Reducing the FY17 Preliminary Budget Presentation Series for FY17 Budget #6 School Committee Meeting April 26, 2016 Educational Support Center PDC 7:00 pm

Task Reduce the FY17 Preliminary Budget of $36,588,641 by $3,500,000, including an Override of $1,000,000. The following presentation proposes $2.5m in budget reductions and includes another $1m in expenses to be included in the Override. If the Override vote or election ballot vote fails in more than 1 member town, it is expected that the items listed in the Override would be eliminated from FY17’s spending plan and additional reductions would be necessary to cover unemployment costs.

Approach to Reductions The FY17 Preliminary Budget was reviewed in total, by program, and by cost center. Proposed reductions will be presented in a similar format. Some of the data used in making decisions include:  District Strategic Plan  District & School Improvement Plans  Student demographics, enrollment & class size  Time on Learning  Student achievement success

More data used in decision making  Special Education programs  High School Program of Studies (Electives)  High School preliminary course enrollments  Contractual obligations  Attrition & future retirement patterns  Technology infrastructure, hardware & software  Health Services  Substitute use  Athletic participation

Areas for Proposed Reduction  Requested Positions  Open Positions / Current Staffing Pattern  Special Education  Discretionary Spending  Athletics  Student Activities  Plant & Facilities  Technology  Elementary Intervention  Elementary Specials (Art, Music, PE & Media)  Transportation

Requested Positions There are 18.5 fte requested positions budgeted at $1,086,608 in the preliminary budget. After review, it is proposed that the following positions should remain in the FY17 budget at the amount listed:  Assistant Principal duties, Ruggles Lane - $0 (reorganization)  Secretary, High School - $30,845

Requested Positions - Effect Positions requested18.5 fte$1,086,608 Positions remain1.0 fte$ 30,845 Amount of Reduction17.5 fte$1,055,763

Open Positions There are 12.7 fte open positions budgeted at $631,942 in the preliminary budget. After review, it is proposed that the following positions should remain in the FY17 budget at the amount listed:  Special Education Teacher, High School - $62,977  Speech & Language, New Braintree - $62,977  Elementary Teachers (2.0), Hubbardston - $125,954

Open Positions/Current Staffing It is proposed that a number of open positions in the preliminary budget should be filled internally by a Reduction in Force in other areas:  Copy Center – reassign duties of current employee  Elementary PE – filled by RIF  Kindergarten Teacher, Ruggles, - filled by RIF  School Nurse, Hubbardston – filled by RIF

Open Positions-Current Staffing - Effect Open Positions12.7 fte$634,942 Positions to be filled 4.0 fte$251,908 Positions filled by RIF 5.0 fte$219,909 Reduction in Force 3.7 fte $163,125 Amount of Reduction8.7 fte$383,034

Current Staffing Pattern After review, due to declining enrollment, projected high school course enrollment and projected class size, a Reduction in Force is proposed as follows: 1.0 HS Math Teacher - $78, HS English Teacher - $51, HS Social Studies Teacher - $53, HS Science Teacher - $0 (already included in Open Positions)

Current Staffing Pattern After review, it is proposed that the World Language (Chinese) Program at the High School be eliminated due to course enrollment. A Reduction in Force is as follows:  1.0 World Language (Chinese) Teacher - $63,311

Current Staffing-Effect After review, it is proposed that the Elementary music lessons be eliminated. A Reduction in Force is as follows:  1.0 Music Teacher - $80,201

Current Staffing Pattern - Effect Reduction in Force 6.0 fte$327,888 (2.0 position costs already included Requested & Open Positions reductions) Amount of Reduction 6.0 fte$327,888 Estimated Unemployment - $ 86,400 Budget Reduction$241,488

Special Education After review, it has been determined that the best course of action is to combine the elementary Autism Programs and use funding to create a program at the Middle School, saving $144,000 in New England Center for Children costs and $24,334 in paraprofessional costs. The March reporting of Special Education expenditures to DESE indicates that the district will receive an additional $44,000 in Circuit Breaker Reimbursement, which can be used to offset FY17 expenses. Amount of Reduction$212,334

