Reed Asks 17.5% Hike

In School Budget

By Jeff White

Commencing what he has called “a moment of truth for the town,” Superintendent of Schools John Reed went before the Newtown Board of Education last Friday night with his highest budget request to date, up 17.5 percent from last year. Much of the district’s proposed $41 million spending plan hinges on addressing space needs, rebuilding an ailing health insurance plan, and replenishing an all but depleted technology account.

In introductory remarks to a half-filled lecture hall at the high school, Dr Reed reflected on 26 years as a superintendent, 18 of which have been spent in Newtown. “I was trying to think if I’ve ever recommended a budget to a board of education that had as many challenges in it to be spoken to as the one that is before you tonight,” he mused, “and I think I’ve concluded that I haven’t before.”

A recurring theme for Dr Reed throughout the evening was Newtown’s slide to 160th of the 169 towns in the state in per pupil expenditures. This reality, Dr Reed said, should serve as a looking glass through which citizens could “examine the factors leading me to ask for a uniquely large increase in funding.”

The proposed 2000-01 spending package is approximately $6.1 million more than the current budget of $34,919,022.

The presentation’s themes were derived from four goals Dr Reed put to the school system at the beginning of this year that were “essential for the school district to focus on.” The superintendent used the goals of creating quality resources, student population control, insuring quality instruction and implementing technology as the backbone to the major themes of next year’s proposed spending plan.

The Need For Space

School enrollment is anticipated to climb six percent, or by 284 students, by next school year, with projected populations in the district expected to reach 6,012 by the 2004-05 school year, Dr Reed said. Approximately $300,000 of the district’s proposed budget has been earmarked to address the need for more space.

Four proposed leased modular classrooms at Sandy Hook School account for $86,702 in the budget. The school district is currently feeling the greatest effects from the student population increase and is expected to see as many as 770 students next year.

Dr Reed requested $193,000 for Hawley School to accommodate three additional classrooms and a gym; a significant portion of this amount – $175,000 – would be for a sprinkler system to be installed in the school’s basement.

The middle school would have to undergo changes next year to accommodate more students, and Dr Reed has budgeted $80,700 to cover the expense of relocating the district’s offices from the school so that space can be remodeled into classrooms. An additional $21,000 was budgeted to update the middle school’s auditorium lighting.

More Students Mean More Staff

Student enrollment figures drove the district to add 17 new classroom teaching positions in the proposed spending plan, and over 70 percent of the budget would be tied to salaries and benefits for new teachers, as well as updating existing contracts and insurance packages.

Dr Reed has called for $14,722,674 for teacher salaries, including $512,000 for 12.8 new positions at the district’s schools. An additional $1,171,916 was budgeted for specialist salaries, including $168,000 for 4.2 new elementary positions.

Instructional supplies, textbooks and equipment made up $1.4 million of the proposed budget.

A significant portion of Dr Reed’s budget, 27.4 percent, was tied to revamping the district’s self-funded health insurance program, a cost that Dr Reed said last Friday night cannot be reduced.

Two years of what he referred to as “higher than anticipated claims” depleted the district’s reserve account, which it uses to draw down on during years of increased insurance claims. The fact that the school system now has no money to draw down on in its reserve account is only compounded by increasing costs of prescription drugs and the budgeted increase in staff, all of whom will require insurance coverage.

Dr Reed stressed that since Newtown already lags behind its neighbors in teacher salary and benefits paid, the onus to correct the health insurance depletion cannot be placed on the district’s staff.

The district requested $5,542,347 for health insurance, up $1.7 million from the current budget; of that amount, $250,000 is budgeted to replenish the district’s reserve account.

Replenishing Technology Funds

Dr Reed knew that a technology crunch was coming.

When the Board of Education determined a few years ago that it could not fund technology over a long-term basis without significant funds allocated to its operating budget, the Legislative Council decided not to give new funds to the district for technology. In 1998, the school board dug into existing resources in its budget and lease-purchased technology, knowing that the arrangement would only be good for two years.

The district finds itself this year with no money in its operating budget that could be used to purchase new technology, and as a result has budgeted $500,651 for computer-related equipment

Each elementary school is budgeted for one technology teacher, with a salary of $40,000 each, plus benefits.

In all, the district has budgeted to purchase approximately 195 new computers, along with additional printers, servers, superdrives and projectors.

Throughout his presentation, and particularly in a few closing comments, the superintendent stressed that the Newtown school system’s track record of fiscal responsibility would help “validate the need for this significant increase rather than be an impediment to it.”

Legislative Council member Dan Rosenthal agreed Wednesday. “I don’t think he would come in with a budget that was irresponsible,” he said. Mr Rosenthal, who sits on the council’s education subcommittee, was present at last Friday’s introduction, and admitted that the school board had its work cut out for it.

“I think the board has a challenge on their hands before they send it to the council; it sounded like a difficult budget to pare down.”

And Dr Reed echoed that concern, commenting this week that the school board will have a difficult time finding areas for reduction that won’t have a direct impact on students. The district’s decision-making body was slated to begin a two-week budget review process Wednesday night, continuing Thursday night and on February 3.

“It’s obvious that [the budget involved] a number of factors that have converged simultaneously,” school board Chairman Elaine McClure said this week of the budget before her. Mrs McClure commented that the board will look for ways to reduce the request, though exactly how was not readily apparent. “[In the past] we’ve had too many budget cuts and [have] postponed too many things.”

Board member Lisa Schwartz, a former council member, is familiar with the budget process from the council’s side. “I don’t think we can come before [the council] with what we have right now. I think we have to do some work.”

Trying to sum up the district’s significant request, Dr Reed Friday night recognized the importance of citizens in the budget process. “A budget is about needs, it’s about choices, it’s values, and ultimately it’s about what the residents of Newtown feel they will be able to give the school system to support those needs,” he said.

“I’m aware of the challenges [the budget] places in front of the community,” Dr Reed added. “I really don’t think there was much of an alternative.”