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Thompson Board of Education 2016-2017 BUDGET PRESENTATION

BOARD OF FINANCEMARCH 3, 2016

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Who we are

A small district that provides high quality education efficiently and effectively.

Small School = Big Opportunities

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What we do1,020 Students enrolled in the Thompson Public Schools.

In addition, 205 Thompson residents attend other schools in which TPS has some financial responsibility for including:

• Quinebaug Valley Middle College• Killingly Vo-Ag• Ellis Tech• Marianapolis• St. Joseph School• Home Schooled

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Achievements The New England Association of School and Colleges (NEASC) recently awarded Tourtellotte Memorial High School full accreditation.The Mary R. Fisher Elementary School (MRFES) received full accreditation from NAEYC in 2015, with glowing commendations about the work accomplished at MRFES by the teachers, administration and parent-support groups. 88.5% of the 2015 graduated class had been accepted to college, post-secondary school, or joined the military. Few public schools in Northeastern Connecticut can match these numbers.

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Did You Know?

Thompson $16,101 Killingly $16,683 Putnam $16,670 State Average $16,424

Thompson’s Per Pupil Expenditures is $582 less than Killingly and $569 less than Putnam.

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Budget Development• Principals/Department Heads met with staff, Business Manager, and Superintendent

- November 2015 to January 2016

• Online survey with 231 respondents - Completed January 2016

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Thompson Public Schools Budget Input Survey

1. Hiring and retaining quality teachers 55%

2. Providing students with quality materials, books, computers20%

3. Providing support services to struggling students 13% 4. Keeping class sizes small (low student/teacher ratio)

10%

When building a school budget, which of the following is most important to you?

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The Thompson Public Schools should continue investing in the following programs: 

Priority Ranking: 1. Classroom Technology 43%2. Student Support Services 31%3. Art

25%4. Music

20%

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FY 17 Budget Increases  FY 16 Budget

FY 17 Increase

% Increase 

Salaries (excludes new positions) $ 9,605,437 $ 429,933 4.5 Health Insurance 2,737,491 246,374 9.0 Special Education (Out-of-District Placements & Transportation Only) 1,828,600 115,930 6.3 Building Repair & Maintenance  160,000 79,327 49.6Substitutes  143,221 60,497 42.2Legal Services  60,000 15,000 25.0Textbooks 51,764 132,449 255.9New Positions 0 189,353 N/A 

Subtotal $ 1,268,263Other

Increases 25,162Total

Increase$

1,293,425 7.3

$17,678,34

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$18,971,76

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New Positions• Social Worker

$ 50,133• Pre-School Teacher

46,736• Pre-School Paraprofessional

15,513Subtotal

$112,382Benefits

76,971Grand Total

$189,353

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Salaries - % Increases 2016-2017• Teachers – 1.15% General Wage Increase plus step movement (3.1% total)

• Administrators –1.5% Increase plus possible performance allowance • Secretaries – Negotiated Increase of 1.95%• Custodians – Negotiated Increase of 1.95%• Paras, Cafeteria, & Nurses – Negotiated Increase of 2%• Bus Drivers – Budgeted at 1.5% • Non-Union – Budgeted at average of 3.6%

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Number of Employees at TPSTeachers – 96 Paras, Cafeteria & Nurses – 40Administrators – 6 Bus Drivers – 20Secretary – 8 Non-Union – 12Custodial – 14 Total – 196

Note - 42% of TPS employees live in town.

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Salaries45%

Benefits19%

Special Edu-

cation20%

Operations11%

Technology2%

Discretionary2%

Thompson Public SchoolsFY 17 Budget by SELECT Category

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Discretionary (3%) Includes: TEXTBOOKS

Includes e-books and proposed purchases TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPLIES DUES & FEES SOFTWARE

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Special Education (20%) includes:

SPEC ED SALARIESSPEC ED OTHER PLACEMENTS

$1,587,8601,164,030

SPEC ED EASTCONN TUITION

640,500

SPEC ED TRANSPORTATION

140,000

SPEC ED PROF TECH 108,068 SP SERV SP/LANG 38,364 SPEC ED EVALUATION 37,548

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Fiscal Year Budget

Actual

Difference ($)

FY 12 $2,667,249 $3,393,543   -$726,294FY 13 3,382,433 3,072,216   310,217FY 14 3,357,619 3,591,010   -233,391FY 15 3,348,479 3,490,486   -142,007FY 16 3,413,955 3,622,318 * -208,363

-$999,838* Projected

Special Education Expenses

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ActualExpenditures

BudgetedExpenditures

2006-2007 2016-2017 $ Incr % Incr

District Total$   13,772,146

 $    18,971,766

$   5,199,620 37.75%

Special Education       1,092,386         3,777,952

     2,685,566

245.84%

Health Care       1,722,599         3,052,239      1,329,640 77.19%

Special Education/Health Care Expenditures

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Account Description YTD Expenses Encumbrances Available Budget % Used

9001 High School $

1,254,255.00 $ 909,935.60 $ 25,788.69 98.80

9002 Middle School

1,160,365.89 800,376.75 21,967.63 98.90

9003 Elementary School

1,355,382.78 935,205.52 (819.30) 100.00

9004 Special Services

1,935,047.21 1,687,271.10 (208,363.75) 106.10

9005 Health Department

102,514.11 59,739.70 1,138.46 99.30

9006 System Wide

3,406,306.15 1,320,215.89

(12,394.53) 100.309007 Plant and Operations

979,031.00 594,840.52 84,552.35 94.90

9008 Transportation

304,273.13 118,394.99 30,183.23 93.309010 High School Athletics

130,882.27 75,685.80 26,124.11 88.80

9012 Technology

341,556.84 86,077.08 19,678.66 95.609013 Middle School Athletics

23,588.93 29,116.00 7,568.07 87.40

9014 Curriculum

38,098.36 17,275.24 17,481.46 76.00

Grand Total $

11,031,301.67 $ 6,634,134.19 $ 12,905.08 99.90

FY 16 Expenses

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Proposed State Budget for FY 16-17

• Cuts discretionary accounts across the board, except Education Cost Share (ECS), by 5.75%.

