02/26/2014

Superintendent presents draft $23.2 million school budget for 2015

The School Department is proposing a $23.2 million school budget for next year, up 3 percent from this year. The $675,846 increase, assuming state subsidy remains at this year's level, would add 36 cents to the tax rate of $11.70 for school services, also an increase of 3 percent.

Superintendent Meredith Nadeau presented the draft budget, still with several unknowns, to the School Board at a workshop meeting Feb. 25, 2014. In addition to the state subsidy, insurance premiums and the outcome of contract negotiations with the Cape Elizabeth Education Association could have a significant impact on the 2015 budget, Nadeau said in her budget message.

The draft budget assumes the same $2.6 million state subsidy as this year's. Salaries and benefits, which make up 80 percent of school spending, is budgeted at $18.5 million, up 2.7 percent.

Budget aligns with strategic, capital improvement plans

Nadeau's budget message ties the 2015 spending proposal to the schools' strategic and capital improvement plans. "Both of these initiatives, under the direction of the School Board, have focused on thoughtful planning for both the immediate and long-term needs of the school district and in support of its vision, mission, and values for education," her budget message says.

Perhaps the most significant change proposed is the addition of full-day kindergarten, advancing the first goal of the strategic plan to provide high-quality instruction for all students. The program, which started as a pilot this year, would add a full-time teacher at a cost of $71,000. Nadeau estimates a one-time impact of adding full-day kindergarten at $100,000 to cover furniture and equipment, supplies, technology, some renovation to the kindergarten wing and professional development for kindergarten staff. Some savings would result from eliminating mid-day bus runs for kindergartners.

Due to stable enrollment projections, few other staff changes are proposed except for an additional educational technician to support students and teachers at Pond Cove, and a two-tenths time science teacher at the High School. A reduction of one teacher and one educational technician, both for instructional support, is proposed for the Middle School. With the addition of a one-tenth time bus driver, the net cost for proposed staff additions is $26,779.

Steps to meet the strategic plan's second goal, to cultivate and inclusive and supportive school culture, will have little budget impact, Nadeau's message says. These include additional half-time social work staff at the High School, which will be federally funded; and extending language instruction to the first grade with existing resources. Community Services instruction in Mandarin Chinese will again be offered to Middle School students. The budget proposal does include a $12,178 (6.9 percent) increase for athletics, as well as approximately $8,000 more in stipends for athletics, robotics and Special Olympics coaching to further the school culture goal.

Investments in technology and professional development address the plan's third goal to foster engagement in teaching and learning. The overall technology budget proposal is up $8,819, or 3.6 percent, and includes replacing 250 iPads at the High School for redistribution to younger grades; investment in software for the devices; and, replacement of machines in the Middle School computer lab. A $10,000 expenditure is also proposed for professional work associated with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process at the High School.

Capital requests

On the capital side, a $120,000 proposed increase for facilities is offset by a reduction in debt service, Nadeau's message says. A little more than half of that spending, $69,000, would replace a boiler for the Pond Cove/Middle School, and the rest is earmarked for roof replacement and ongoing maintenance. An additional $35,000 is being requested to lease a bus, mainly for transportation to athletic and extracurricular activities.

The capital requests address the fourth goal of the strategic plan, which calls for the budget to be aligned with the other plan goals, and to target resources accordingly.

"We believe this budget supports our commitment to providing students with access to quality programs, maintaining a high-caliber staff, and preserving the district’s reputation for excellence," Nadeau's budget message says.

For more information, including links to spreadsheets, presentations and video from the Feb. 25 workshop, please see the School Department's budget page.

The next board budget workshop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4 in the High School library and learning commons, when the discussion will focus on Community Services and the pool, capital improvements, facilities and transportation and instructional support. All meetings are scheduled to be videotaped.

School Budget Workshop Schedule: All meetings at 6:30 p.m., High School library and learning commons [directions]

Tuesday, March 4

• Community Services/Pool
• Capital Improvement Plan
• Facilities
• Maintenance & Transportation
• Instructional Support
  

Tuesday, March 18

• Staffing and Benefits
• Pond Cove, Middle and High Schools
• Technology
• Staff and Student Support
• Athletics
  

Tuesday, March 25

• Contingency
• Revenues/Undesignated Funds
• Three-year Plan
• Any unfinished items
  
• School Budget Adoption (tentative)

Thursday, March 27

• Additional meeting if needed