This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
02/10/2016 10:12 AMTonight's Feb. 10 budget workshop has been cancelled; delaying until next week the Branford Board of Education's (BOE) review of the $53.19 million 2016-17 schools budget proposal unveiled by Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez on Feb. 3.
Word was posted today that tonight's meeting, set for 7 p.m. at Branford High School, has been cancelled. Weather concerns also cancelled an earlier budget workshop this week, which had been set for Mon. Feb 8. Zip06 confirmed this afternoon today's budget workshop has been rescheduled for next Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 pm.; with an agenda for the meeting expected to be posted by the end of this week, according to the Superintendent's office. Agendas and meeting dates are posted at http://www.branford.k12.ct.us/
The BOE is set to review a proposed fiscal 2016-17 schools budget which carries an annual increase of 2.25% or $1,197,520 over the current budget.
Last year, Hernandez requested a 2.29% increase and ultimately gained a town-approved 1.9% bump to create this year's $52.3 million 2015-16 schools budget.
The largest driver for expense increases in the 2016-17 schools budget are salary increases; for which an additional $734,197 has been budgeted. Second, at $304,573 are purchased services, which include staff Professional Development. Benefit increases are pegged to climb by $206,444.
Branford Public Schools is in the midst of a three-year teachers' contract which went into effect July 1, 2015. The contract allows a 3.1 percent salary increase in the first two years; followed by 3.4 percent in year three. The contract includes high-deductible health savings plans requiring employees to pay 50 percent of deductibles and the district to pay the other 50 percent; with all teachers required to be enrolled in the plan by the third year of the contract (teachers staying with traditional plans in years one and two must pay premiums). Over the life of the three year contract, the district is expected to save approximately $574,000 in health insurance expenses.
While school enrollment continues its decline (there are 3,047 students enrolled this year, down from 3,113 in 2014-15 and 3,240 in 2014-13), Hernandez emphasized the importance of maintaining class sizes, especially in elementary grades and grade five -- an important transitional year. He also wants to see the district maintaining quality programming and curriculum, as well as continuing technology integration. He indicated the need to continue, and possibly lend more support, to World Languages in elementary grades; which began about three years ago. Currently one teacher covers the district's three elementary schools; but Hernandez alluded to the idea that more teaching support may be needed to increase "proficiency" among students.
Hernandez also emphasized the continued need to support a teacher model for the town's expanding English Language Learners program (ELL); students for who English is not their primary language.
"We have growing population of ELL students, and that program went from a paraprofessional primarily instructed program to a teacher model, and we hope to continue to do that (and) this budget supports that," said Hernandez on Feb. 3.
In addition, he noted, approximately 25% of all Branford public school students are now qualified to receive reduced or free school lunch enrollment through the state; a rapidly growing indicator of "changing needs." That number was 20% when Hernandez started with the district six years ago; and Hernandez said he feels the current figure of 25% is "truly an under representation."
Other changing needs which will need support include Special Education, an area which has recently shown student-enrollment "spikes" as the district becomes more proficient in servicing those pupils' needs; and growing "mobility" – students entering and exiting after the school year starts, said Hernandez. He pointed out approximately 200 students have been mobile thus far in the 2015-16 school year; with 118 entering while 82 left, for a net 36 student increase overall. Hernandez expects this current year's mobility number to top out at 300 students before school ends in June.
"That has an impact – that's a process that this district is just starting to deal with and we have to be mindful of," said Hernandez.
Each year, the Branford schools budget is only approved after the lengthy town budget process, which begins with the Superintendent's presentation in February, followed by BOE workshopping for a recommended bottom line to forward to the Board of Finance (BOF) for review. Then, the BOF sends its final recommendation on to the Representative Town Meeting for final review/town approval in the spring.
Branford Public Schools is the Town of Branford's single largest employer, including some 300 teachers as well as other personnel. Branford's schools budget traditionally comprises just over 50 percent of the total Town of Branford annual budget. The town follows a July 1 - June 30 fiscal year calendar.
To see an overview of the Superintendent's proposed 2016-17 budget, go to http://bit.ly/1Rpuzv3