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Date: 3/17/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Springfield Public Schools are projecting a $48.4 million budget for the fiscal year 2022 (FY22), a 7.02 percent increase from last year’s $45.2 million budget, it was revealed at a March 9 public hearing.
There are several factors impacting the budget that are still undetermined, including the district’s funding levels under Chapter 70, the major program of state aid to public elementary and secondary schools. During the hearing, Superintendent Tim Connor told the committee the district had experienced a significant dip in enrollment from slightly less than 4,100 students to just over 3,900, mostly due to the pandemic. The majority of this dip, he said, was the result of parents of early education students holding their children back, but the district also saw some students move to private schools. This would play a major factor in the Chapter 70 formula, however, a “hold harmless” provision would prevent the district from a reduction in aid compared to FY21. The state had not made a decision on whether to exercise this provision.
According to the budget presentation, the district expects an $870,313 increase in Chapter 70 funding, however, if enrollment had remained at the previous school year’s levels, the district would receive $1.2 million.
“This is where, kind of, the rubber hits the road in terms of not just West Springfield but other districts being held harmless on those students that may unenroll from districts,” Connor said. “Currently, the Chapter 70 funds are reflective of our current enrollment, which you can see has a dip. This isn’t a thing that is unique to West Springfield. This is something we have seen across the state. Almost 37,000 students departed for some other educational experience.”
Connor noted later in the presentation that the state’s pending decision on the hold harmless provision would impact Student Opportunity Act (SOA) requests in the budget. He said the SOA was “something we are excited for but also cautiously optimistic about. This is really dependent on whether the state will hold districts harmless for the decrease in enrollment due to COVID.”
The FY22 budget includes $1.2 million in SOA requests, including $220,000 for four full time equivalent (FTE) elementary classroom specialists, two separate $120,000 expenditures for two FTE special education inclusion teachers at each Coburn Elementary School and West Springfield High School, and $120,000 for two FTE middle school reading specialists. Other requests include $75,000 for a special education elementary evaluation team leader, $70,000 each for English language learner institutional support at the elementary and secondary levels and separate $60,000 expenditures for a school adjustment counselor, a middle school evaluation team leader and 504 coordinator, math and reading specialists at Fausey Elementary School, and a math specialist for Memorial School. A unified basketball program is also requested with a $6,000 cost.
The district estimated a $1.4 million in contractual staff increases. Meanwhile, the state’s Circuit Breaker reimbursement was reduced, requiring a $134,542 hike in district special education expenses. The cost of Lower Pioneer Valley Education Collaborative services also increased by $26,330.
The district was able to reduce the school choice offset to $0, freeing itself of a $495,777 liability through line-by-line analysis of 1,400 budget items that identified a number of unfilled special education positions, large textbook orders and technology expenses, according to Business Manager Kim Hunter.
Hunter told the committee COVID-19 has impacted nearly all aspects of school funding, but in many areas, the district would be able to maintain current staffing levels. While many revolving accounts for revolving operating expenses related to athletics transportation, special education, early childhood learning, food service and school choice were impacted at varying levels, she expressed confidence that none of the staff in those departments would be cut.
“Our accounts or balances are at levels where we can sustain those people at those positions,” she said.
Hunter also noted rolled over funding from state entitlement grants would allow the district to maintain positions funded through those programs.
The district has received or will receive more than $2 million in relief funding. Remote Learning Technology funding of $114,641 was spent on Chromebooks. The district also received $914,400 from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, which Hunter said were also almost fully expended on personnel such as isolation room monitors and data collection specialists as well as technology and software, educational supplies and materials for home learning. The district additionally received $261,425 from the state’s Coronavirus Prevention Fund, which must be used by the end of June.
A first wave of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund monies in the amount of just north of $1 million was also already utilized to offset the FY21 budget. Hunter said there could be some leftover funding, but the majority was already expended.
The district anticipated $4.2 million in a second influx of ESSER funding, but Hunter indicated more planning and information was required. “That’s the plan we still need to figure out. A lot of this is moving as we speak,” she said.
Additionally, the district is awaiting details on the American Rescue Plan, which was signed by President Joe Biden on March 12. Hunter indicated the district is unsure on the amount of support the town will receive or how that will impact the schools.
“We don’t know the details of it, but in the next few weeks, a lot of this will be coming into light a little bit clearer, hopefully,” she said.
After the committee addressed the budget, student representative Alleyna Pitaso announced that senior prom has been scheduled for June 4 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke and graduation will be on June 6 at the Big E fairgrounds in the Coliseum.
Also, during the meeting, three motions were passed. The first motion was to reduce Fall II athletic fees by 50 percent due to schedule changes. Football will cost $62.50, boys and girls track and cheer will cost $40.
The second motion was to approve the rate charge of $150 per day for all hybrid instructional support staff.
The third motion was to approve $10,166,870 in entitlement and discretionary revenue as listed in the FY21 Revenue report and acceptance of grant funding report.
At the next School Committee meeting, the committee will vote on the budget and discuss Commissioner of Education Jeffrey Riley’s plan to return students to full in-person learning. Riley’s plan calls for districts to offer full classroom instruction five days a week by April 5 at the elementary level and April 28 in the middle schools. Information on high schools will be made available in April, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Staff Writer Angelica J. Core contributed to this story.