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Date: 2/22/2022
PELHAM – The proposed Pelham School District budget will increase 2.3 percent next year, the bump driven by contracted increases in employee compensation. A drop in special education costs prevented a higher budget number.
“It’s a little higher than it was,” said Doug Slaughter, director of Finance for the district. “It stays within our means. We’re trying to continue to offer the same programs and services to the kids as we have this year.”
In dollar terms, the overall budget increased to $2,169,369.
Relatively few changes from last year’s budget powered the increase in this year’s total, with most of the rise due to wages and benefits. The line item for teacher salaries saw a $90,952 increase, administration costs rose $19,099, while student services increased by $13,119.
Special education staffing costs dropped by $53,950. The seesaw in general teacher and special education teacher salaries was due, in part, to a shift of staffing from special education to regular education salaries. Step salary increases and cost of living adjustments accounted for much of the remaining line item variations, year to year.
Several line items decreased significantly. Expenses for regular education dropped $10,100 through a reduction in instructional materials. Special education supporting costs dropped $50,000 as the district made fewer placements. Charter and school choice tuitions also dropped $15,000.
Slaughter acknowledged the school choice program plays an important role in the financial picture.
“School choice is definitely a critical component of Pelham’s budget,” Slaughter said. “The critical piece in having that kind of a model is, we’re trying to not add expenses by adding these students. It affords us the ability to have one classroom for each grade. We bring in enough school choice students in each of those grades to sustain those rooms without having to add a lot of additional resources. That’s a great circumstance. That’s where it’s possible for us to sustain it.”
The contribution from the school choice revolving fund increased by 11.1 percent, to $250,000.
Student and support services, central and school administration costs saw no or little change. Facilities management and utilities costs are level funded, this year to next. Pelham’s budget director also increased the line item for transportation expenses by about $4,700 through a projection of contract terms.
Health insurance increased by $36,555 after the district saw a 4 percent increase in premium rates. Slaughter commented that the state’s Prop. 2.5 law constricts the town’s and the district’s ability to deal with increases greater than 2.5 percent.
“People are the largest part of our budget,” Slaughter said. “Expenses around staff…2.5 percent is about all the town can offer in the way of increases. When Chapter 70 aid is pretty small, that erodes the ability to be at that 2.5 percent Then our health insurance goes up almost 4 percent and that’s a big part things.”
Health insurance accounts for 16 percent of the total budget. That almost equals the 16.4 percent devoted to special education.
According to Slaughter, Pelham’s Chapter 70 rate rose $30 per student this year. That will add $1,950 in the state’s base educational aid.
Enrollment is a little lower, down from the current census of 117 students to 113, which allowed for the elimination of a para-educator. That will generate a savings of $20,632. While school choice enrollments are still fluid, they are projected to outnumber resident students 57 to 56.
According to Slaughter, school facilities accounted for 6.3 percent of the budget last year. This year upkeep and maintenance will be 6.4 percent. He noted the major renovations to the school were done two decades ago, which means the building is nearing the time when repairs and maintenance will likely increase.
“The roof is coming up on 20 years. That’s going to be a pretty big capital hit in a couple years,” Slaughter said. “We try to keep in constant contact with our friends on the Pelham Finance Committee, and Selectboard. They’re certainly aware of it.”
The school budget will become part of the town budget, as a levy item, and will be voted on by Annual Town Meeting, scheduled for May 14.