Portland Public Schools

 

To:                    Portland School Committee

From:                Kate Snyder, Chair, Finance Committee

Date:                March 23, 2010

Subject:            Finance Committee’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Budget

 

Last Thursday, March 19, 2010, the Finance Committee voted our proposed FY11 budget out of subcommittee for your consideration.

 

In the days leading up to the culmination of our subcommittee process, there was some confusion about what was “in” and what was “not in” the Superintendent’s proposed budget.  I hope that after reading this letter you will have a better understanding of how the Superintendent’s budget responded to the known fiscal constraints in FY11 and FY12 while advocating for district wide equity, responding to enrollment trends and laying the foundation for multi year planning and investments which seek to strengthen Portland Public Schools.  I hope, too, that you will fully understand the actions taken by the Finance Committee in reaction to the Superintendent’s budget and in response to unanticipated state subsidy.

 

When I asked the Superintendent to provide his guidance to the unanticipated increase in state funding (in the amount of $1,473,151), his response dated March 12th included many of the elements that I, and members of the Finance Committee, believed were already included in his proposed budget presented on March 3rd.  It wasn’t until the evening of March 15th that we fully understood what was “in” and what was “out”.  Therefore, our subsequent subcommittee deliberations focused on understanding the impact of Dr. Morse’s inclusions and exclusions; and weighing our options.  Where we thought we had $1,473,151 in unanticipated funds to “work with” at the subcommittee level, we found ourselves with $1,165,000 of unmet needs; which the Superintendent characterized as “more important than the cuts (he) made (in his proposed budget)”.

 

As you consider the Finance Committee’s proposed budget, please take the following information into consideration.

 

Unmet needs not included in the Superintendent’s budget: 

  • 4 Elementary Classroom Teachers                                                         

      ($200K – Federally Funded, not included in sum)

  • 8.4 ELL Teachers                                                                                   $420K
  • 3 Social Studies Teachers at Lincoln                                                       $150K
  • 1 Literacy Instructor at Moore                                                                  $50K
  • 1 Instructional Technology Aid at Moore                                                   $35K
  • 2 Elementary World Language Teachers                                     $100K
  • Wireless at Lyseth, Hall and Longfellow                                                   $100K
  • 1 Family Living Teacher                                                                          $75K
  • 1 Coop position at Portland High School

      (Accidentally removed from the Superintendent’s budget)               $75K

  • 2 Music Teachers                                                                                  $160K

      Amount not in the Superintendent’s Budget:                                       $1,165,000       

 

 

 

 

 

Conversely, there were elements of the Superintendent’s budget that were communicated as “cuts” that were accidentally left in the budget.

Elements identified as “cuts” remaining in the Superintendent’s budget: 

  • Middle School Sports                                                                             $188K
  • High School Freshman & “Other” athletic areas                                        $200K
  • High School Co-Curricular                                                                       $30K    

 

We also learned that there were unallocated funds in the Superintendent’s budget in the amount of:                                                                                                             $224K

           

            Unexpected funds in the Superintendent’s Budget:                            $642,000

 

The Finance Committee’s proposed budget does several things. 

 

First, we voted unanimously to include the following unmet needs: 

 

            ▪ 4 Elementary Classroom Teachers:  

               (Presumpscot Grade 1, Riverton Grade 3, Lyseth Grade 5 and Longfellow Grade 1/2)

            ▪ 8.4 ELL Teachers

            ▪ 3 Social Studies Teachers at Lincoln

            ▪ 1 Literacy Instructor at Moore

            ▪ 1 Instructional Technology Aid at Moore            

            ▪ 2 Elementary World Language Teachers

            ▪ Wireless at Lyseth, Hall and Longfellow

            ▪ 1 Family Living Teacher

            ▪ 1 Coop position at Portland High School

 

Second, we voted unanimously to remove $600,000 from line 9100 “Fund Transfers Out” of the Finance & Operations cost center and we put $300,000 in line 9000 “Contingency” of the School Committee cost center. (Net decrease from Superintendent’s proposed budget:  $300,000.)

 

Funds remain in the Finance Committee’s proposed FY11 budget in the amount of $388,000 for middle school sports, high school freshman sports, other high school athletic programs and high school co-curricular.

 

Our proposed budget’s final tally recognizes and uses the unallocated $224,000 from the Superintendent’s proposed budget, as well as the additional, unanticipated state subsidy in the amount of $1,473,151. 

 

In the March 12th memo, there were additional unmet needs identified by the Superintendent for consideration where the Finance Committee did not act. 

In his first “tier” of unmet needs the Superintendent advocates for 6.5 kindergarten teachers ($325,000) and any possible funding for capital improvements for facilities.  In his second “tier” of unmet needs, Dr. Morse identifies a loss of 18 locally funded Ed Techs which reduces the district from 153.06 locally funded Ed Tech FTE’s to 135.06.  He advocates that “even a partial restoration” would greatly benefit students.  Lastly, Dr. Morse recognizes the decrease from 16.5 to 14.5 music teachers and calls for a plan to address the fact there are music teachers who are “dramatically underutilized due to low enrollment”.

 

The Finance Committee’s proposed budget represents an overall increase in expenditures, beyond the Superintendent’s proposed budget, of $1,005,000.

 

We unanimously present a FY2011 Portland Public Schools budget in the amount of $89,800,834.  This budget represents a $1,536,209 or 1.68% decrease from FY10.  Our proposed budget will require $67,471,128 to be raised by local taxes, an increase of 1.2% or $798,905 over FY10.