Hamden Public Schools Superintendents Recommended Budget Jody Goeler, Superintendent of Schools Christopher Melillo, Assistant Superintendent Michael Belden, Chief Operating Officer January 26, 2016 Dear Board of Education Members: It is my privilege to submit the Superintendents proposed budget. As an advocate for the educational needs of our children, I have done my best to acknowledge our continued fiscal challenges while seeking to move Hamden Public Schools forward. I am proposing a 3.58% increase over last years budget, which is almost entirely comprised of contractual obligations and program modifications to meet special education needs. In recent history, Hamden Public Schools has been operating with budgets significantly below the level needed to maintain non-discretionary accounts. In the past five years, our operating budget increases have been minimal, ranging from.99%, to 1.8%. My budget proposal seeks to balance a significant reduction in staff in response to declining enrollment, while adding dollars to shore up underfunded non-discretionary accounts and meet the needs of an increasingly wide range of learners. The budget proposal includes reallocation of staff to support curriculum initiatives essential to our districts commitment to providing all students the opportunity to succeed beyond high school. Grant funds are used to supplement the budget whenever possible. Since the recession of 2008, the budget allotted to our public schools has not kept up with salaries and other non- discretionary increases. Despite reducing staff and curbing costs in the current fiscal year, we continue to operate with a highly stressed budget, forced to use grant funds for operational expenses rather than using these funds for programs specifically targeting our under-performing students, as intended. We embrace the opportunity to ensure Hamden Public Schools becomes an educational leader in ensuring all students achieve their highest potential. The administration looks forward to responding to questions from the Board of Education and the public as we complete the budget process. Sincerely, Jody Ian Goeler Adam Sendroff, Chairperson Hamden Public Schools Board of Education Members Lynn Campo Christopher Daur, Secretary John Keegan Vic Mitchell Arturo Perez-Cabella Melinda Saller Christopher Vega Kathleen Wolak Sara Courtemanche & Aaron Garner, Student Representatives Provide challenging, high quality learning experiences and supports so that all students develop skills, attitudes and practices for academic and life-long success 1.Make available quality early childhood learning experiences for all of Hamdens young children 2.Implement curriculum and teaching practices to encourage the development of students critical thinking skills 3.Identify students with academic, attendance and social-emotional challenges and provide targeted supports to increase their success 4.Strengthen parent and community engagement in meaningful ways to improve student achievement 5.Create ongoing learning and career advancement opportunities to develop leadership capacity for all HPS staff District Goals The budget has been created based on attaining our district goals Enrollment Although our enrollment has decreased, our needs have increased YearTotal Enrollment Free/ Reduced ELLSpec. Ed. # of students # of students % of students # of students % of students # of students % of students %2514%72512% %2735%87816% Change %+22+1%+153+4% Budget History Adopted BudgetAmount% Increase $78,336, % $79,115, % $80,300, % $81,400, % $81,650, %* $83,120, %** * $625,000 for CMERS moved to Town budget $300,000 moved from operating to capital budget ** $685,976 moved from operating to capital budget Budget Proposal Proposed Budget$86,093, % increase Discretionary Increase $150, % Non-Discretionary Increase$2,822, % Total Proposed Increase$2,973, % Proposed Budget Reflects Realigning Accounts Based on Actual Costs Provide Sufficient Funding for: Employee Salaries (includes RIFs) Utilities Transportation Contracts Special Education Professional Services Substitute Costs Instructional and Non-Instructional Software Instructional and Non-Instructional Equipment Mandated Extended-School-Year Services (funded through student activities account) Budget Drivers Proposed Increase Distribution Total Proposed Increase $2,973,051 Overall Position Cuts 13.6 teaching positions 3 paraprofessional positions 3 tutors 1 school climate advisor Overall savings of $754,773 Reallocating Staff - Elementary Certified Staff 12 teachers 7 classroom teachers preK-6 3 data facilitators/SRBI interventionists 2 special education teachers Certified Staff 8.4 positions 1 classroom teacher 1 administrative intern 4 special ed. IIC teachers 2 speech & lang. pathologists.4 FTE school psychologist Non-Certified Staff 6 building paraprofessionals 4 special education paraprofessionals 1 preschool paraprofessional Non-Certified Staff 8 IIC paraprofessionals 1 special ed. paraprofessional ReductionsAdditions Reallocating Staff HMS & HHS HMS Certified Staff 2 teachers (family & consumer science) 1 data facilitator (stipend only) HMS Certified