• ECS remains flat funded.• Transportation grant cut $1.3 million. This cut includes $1,000,000 that was already cut mid year for 15-16.

• Excess Special Education grant cut $8 million.• Magnet Schools cut $18.7 million. • Priority Schools cut $2.6 million.• Open Choice program cut $3 million. • Adult Education cut $1.6 million.

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IDEA Part B Section 611 $ 295,707  

Title I Improving Basic Programs 170,383  

Scientifically Researched Based Intervention (SRBI) including Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS)

150,000 competitive

School Readiness 109,771 Carl Perkins Technology Grant (2) 54,972 competitive

Title II Teachers Grant 52,889  

Adult Education 51,414  

After School Program 25,000

Technology Grant 22,000IDEA Part B Section 619 14,125  

Competitive School Readiness 3,811  

International Paper Company 3,000 competitive

Total $ 953,072

Current Year

Grants

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Our role keeps getting more complicated. In 1910, schools were responsible for basic reading and math instruction while responsibility began to shift.

In the last 100 years, some 40 responsibilities have been added.

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Nutrition Vocational EducationImmunization Business EducationHealth/Physical education Speech and DramaMandated school transportation School lunch programsArt and music Half-day kindergartenDriver’s education Early childhood educationTitle I Full-day kindergartenAdult education Preschool programsSpecial Education Gifted and talented programsTitle IX Drug & alcohol abuse educationKeyboarding After-school programsAssessment At risk/dropout prevention

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In the first decade of the 21st century, added

•No Child Left Behind•Bully prevention•Anti-harassment policies•Expanded early childhood programs•Race to the TopAll of these responsibilities have been added without adding a single minute to the school calendar in six decades.

See Appendix 1 for more information.

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What Do Our Students Need?

Textbooks, E-books, and Improved Learning Technology

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Textbook and E-book needs• Need new high school science and social studies textbooks and e-books to align with State Standards.

• Science reading and content levels are not at the level of rigor for grades 8 and 5.

• Current grade 5 social studies textbooks are in rough condition.

• Current ages of textbooks – 1998, 1999, 2002-2007

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What Does Our Community Need?

Increased preschool opportunities to help every student get the start they

deserve.

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Early intervention could lower the number of students in Special Education as percentage of student population by 1%. The potential savings would be some $300,000.

See Appendix 2 for more information.

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Preschool Tuition by TownAndover FreeAnsonia Sliding

ScaleAshford FreeBristol FreeBrooklyn FreeCanterbury FreeEastford Sliding

ScaleEast Haven Sliding

ScaleHamden Sliding

ScaleKillingly Sliding

Scale

Lebanon FreeLedyard Sliding ScalePlainfield FreePutnam Sliding ScaleNew Haven FreeSterlingThompson

FreeSliding Scale

Vernon FreeWindham Sliding ScaleWindsor FreeWindsor Locks Free

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Preschool Information Current Preschool Enrollment – 42 By adding a new preschool teacher and paraprofessional, our options are:

• Adding 2 more half-day sessions may increase preschool enrollment by 24 students. • Adding 1 full-day session may increase preschool enrollment by 12 students.

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What Do Our Students Need?

Expanded social and emotional supports.

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Increased Student NeedsPosition

Recommended Caseload by National

Organization

Current Enrollment

1/11/16

Time doing Social Work Activities

# of high needs

students ES School Counselor 250:1 400 60% 22

ES/MS Psychologist >500:1 576 (Pre-k-6)30%/week 22

MS School Counselor 250:1 339 60% 27

HS/MS Psychologist >500:1 438 (7-12) 20% 21+HS School Counselors

250:1 HS has 2 (1.4 General Counseling / .6 spec. ed/504)

275 20% 20District Social Worker 40:1      Requisites – 1 Social Worker requested will provide more time for Guidance Counselors to support students

with moderate needs.

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What would a Social Worker do?• Works with parents/families to support their children’s school adjustment & engagement.

• Uses Case Management to assist parents in accessing & utilizing school & community resources.

• Assists with attendance & truancy issues by making home visits.• Advocates for students, families & schools to receive support from social & mental health agencies.

• Develops intervention strategies to increase student academic success.• Assists with conflict resolution, anger management, drug, tobacco & alcohol abuse.• Helps students develop appropriate social skills.• Assists teachers with classroom behavior management & Behavior Plan tracking.• Identifies and reports child abuse and neglect and participates with DCF follow-up services.

See Appendix 3 for more information.

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Running Scholarship Total - $450,000

To date and still counting, 42 colleges have accepted Tourtellotte students!

Class of 2016

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For a decade, we have cut and trimmed important aspects of our educational program and put off and delayed. We are now at the point that if this budget

isn’t approved, we will be forced to begin cuts to technology, textbooks, sports, arts, curriculum, and

before and after school programs. 

Communities are judged by how we care for our elders, and how we educate our children. 

The real estate market - the resale of homes and apartment rentals - is driven by investment in schools

and social services.This is an investment not just in our children, but in

our homes.