I write this with deep regret that a state such as Massachusetts, which has been in the forefront of improving student performance, including being ranked among the best in the world, would be forced to cut funding for education midway through the year using the 9C authority vested in the Governor. What I don’t understand, and haven’t gotten a solid answer to, is how the legislature can enact a law requiring that regional transportation only be reduced by the amount that Chapter 70 is reduced, yet have the Governor ignore that law with impunity.
This cut by the Governor has reduced Gateway’s revenue by $241,000 causing the district to yet again tighten its finances and make reductions across the board despite the best intentions of our school committee and towns in adopting a balanced budget for the district. One of the challenges regarding this reduction is that the legislature voted additional money in regional transportation after most regional school districts had an approved budget in place; for them, this additional money could have been set aside to reduce the following year’s budget. In Gateway’s case, however, the towns rejected our first budget and, once the increased funding was passed by the state, asked that this money be used to reduce the current year’s town assessments. If we hadn’t used this money to reduce assessments, we would not have to reduce our expenditures in the middle of the year.
District staff have been reviewing options for dealing with this shortfall since we first got wind of the potential for the loss of revenue. The initial steps, even though difficult, did not have an immediate and direct impact on students. These included a freeze on all discretionary spending, eliminating mentoring stipends for specific staff, postponing specific technology and safety updates, and adjusting for changes in specific line items such as out-of-district placement. The secondary steps have a more pronounced impact on student services and include such items as a reduction in secretarial days and hours, a 6 or 7 day ‘furlough’ offered by district and building administrators, a reduction in professional development for paraprofessionals, eliminating academic support stipends, and eliminating the stipends for several student group advisors that had not yet been filled.
Unfortunately these steps did not completely fill the void so an option was provided to the teacher’s association for a furlough day to avoid the layoff of teaching staff. This option remains open and the association has asked for additional information and will be reviewing this information before deciding which direction they wish to pursue regarding a furlough day for teachers. If enacted, the furlough day would eliminate the parent/teacher conference day in March. In the interim, the leadership team eliminated stipends for department heads across the district, and reviewed staff reductions that would have the least impact on students. The district was asked that staff be notified of their layoff status, which was done on Wednesday, December 17 with an official notification to seven teachers, as required by law. The loss of these staff members will require significant changes and realignment of teaching staff, courses, and students for the second semester.
I’m saddened by the necessity of reducing our budget due to Governor Patrick’s choice of 9C reductions, especially as it impacts staff before the holidays. Our staff are excellent at their jobs and any and all losses of staff is certainly felt strongly by student, other staff, and our entire community.