Staff 1 special ed. self-contained teacher HMS Non-Certified Staff None HMS Non-Certified Staff 1 special ed. paraprofessional HHS Certified Staff 6 teachers at high school 5 classroom teachers 1 data facilitator/SRBI interventionist HHS Certified Staff None HHS Non-Certified Staff 3 special education tutors HHS Non-Certified Staff None ReductionsAdditions Reallocating Staff HCLC & District HCLC Certified Staff 2 teachers 1 world language 1 special education HCLC Certified Staff None HCLC Non-Certified Staff 2 paraprofessionals 1 school climate advisor HCLC Non-Certified Staff None District Certified Staff 1 behavior specialist District Certified Staff None District Non-Certified Staff None District Non-Certified Staff None Reductions Additions Strategic Savings Enhanced controls to increase substitute usage efficiencies Adding internal capacity for special education services to reduce the number of costly out-of-district placements Continued Energy Cost Savings (fuel cell, solar panels) Reallocation of staff Strategic Programmatic Changes 7 th grade project-based alternative program 9 th grade project-based alternative program HCLC changing from grades 7-12 to Additional IIC classrooms at the elementary level Restructured special education services at HHS Leadership opportunity at elementary level World language in grade 6 8 th grade research/technology class Expanded STEM offerings New research-centered courses at HHS Strategic Programmatic Changes 7 th Grade Project-Based Alternative Program New team created to serve at-risk 7 th grade students. The program will be modeled after the current 8 th grade Navigator program and will provide relevant, hands-on learning experiences around a specific focus: Eliminates one 7 th grade team; reallocates existing staff Provides an instructional program with curriculum centered on a specific focus Provides social/emotional and behavioral supports Includes off-campus experiences connected to learning Serves up to 25 students Strategic Programmatic Changes 9 th Grade Project-Based Alternative Program New program created to serve at-risk 9 th grade students. The program will be modeled after the current 8 th grade Navigator program and will provide relevant, hands-on learning experiences around a central theme: Reallocates existing staff Students learn in small classes targeting individual educational, emotional and behavioral needs. Weekly group support sessions with social worker Specific central theme and curriculum to be determined Community connections including volunteer and work experience Will begin serving approximately 40 students Strategic Programmatic Changes HCLC Changing to Grades HCLC will be restructured to provide a more appropriate learning environment for students with a greater focus on life skills, career pathways, and social/emotional/behavioral needs: Students in grades 7 and 8 who would have been at HCLC will now attend HMS. Students in grade 9 who would have been at HCLC will now attend HHS. More HCLC students will take some of their classes at HHS. Students will be encouraged to participate in internships and work experiences. Strategic Programmatic Changes Additional IIC Classrooms Four new kindergarten IIC classes are needed to accommodate students moving up from Alice Peck. Two of these classes include students with autism. Students needs require an additional speech and language pathologist. Strategic Programmatic Changes Restructured Special Ed. Services at HHS Existing special education services are being restructured to provide more targeted instruction to address students individual needs: Greater focus on literacy and numeracy instruction Resource rooms will be utilized to address IEP goals vs. work completion. Reallocate existing special education staff from a co-taught model in order to allow for additional resource classes (translating to smaller class sizes). Reallocate classified staff from the former larger resource classes to previously co-taught content classes. Strategic Programmatic Changes New Leadership Opportunity at Elementary Level Currently no formal opportunities exist for elementary teachers to develop leadership skills. The addition of an administrative intern will provide one educator per year an opportunity to work in our elementary schools, assisting building principals. Interested teachers will apply for the administrative intern opportunity. The position is a one-year appointment. The next year the teacher returns to an elementary teaching assignment. The intern provides much needed assistance to principals. The position requires funding of one teacher. Strategic Programmatic Changes World Language in Grade 6 In most districts, world language instruction begins by middle school, and most middle schools are comprised of grades 6, 7 and 8: The new program will be taught by current world language teachers. Resources/materials will be purchased with textbook funds. Research shows that students are more successful at learning a second language the earlier they begin. Strategic Programmatic Changes Research/Technology Class at HMS Course content includes