Worcester School Budget’s Winners and Losers
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
WINNERS
Class Size: The budget allows for the addition of elementary school teachers that will help to lower student-teacher ratios, bringing them down to 25 students per teacher in a classroom – and less in some cases. Ten elementary school positions will either be added or restored. Six teachers will be added at middle and high schools. The average elementary class size next year will be 21.8.
“We all know that class size makes a huge difference when you have a diverse group of children with a huge range of achievement and personal issues in a classroom and we expect the teacher to meet the needs of all,” School Committee member John Monfredo said. “The best research proves that the early grades and high poverty classrooms benefit from small classes. Just consider this: why are private schools touting class size as their marketing material if class sizes weren't so important?”
Nine full-time nurses will be added and that can only be a good thing, according to School Committee member Brian O’Connell, who said: “In recent years there has been an increase in students who require medical attention.” Students with severe allergies and asthma will certainly benefit from additional nurses.
Secondary School Positions: The budget, thanks to the extra $1.7 million, adds middle and high school teachers.
Student and Building Safety: With $1-million dedicated to rid schools of PCBs, officials have clearly taken aim at the health and overall well-being of its staff and students. Measures will include work to boost the amount of fresh air circulated throughout schools.
It’s not just the buildings that are being targeted, either. Like many other schools, the administration is taking efforts to keep its kids fit and healthy.
“All parents want our schools to be safe and orderly,” said Monfredo. “In addition, we have worked to provide healthy lunches, have led the way with a strong Wellness policy and have a strong core of health and physical education programs for the children.”
Athletics: The budget allows the city to do what many other communities have not: keep its athletic programs free of charge. While many student-athletes must “pay to play,” Worcester’s do not.
“We still do not charge students,” said O’Connell. “We will retain that for next year.”
In addition, schools will provide new football helmets to meet stricter safety standards in the wake of growing concern over the number of sports-related concussions. Also, Worcester will offer its cheerleaders the opportunity to participate in a team-based program, and not just a club.
There will be teams at Doherty, North, South, and Worcester Technical high schools, and the budget reflects the creation of coaching positions at South, Doherty, and North. In addition, the budget allows sports teams at all middle schools.
LOSERS
Class Size: When can a winner be a loser at the same time? When not enough progress is made. School officials are glad that some classrooms will see fewer students per teacher, but that is not the citywide case.
“People need to understand we are still going to have a large number of classrooms with 25 or more students,” O’Connell said. “It is a significant problem. It is vital that students have a low student-teacher ratio. We still have a long way to go.”
The main areas where a better ratio is important are in special education and ESL (English as a Second Language), according to O’Connell.
School Committee member Donna Colorio is among those who, while happy to see strides made in reducing the number of students per classroom, still see much room for improvement.
“I’d like to see it come down,” said Colorio. “A lot of our schools still have 25 to 27 students per teacher, or even higher.”
Educational and Janitorial Supplies: The budget maintains a per-student instructional supply expense of $63 and that is simply not acceptable to some school board members, including Novick, who pointed out that number has remained steady since fiscal 2008.
In some schools, parents are the reason there are adequate school supplies, according to Colorio.
Novick would like to more attention in the budget paid to maintenance and janitorial supplies.
“We’re doing a lot of funding of people, but there is stuff that we need and I think we need to address that,” Colorio said. “Nobody thinks of it and it’s not glamorous to fund, but we need to.”
O’Connell sees too much money going toward administration costs, and not enough toward supplies. The budget has a total administration recommendation of about $11.3 million in three areas: system supervision, school-based supervision and education division. All three accounts are increased in the fiscal 2013 budget.
“We do not provide for coverage of every classroom when a teacher is absent,” O’Connell argued.
The budget pays for 62 substitutes per day at a rate of $70 each day.
Early Education: As Monfredo notes, the city’s lack of full-day preschools is a problem. Of particular concern are the city’s Level 3 schools (such as Claremont Academy). All should have a full-day pre-school program according to Monfredo, who said: “This is a must if we are to have our children school ready by the time that they enter school. “
Taxpayers: The biggest reason here is simple – pensions. Although it is entirely uncontrollable on the part of school officials, it bears mentioning, because the budget line item increased by more than $2 million, although a portion of that is from grants. The total fiscal 2013 budget for pensions is $14.7 million.
Related Articles
- A $10 Million Solution for Worcester’s Budget Gap
- City Council Approves $1.7 Million More for School Budget
- NEW: Councilors’ Debate on School Budget Continues
- NEW: House Budget Proposal Would Give Worcester An Extra $1.9M
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It