3 percent cost of living increase next year.

“Salaries represent 83.4 percent of our budget,” said Connelly.

Class size, 2021 strategic plan remain priorities

The proposed school budget for FY’18 seeks to accomplish several objectives established by school officials, according to Connelly, who noted that the school department wants to maintain small classes. He also said school officials want to implement the second year of the NRPS 2021 strategic plan.

Additional priorities of school officials are ensuring that school facilities are properly maintained and restoring expense budgets for each school. “Expense budgets are primarily used to purchase instructional materials and supplies for each school,” said Connelly. “Unfortunately, they have been level funded or reduced the last few fiscal years.”

Budget drivers

There are several budget drivers in FY’18, according to Connelly. In addition to meeting the school system’s contractual obligations and implementing NRPS 2021, he said the school department’s operational costs are increasing in FY’18.

“The district has many fixed cost increases, which has been a challenge with developing the fiscal year 2018 budget,” he said.

Connelly said maintenance costs are increasing next year, which he attributed to the secondary schools campus. These cost increases are related to HVAC maintenance, landscaping, plumbing, boiler maintenance, security camera maintenance, elevator inspection services and costs associated with operating the wastewater treatment plant at the secondary schools.

“We feel strongly that the district take the proper steps to make sure the appropriate preventative maintenance measures are in place,” said Connelly.

Transportation and utility costs are increasing next year as well. While Connelly said special education out-of-district tuition and transportation costs are “very difficult to predict,” continuing to offer in-district special education programs is critical to meeting students’ needs.

Foreign language overlooked in budget

Webster expressed his disappointed that the school department did not include any foreign language teachers in the proposed FY’18 school budget. The School Committee has been looking to expand the school system’s foreign language program, particularly at the middle school.

“I am disappointed we are not addressing the foreign language program at all,” said Webster. “I know we have budget restrictions, but I am hoping we can switch out some of the new positions I don’t quite understand.”

School Committee Vice Chairman Jerry Venezia said the school board could revisit the matter at the budget workshop.

“We could make some priority decisions or try to go with additional funding,” said Venezia.

Up next: Budget workshop, public hearing

Connelly said the School Committee has scheduled a budget workshop on Thursday, March 23. The school board will hold a public hearing on the FY’18 school budget on Monday, April 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

According to Connelly, the school budget will be presented to the Finance Committee on Wednesday, April 26. The School Committee is schedule to approve the FY’18 school budget on Monday, May 1. Voters at June Town Meeting will be asked to approve the FY’18 school budget on Monday, June 5.

Connelly said school officials will continue collaborating with the Finance Planning Team throughout the budget process.