The School Department will lose nearly $2 million in federal jobs funds and Title I funding next year.
WESTFIELD – Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion told the School Committee on Monday night the School Department needs $4.6 million more than current funding or a total of $56.8 million to maintain present levels of staffing, programs and services for fiscal 2013.
Suzanne ScallionScallion outlined her department's financial needs, explaining the additional funding required represents fixed costs for the city’s educational operations.
The School Committee referred the request to its Finance Committee, which will begin its financial review April 30.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik told Scallion and the School Committee he expects to provide them with figures representing what the city can afford for its public schools by May 7.
Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik announced Tuesday night that he would seek a second term in the fall election.Fixed costs in the School Department represent $388,165 for step and longevity increases for teachers and staff; a projected $840,000 in contract negotiations for staff; $670,220 in special education increases; $296,936 for curriculum and professional development; $137,717 in tuition and leases; $69,094 in increased transportation costs; $120,000 for insurance and unemployment compensation; and a nearly $100,000 increase in utility costs for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Also, the department must absorb nearly $2 million in federal funding that was received this year as part of the federal government’s Economic Recovery Act and in Title I, remedial reading, programs.
“The loss of nearly $2 million in jobs funds and Title I is devastating and very challenging,” Scallion said.
Knapik said all municipal labor unions, including teachers, have been offered new contracts representing a one percent retroactive salary increase to last July 1 and another one percent effective July 1. “Some have been settled, some need ratification and all have a deadline of May 1 to respond,” the mayor said.
Labor groups, including teachers, have not received a contracted salary increase for two years.
The increase in special education costs are primarily attributed to the current 165 enrolled children with autism, Scallion said. In response to School Committee vice chairman Kevin J. Sullivan, Scallion acknowledged the district is investigating the feasibility of engaging the services of autism counseling or the hiring of an autism counselor, dependent upon available funding, for the new fiscal year.
The current School Department budget amounts to $52,190,011. The proposed fiscal 2013 budget of $56,790,456 could force school officials to consider reductions amounting to more than $4 million.
Scallion said her intent is to maintain current staff and program levels and her administrative team, including principals, is looking for ways to curb spending.
Some offsets to next year’s budget could come from use of $1 million in School Choice funds. The superintendent also indicated that the department anticipates a budget surplus this year of about $500,000.
The department will use that surplus to pre-pay tuition for students who attend programs in other school districts which in turn will offset $500,000 in new budget requirements. The department has another estimated $190,000 in its account from Early Childhood tuition.