media, research, technology and study skills essential for todays students: All eighth grade students will take this new class as part of the Life Skills semester-long cycle (with financial literacy and global voices writing classes). Uses existing staff (library media specialist) Strategic Programmatic Changes Expanded STEM Offerings Increased opportunities for high school students to gain career and/or advanced skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM): Phlebotomy program (in conjunction with ConnCAT, funded through Alliance Grant) Continue to grow our engineering program with additional course (funded through Alliance Grant) Addition of computer programming course (existing staff) Additional higher-level math courses (existing staff): Discrete Mathematics Accelerated Algebra I/Geometry Accelerated Algebra II/Pre-Calculus Strategic Programmatic Changes New Research-Centered Courses at HHS HHS will offer students three new opportunities to develop skills that increase success during and after high school: New freshman semester course focusing on research skills, study skills and career exploration New senior research seminar will enable students to conduct successful, independent and rigorous research expected at the college level. New full-year science research course, designed for students interested in pursuing research in science fields Eliminated Programs/Cuts Elimination of school day/school year preschool Elimination of 8 th grade family consumer science component (30 day module) of Life Skills curricula (includes cooking and nutrition) Elimination of family consumer science All About Foods 8 th grade elective Proposed staffing cuts at elementary, middle and high school will result in larger class sizes at all levels. Discretionary Budget Changes ObjectDescriptionProposed Changes 114Teacher Salaries$50, Technical Services$2, Postage$1, Printing$22, Administrator Conferences$5, Student Activities$12, Instructional Supplies$4, Maintenance Supplies$6, Other Supplies/Materials$13, Library Books$ Periodicals$18, Dues and Fees$13,279 Total$150,914 Non-Discretionary Budget Changes ObjectDescriptionProposed Changes 111Central Office Salaries$142, Director Salaries$49, Principal Salaries$65, Teacher Salaries($181,548) 115Substitute Salaries$100, Coaches/Clubs/Stipends($20,402) 119School Nurse Salaries$41, Adult Ed. Instructors$7, Clerical Salaries$65, Aide Salaries$948, Custodian Salaries$248, Maintenance Salaries$43, Lunch Aide Salaries$4, Security / Residency / Attendance$16,908 Non-Discretionary Budget Changes ObjectDescriptionProposed Changes 215Life Insurance$10, FICA/Employer Expense$18, Medicare Employer Expense$20, Unemployment Compensation$35, Professional Development$220, Curriculum Development$70, Professional Services$44, Repairs and Maintenance-Equipment($13,649) 432Repairs and Maintenance-Buildings$150, Transportation-Public$44, Transportation-Diesel Fuel($150,837) 511Transportation-Non-Public$18, Transportation-SPED$21, Other SPED Transportation$14,764 Non-Discretionary Budget Changes ObjectDescriptionProposed Changes 518Transportation-Athletics$4, Liability Insurance$38, Tuition-Wintergreen$44, Tuition ECA$2, Tuition Public Schools$127, Tuition-Sound School$6, Tuition-Lyman Hall$3, Advanced/Alternative Education$41, Staff Mileage Reimbursement$3, Natural Gas$70, Textbooks$140, Instructional Software$90, Non-Instructional Software$112,681 Non-Discretionary Budget Changes ObjectDescriptionProposed Changes 733Furniture/Fixtures/Equipment$13, Instructional Equipment$96, Non-Instructional Equipment$87, Ice Rink/Rental($96,000) TotalTuition Public Schools$2,822,137 Summary Proposed budget of $86,093,676 Proposed budget reflects a 3.58% budget increase from ($2,973,051) Majority of proposed increases are contractual and based on actual operational expenses Overall elimination of 19.1 FTE positions Position Cuts and Reductions - Details Certified Staff 23 FTE Teaching Positions (before reallocations) 12 teachers at elementary schools 7 classroom teachers preK-6 3 data facilitators/SRBI interventionists 2 special education teachers 2 teachers at middle school 2 family and consumer science teachers 6 teachers at high school 5 classroom teachers (one in social studies, science, math, English, world language) 1 data facilitator/SRBI interventionist 2 teachers at HCLC 1 classroom teacher (world language) 1 special education teacher 1 district-wide behavior specialist Position Cuts and Reductions - Details Non-Certified Staff 15.5 FTE Non-Certified Positions (before reallocations) 13 paraprofessionals 6 elementary building paraprofessionals 4 preK-6 special education paraprofessionals 1 preK paraprofessional 2 HCLC paraprofessionals 3 high school tutors (part-time) 1 school climate advisor Staffing Additions 8.4 Teaching Positions Elementary 4 special education IIC teachers 2 speech and language.4 school psychologist 1 administrator leader/intern Middle School 1 special education IIC teacher 10 Paraprofessionals Elementary 8 special education IIC paraprofessionals 1 special education paraprofessional Middle School 1 special education paraprofessional