BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY17 B UDGET P ROPOSAL B UDGET H EARING March 7 th , 2016
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Agenda FY17 Overview Values reflected in FY17 proposal Detail on specific central proposals Next Steps 2
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY17 Overview • Costs are rising by $38M, though we have already begun taking steps to realize $8M in savings, which brings our maintenance budget to $30M • We have a number of investments to honor past commitments and support core operations, totaling $3M • We are also proposing $11M of strategic investments which we believe are critical to closing the opportunity and achievement gap • $13.5M in additional appropriations from the City will help pay for these expenses, but federal and net state education aid are declining • In order to fully fund our investments and reach a balanced budget in FY17, we will need $38M in total reductions (including the $8M in efficiencies already underway) • Two thirds of these cuts would be shouldered by central departments ($26M) and the remainder directly on school budgets ($13M) • Our recommendations today are based off of a multi-month process that included a line-by-line review of the entire BPS budget 3
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Agenda FY17 Overview Values reflected in FY17 proposal Detail on specific central proposals Next Steps 4
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Equity 5
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS The School Committee approved a strategic plan last year with six priority areas 1. BPS will provide rigorous, effective, and engaging curriculum, instruction, and enrichment. 2. BPS will continue to foster an environment of high expectations combined with targeted interventions and support in order to meet the learning needs of all students. 3. BPS will provide equitable access to quality facilities and highly effective programs. 4. BPS will implement strategies to ensure every school will have highly effective school leaders, teachers, and staff. The workforce will reflect the rich diversity of the students BPS serves. 5. BPS will continue to increase school autonomy and support to schools while also strengthening clear systems of accountability for both central office and schools. 6. BPS will empower, support, and hold accountable school leaders, teachers, and staff to effectively engage with families, partners, and the community to foster shared responsibility for student achievement. 6
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS In April 2014, the Mayor’s education working group transition team report identified five focus areas 1. Early Childhood Education : The key to closing [the achievement gap] is to start with our youngest children. One way to do this is to close the experience, opportunity, and readiness gaps that lead to the achievement gap in the earliest years 2. Facilities : The BPS’s facility problem is growing and impacting its ability to close achievement gaps 3. High school reform: BPS [will continue to] reduce the dropout rate and increase the number of students prepared for success in college and careers 4. Special education : Recognizing that all students are capable of learning, and each student is capable of maximizing his or her potential within the school setting, it is essential that barriers that interfere with a student’s success in school be removed 5. Charter schools : Mayor Walsh’s vision for Boston is that all of Boston’s schools are high quality schools http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/Education%20reduced_tcm3-44445.pdf 7
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS These priority areas guided the work of the transition team in developing the 100 day plan and 5 key values School Committee priorities and Mayor’s focus areas 100 day plan key values School Committee Priority 2 : an environment of high expectations All youth can and must achieve at high combined with targeted interventions and support levels School Committee Priority 4 : ensure every school will have highly effective school leaders, teachers, and staff Mayor’s Focus Area 1 : early childhood education We innovate and transform teaching and Mayor’s Focus Area 4 : special Education learning to inspire excellence. School Committee Priority 1: rigorous, effective, and engaging curriculum, instruction, and enrichment Those closest to students must be Mayor’s Focus Area 3: high school reform empowered and be held accountable for making the most critical decisions that lead School Committee Priority 5 : increase school autonomy and support to to student achievement. schools School Committee Priority 3 : equitable access to quality facilities and Every child should have access to a high highly effective programs Mayor’s Focus Area 2: facilities quality school of their choice close to home Mayor’s Focus Area 5: charter schools We must build a “Culture of We” that is School Committee Priority 6: empower, support, and hold accountable embraced by students, staff, families, and school leaders, teachers, and staff to effectively engage with families, community. partners, and the community to foster shared responsibility 8
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS How did we embed these values into our decision- making process? How is this value reflected in FY17 budget proposal? 100 day plan key values All youth can and must achieve at Relied on research-backed practices to prioritize as we high levels work to close the achievement and opportunity gap We innovate and transform Prioritized small but critical investments in teaching and learning to inspire innovation that will fuel future growth and change excellence. Those closest to students must be empowered and be held Prioritized central efficiencies first in order to protect accountable for making the most school budgets as much as possible critical decisions that lead to student achievement. Every child should have access to Continued commitment to long term Facilities a high quality school of their Master Plan choice close to home We must build a “Culture of We” Maintained BPS’ deep commitment to equity and that is embraced by students, transparency in budget development staff, families, and community. 9
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS As a result of our process and applying these values, we developed a proposal with the following recommendations for action Our proposed reductions: Our proposed investments: 1. Maximize possible efficiencies at 1. Honor past commitments and core Central and in Transportation operations ($3M) (including aggressive $10M goal 2. Invest in excellent instruction: More for transportation) school, better school (K1, ELT, 2. Look to school budgets last summer: $6M) (limited to one third of reductions) 3. Support long term innovation in 3. Spread out change so that none instruction and equity (Excellence for of our most important work is All, SPED support teams, Personalized paralyzed (including central learning: $3M) supports and Early Hiring) 4. Build data, technology & systems to 4. Avoid inefficiencies or disruption enable long term structural change due to upcoming FMP decisions (SPED, trans, and financial systems: (e.g. honoring classroom $2M) expansions, no school closures) 10
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Summary of largest reductions and investments – including those considered and not proposed Major Reductions Major Investments 1. Push for $10M in Transportation efficiencies Included in 1. Early childhood ($4M in K1) our proposal 2. Don't dismantle central supports, but do 2. SPED and transportation data systems to pursue some further efficiencies ($1M) enable long term improvements ($2M) 3. Sped class sizes ($5M) 3. Excellence for All ($1M) 4. Reduction to HS weights ($7M) 5. Cut back centrally funded supports (e.g. 4. SPED supports ($1M) partnerships and acceleration academies) 5. Universal Pre-K Considered 6. School closures 6. Further investment in 100 Day Plan ($2M) * but not 7. Deep across-the-board cuts to school proposed 7. Deferred maintenance ($2.5M) budgets (up to $25M) 8. 1:1 computers for all students ($3M) 8. Ending the Early Hiring Initiative ($8M) 9. MBTA passes for all 7-12th graders ($2.9M) 10. Full roll-out of ELL coordinators (up to $6M) 11. Food & nutrition improvements ($2M) 12. Breakfast in the classroom ($1.5M) 13. Curriculum materials ($1M+) 14. Library books ($0.3M) 11 * Including more for AWC, MassCore, Central Office Redesign, Long Term Financial Plan, and Communications
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