Blackstone-Millville RSDFY 15 Budget Hearing

March 12, 2014

7:00 PM

Molony-Sullivan Auditorium

Blackstone-Millville HS

Perry P. Davis, Ed.DInterim Superintendent of Schools

• Mission, Vision and Core Values

• School Committee Budget Assumptions and Goals

• Student Learning Needs

• Budget Background Data

• Building Based Budgets

• Budget Drivers and Savings

• Budget Increase FY 14 to FY 15

• State Aid and District Revenues

Blackstone-Millville RSD

• Mission:

– Our mission is to challenge students in a safe and

stimulating environment where ideas are shared and

change is embraced, good citizenship, and self-worth

by providing flexible, supportive, and responsive

learning environment characterized by high

expectations. We are committed to the academic,

social/emotional, and physical well-being of all.

Blackstone-Millville RSD

• Vision:

– The Blackstone-Millville Regional School District

embodies an appreciation of life-long learning;

excellence in individual and educational programs;

and shared accountability among students, staff,

parents and citizens of the community. Everyone

works together in an environment founded upon Trust,

Integrity, Fairness, open-ended communication and

the belief that all individuals can learn.

Blackstone-Millville RSD

• Core Values:

– Academic Standards and Expectations

– Leadership

– Teaching and Professional Development

– Climate and Learning Environment

– Family and Community

– Collaboration and Communication

School Committee Budget Assumptions and Priorities

• Mission, Vision and Core Values

• Need for highly qualified teachers and staff and to

maintain current student to teacher ratios

• Refinement of Curriculum, Instruction and

Assessment practices

• Maintain educational resources and technology that

supports student learning

• Increase student achievement

School Committee Budget Development Goals

• Operating budget based on data to identify financial

trends

• Operating budget build based on student learning needs

• DRAFT operating budget information shared with

Blackstone and Millville asking for questions and

feedback during the budget development process

• Operating budget development that is transparent with

full disclosure of fiscal information

Student Learning Needs

• A budget is the financial articulation of

student learning needs

• Curriculum – What we teach?

• Instruction – How we teach it?

• Assessment – How do we know students

are learning and showing mastery of the

content?

Student Learning Needs

• Mastery of English language arts, reading, math,

science, social studies, world languages, arts,

physical education/health and technology

• Focus on student development in three domains

– Cognitive – Thinking

– Affective – Social and Emotional

– Psycho-Motor – Physical Development

• Safe and supportive learning environment

Budget Background Data

• Student enrollment

– NESDEC student enrollment – 10 year projections

– Impact of school choice students leaving and

entering BMRSD

– Student to teacher ratios (class size)

• History of budget expenditures

– Reviewed three years of expenditure data

– Budget increases and decreases

Budget Background Data• Fiscal challenges

– New mandates for student services without direct funding

• ELL Learners and Homeless Students

– Increasing special education population with more moderate

learning needs

– School Choice and loss of Chapter 70 Aid

• Fixed costs

– Personnel contracts

– Benefits - insurance

– Building costs – heat, electricity, maintenance and grounds

– Student transportation

– Student safety and building security

Budget Background Data

• Fiscal opportunities

– Rental of space to BICO Collaborative

– Expanding special education services in the District to reduce transportation

costs

• Balancing student learning needs with fiscal realities in

Blackstone and Millville

– Chapter 70 Aid

– Regional Transportation

– School Choice ( + and – of Chapter 70 Aid)

– Out of District Special Education placements

– Out of District Vocational Education

Building Based Budgets

• High School

– New personnel

• 2.4 FTE – World Language, Information/Library and Physical

Education (athletics)

– Textbooks and Instructional supplies

– NEASC Accreditation Process

• Middle School

– Commitment to Middle School Concept – Teacher Teams

– Textbooks and Instructional supplies

Building Based Budgets

• JFK/AFM – Blackstone

– Literacy Professional Development

– Textbooks and Supplies

– Maintain current class size ratios

• Millville Elementary

– Literacy Professional Development

– Textbooks and Supplies

– Maintain current class size ratios

Building Based Budgets

• Student Services

– New Personnel

• 1.6 new teachers (.6 High School and 1.0 Elementary)

