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Last Tuesday, the WPS Administration presented the
recommended FY08 Operating Budget.
The recommendation provides for level
services,
including accommodation for increasing enrollment.
The recommended budget was met with a measure
of relief given the intense budget pressure last year.
For additional information, archived
editions of this newsletter, and links to relevant town
and state websites, please visit our website at
www.committee
21.org.
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| WPS Budget Up 5.98% |
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The WPS Administration presented the Operating
Budget for the next fiscal year (FY08) which runs from
July 1,
2007 to June 30, 2008. The total proposed budget of
$49.6 million reflects a 5.98% increase over
the current year's budget. Last year, the WPS budget
increased by 10%, necessitating a vote to override Proposition 2 1/2. Whether or not
an override will be needed to fund the town budget
this year has yet to be decided.
The proposed budget supports "level
services," providing the same level of education,
staffing and support as in the current year. Despite
increasing enrollment (+96 students projected for next
year), the overall dollar increase was held down by
efforts to reduce costs.
The major drivers in the budget are:
</>Teachers compensation (which
makes up approximately 80% of the budget).
Compensation is projected to increase by almost 6%.
THe current contract provides for a salary increase of
3% plus any incremental increases due to years
experience or education (the "step and lane" changes).
FY08 will be the third and final year of the current
teacher's contract, which sets the compensation
scale and increases based on experience and
education level.
Enrollment. The proposed budget
includes an additional 3.3 professional staff and 4.4
support staff to accommodate increasing enrollment.
Programs offered. The programs
do not significantly differ from the current year with
some noteable exceptions:
- Two new Special Education (SpEd) programs at
Wellesley Middle Schoool will provide additional
services at a reduced cost (by reducing out-of-district
placements).
- Actions are required to be in full compliance with
the state-mandated
English Language Learners (ELL) program,
addressing current dificiencies in the existing
program.
The WPS Administration made note of
factors which reduced projected costs in
some areas for the coming year: Utilities expenses
are projected to decline and SpEd costs are
increasing by only a small margin due to cost saving
efforts.
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| The Gap List |
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The WPS budget is approximately 60% of the Town of
Wellesley annual budget. In an effort to manage and
forecast the budget process, each Town Board has
a "guideline" for increases, so that every effort is
made to manage costs within the constraints of
Proposition 2 1/2 where possible. The guideline for
the WPS is an increase of 5.5%. The guideline for
other Town Boards is 2.5% or less.
The differential between the guideline and the
proposed budget is a total of $223,539. The
Administration has identified items in the budget
which would be considered the first items to be cut to
bring the budget down to the guideline. This is known
as the "gap list."
The following items were proposed for the
gap list:
- $23,350 for library books (leaving $22,650 in the
budget)*
- $18,827 for WMS technology support
- $147,937 to meet compliance requirements of the
ELL program (the actions would instead be
taken over time)
- $33,425 for professional development*
School Committee members will review the
details of the budget over the next two weeks. The
public will have an opportunity to provide input on the
budget on January 2nd and 3rd (see information on
left). Following the Public Hearing, the School
Committee will vote on the budget.
*Funding for both library books and
professional development has been restored in the
recommended budget (in the last two years, funds in
these areas have been cut).
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| High School Project Gains Momentum |
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During November and December, the School
Committee hosted a series of forums to provide
information and background on the High School
project plans. Many of the sessions were well
attended by town residents looking for further
information on what will be the most important and
largest investment our Town will make for years to
come.
The final report on the Programming Review
has been received by School Committee and will be
made public shortly.
The next step will be for the project scope to
be formally approved by School Committee and
received by the Permanent Building Committee
(PBC). The PBC will proceed to obtain the necessary
cost and design information needed to present a
proposal to Town Meeting in March.
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| Town Meeting Member Papers Available |
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The Town of Wellesley is governed by a representative
Town Meeting. The Town is divided in to 7
precincts; residents of each precinct elect
approximately 35 people as representatives at Town
Meeting, each for a 3 year term. Each year,
approximately 12 positions are up for election.
For those interested in running for Town
Meeting, nomination papers can be obtained at the
Town Clerk's office. Completed forms must be
returned to the Town Clerk's office by January 30,
2007. For more information, click here.
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Committee for Education in the 21st
Century
