Budget for 2007-08

The superintendent is unveiling his proposed '07-08 budget tomorrow night with the theme of "Building on Progress." Here are some quick highlights:

The '07-08 budget continues the trend in fiscal responsibility. As in recent years, the school budget is growing less than 2%, despite higher cost increases in major expenditures like health insurance (9%), transportation (7%) and energy (6%).

This budget also continues the trend of reallocating more than $1 million creatively to provide some new programs and initiatives -- a total of 18 initiatives at the school level, and six at the district level, both large and small.

This budget responds to requests from School Committee members and from the community over the past months to address needs/desires for a more robust music program in middle and high school, additional special education classrooms for children in the autistic spectrum, training for librarians and tech specialists, in-school teacher training (coaches) for major subject areas as well as health education, expanded opportunities for civic engagement and internships, enhanced RSTA programs, web access to student records for parents, mentoring to help students navigate the route to college, and expansion of City Sprouts gardening program to two more schools--among other things.

The budget also funds previous commitments to update curriculum and expand training in TERC math and the Literacy Collaborative, to open the new Montessori program at the Tobin, add additional kindergartens at Tobin and Haggerty to meet demand, expand AVID at the high school and the ISP program at the Peabody--among other things.

Central administration would comprise 5.7% of the budget as compared to 72.4% for expenditures in the schools -- far outpacing the 65% that some national advocates are calling for.

Unlike prior years, a relatively stable enrollment projected for next year means only four teaching positions are being eliminated in this budget due to enrollment declines--two at the high school through retirements and two at the elementary level.

As in the past, the superintendent's presentation will be posted on www.cpsd.us. The School Committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, March 13, with the vote scheduled for March 20.