– Out of district placements

• Tuitions – (Applied SPED Circuit Breaker Aid)

– Transportation

• Out of district transportation

– Contracted services

• Specialized services to meet the needs of students

– Support Staff

• Applied Federal Special Education Grant Funds

Building Based Budget

• Professional Development

– Literacy Initiative – 2nd of a 3 year program

– Tuition reimbursement for teacher licensure

– Instructional strategies to improve student learning

• Technology

– Maintain current level of technology support and

infrastructure

– Replace technology, as needed

– No new major Technology Initiatives

Budget Drivers

• Contracted Salaries

• Student Services

• New Teaching Positions

• Textbooks and Instructional Supplies

• Information Technology

• Athletics

• Building Maintenance

Budget Savings• Heat and Electricity – (3 yr. average

expenses)

• Employee Benefits – Health

Insurance

• Networking – Telecommunications

– No new major initiates in FY 15

DRAFT FY 15 Budget Compared to FY 14 Budget

Regular Education

FY 14 - $17,378,246

FY 15 - $17,837,834

Difference - $459,588 (2.6%)

Student Services

FY 14 - $3,987,004

FY 15 - $4,253,145

Difference - $266,141 (6.7%)

Draft FY 15 BudgetCompared to FY 14 Budget

Total FY 15 Budget

$22,090,979 from $21,365,250

$725,729

3.4% increase

Estimated FY 15 State Aid

Chapter 70 (House 1) 10,684,594

Regional Transportation 433, 478

Sub Total 11,118,072

School Choice Offset (-305,755)

Charter School Offset ( - 9,343)

Sub Total ( -315,098)

Net FY 15 State Aid 10,802,974

FY 15 Estimated District Revenue

Medicaid Funds 60,000

Miscellaneous Funds 35,000

Interest Income 4,000

Music & Athletic Fees 65,000

E & D Funds 0

Total 164,000

District Funds

• Certified E&D Fund 529,044

• MGL allows up to 5% of the budget to be in the E&D

• BMRSD currently is at 2.5% of the FY 14 budget in

E&D

• E&D Fund is to provide for unanticipated or

emergency expenses during the FY

• E&D Fund is used to establish a bond rating along

with the towns

Expenses Vs. Revenue

Operating Budget

3.4% increase (725,729)

State Aid

10,802,974 increase of 130,103

District Revenue

Decrease of (- 655,693)

Revenue Deficit

(- 525,590)

Capital Costs

• Middle School Bond

• Sewer Bond

• JFK/AFM Roof Bond

• High School Roof Bond

FY 15 Assessment Deficit

• Proposed FY 15 Budget 22,090,979

• Less State Aid 10,802,974

• Less Community Contributions 9,657,337

• Less District Funds - 164,000

• Assessment Deficit -1, 466,668

FY 15 Assessment Deficit

• No funds in the E&D account to lower

the assessment to the Towns

• Loss of Chapter 70 Aid for school

choice students

• Increased cost in student services

(mandated)

FY 15 Impact on Students

• Reductions in teaching and support

staff positions

• Reductions in instructional supplies

• Reductions in professional

development

FY 15 Budget Dilemma

• The proposed operating budget, revenue deficit

and its impact on the Regional Assessments?

• It is all about the Assessment number.

• How to fund the modest increase in the

operating budget?

• How to deal with the major deficit in District

revenue to balance the FY 15 budget?

FY 15 Budget Dilemma

• What staff and programs will be reduced to

address the revenue deficit and its impact

on the Regional Assessment to each Town?

• What funding options need to be discussed

with Blackstone and Millville?

• How to develop a long term plan to address

the District Revenue Deficit?

FY 15 Budget Decisions

• How to balance the operating budget

to assessments to Blackstone and

Millville?

• What budget reductions need to be

discussed and considered?

• What is the impact on student

learning?