Discretionary Spending Middle School $11,590 High School$38,450 Ruggles Lane$13,171 Hardwick$ 6,235 Hubbardston$28,176 New Braintree$ 2,222 Oakham$ 2,660 Amount of Reduction $102,504

Athletics After review, it is proposed to eliminate all Middle School athletic programs. Transportation is 2 nd to Coaching Salaries in costs in Athletics ($100,940 & $147,570, respectively). With both boys and girls teams travelling together, eliminating at the middle school level rather than the JV level, where JV and Varsity teams travel together, makes more sense. The district will request MIAA to allow the opportunity for 8 th grade students to be eligible to play at the high school level. The Director and Trainer would remain at 1.0 in this scenario. Amount of Reduction$65,606

Student Activities During the budget reduction process, the funding of stipends who accompany students to Nature’s Classroom was cut. Principals had hoped to reinstate that funding. It is proposed to not reinstate the funding of stipends but continue to include that expense of the trip in fundraising activities. Amount of Reduction$9,250

Elementary Substitutes After further discussion, it is believed that students would benefit from a more consistent substitute teaching opportunity. Two permanent substitutes, who are licensed elementary teachers, will be hired to be shared amongst the elementary schools. The preliminary budget included both the costs of daily substitutes and the cost of hiring 2.0 permanent elementary substitutes. Amount of Reduction$45,000

Plant & Facilities After review of the status of the current year’s budget and discussion about the use of the Athletic Revolving account to fund some projects, the following is proposed: Use Athletic Revolving to replace the Middle School bleachers ($65,000). Reduce P&F expenses by $220,441. Amount of Reduction$285,441

Technology After review, it has been decided that certain instructional software will no longer be use; it is proposed to reduce the Technology budget as follows:  Building Technology$21,039  Classroom Instructional Technology$92,380  District-wide Technology$11,487  Media Center Technology$ 700 Amount of Reduction $125,606

Total of “$2.5m” Reductions

The Override

Elementary Intervention It is proposed to fund the following program contained in the preliminary budget contingent upon a Proposition 2 ½ Override: Elementary Intervention Program: To allow full funding of Intervention Specialists and Tutors. Amount $155,141 Estimated Unemployment$ 57,600

Elementary Specials It is proposed to fund the following programs contained in the preliminary budget contingent upon a Proposition 2 ½ Override: Elementary Art, General Music, PE and Media: Elimination would require a change in starting time for students in all elementary schools. Additional “wait time” for busing could cost between $122,400 - $151,200, which would be offset by a bus reduction in Hubbardston of $61,020. Additional busing costs would reduce savings from program reduction, in year one.

Elementary Art To allow full funding of Elementary Art positions: Amount 1.9 fte$120,550

Elementary Music To allow full funding of Elementary Music positions: Amount3.0 fte$211,314

Elementary PE To allow full funding of Elementary PE positions: Amount4.0 fte$316,844

Elementary Media To allow full funding of Elementary Media positions: Amount2.0 fte$145,147 Amount10.9 fte $793,855 Elementary Totals

Student Activities It is proposed to fund the following stipends contained in the preliminary budget contingent upon a Proposition 2 ½ Override: Middle and High School Student Activity Advisor Stipends, other than high school class advisors: Amount$51,004

Total for Override  Elementary Intervention$155,141  Elementary Specials$793,855  MHS Student Activities$ 51,004 Amount for Override$1,000,000

Disclaimer If the Proposition 2 ½ Override fails and further reductions resulting in programmatic loss are necessary, reducing force creates an opportunity for teachers to “bump” teachers with less seniority in other areas of the district, based on licensure. Until the final staffing transfers are known, the exact cost of a reduction in force can not accurately be calculated. Cost reductions are estimated.

If the Override fails  Positions and items to be funded by the Override must be cut. Unemployment would most likely be paid on most positions cut.  Estimated Unemployment = $386,465  Additional Reduction Proposal:  Elementary Buses (3)$ 91,530  High School Athletics $294,935 (total high school program w/Director and Trainer = $421,386)

School Committee direction for Thursday