2014.2015. Final Education Budget 3.1%
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Final budget presentation to the Orange, CT, community with 3.1% increase in spending for the upcoming 2014 - 2015 school year..
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2014.2015. Final Education Budget 3.1%
- 1. ORANGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 2014 – 2015 EDUCATION BUDGET ADOPTED 4.7.2014 “Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends.” B enjamin Di sraeli
- 3. BOARD OF EDUCATION William Kraut, Chair Jody Dietch, Vice Chair Jeff Cap, Secretary Kimberly Browe Karen deFur-Maxwell Keith Marquis Deanna Pucillo Robert Ricciardi Susan Riccio Christian Young
- 4. ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM Stephen Bergin, Principal, Turkey Hill School Matt Bruder, Director of Technology Kai Byrd, Director of Special Services Eric Carbone, Principal, Peck Place School Michael Gray, Principal, Race Brook School Michael Luzzi, Director of Facilities Lynn K. McMullin, Superintendent Kevin McNabola, Business Administrator Colleen Murray, Director of Curriculum & Principal, Mary L. Tracy School
- 5. SUPERINTENDENT’S LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Dear Members of the Orange Community, Please accept this sincere, wholehearted request for support in the upcoming 2014 – 2015 school year made on behalf of the Board of Education, district administrators, and our educational community. While the key objective of this spending plan is to maintain the rich academic, social, and personal opportunities our students and their families deserve, its additional focus is on the safe and nurturing environment of their four schools. Thus, for the first time, (at least in recent history), the budget contains a specific schedule of Capital Improvements. The Board of Education and I are fully aware that the community has generously bonded our recent request for roofs, security, and boilers. Better than anyone, we understand the full impact of the loss at Peck Place School this past January. We kept both in mind as we worked through so many financial decisions; but we also kept returning to the same basic truths of education: roofs are not curriculum and boilers are not computer carts. We are not asking for ‘champagne and caviar’ in this budget; we are requesting the bread, milk, and eggs we need to provide a wholesome education. Thus, while this increase is higher than we have received in previous years, it is a budget responsive to our children’s needs for education and safety, to the demands of their 21st Century skill-set, to our teachers’ entreaty for a rich and rigorous Language Arts curriculum, and to our investment in our buildings. The budget for the 2014-2015 year is $18,821,908 which represents an increase of 3.13%. In addition, we brought forth to the Town some capital improvement projects, such as the stairs and sidewalk at Mary L. Tracy, the structural classrooms supports at Turkey Hill, and the interior ramp at Race Brook. Our adopted 2014-2015 budget moves the district forward in three priority areas: 1. Language Arts Curriculum, 2. Capital Improvements (now in the Town budget), and 3. Technology. First, the new district-wide LA curriculum, which represents about 1% of the budget, is rich in teacher and student materials. It features authentic shared texts and is flexible enough to accommodate workshop models. It is Common Core aligned which, in Orange, represents an opportunity for important instructional shifts. We are more than ready. The CCSS expects our students to reflect and write more, to read a variety of texts and evaluate what they read, and to support their opinions with textual evidence. The Common Core shift is an important one for our community where so many students are already at or above goal and poised both for these valuable increased expectations and for learning at their own level.
- 6. We have also restructured Central Office to allow for full-time Director of Curriculum. Our need to expand this position, currently half-time, became more obvious over the past two years as our district dealt with new State requirements for curriculum, extensive changes in the teacher and paraprofessional evaluation plans, significant testing changes, shifts in instructional technology, requirements for improved communication with parents about assessments and interventions, and so on. This reorganization was accomplished with the elimination of the 1.0 Assistant Special Education position and new job descriptions which merged four existing Central Office positions into three. Next, we have developed a responsible list for the Town of the Capital Improvements which simply cannot wait. The pictures included in this budget, on pages/slides 34 – 41, underscore the sense of immediacy. Safety concerns dominate the list, but a few projects are also aesthetic. It should be noted that this past year we attended to the two significant emergencies at Peck Place with mindfulness to both our students and the wider Orange community. Though we care deeply about these buildings, we truly see the schools, not as ours, but as the community’s. We are grateful the Board of Finance moved these projects out of our budget and into the Town Budget. Finally, while we have significantly expanded our teachers’ and students’ access to technology, we still have a distance to go before we can accommodate either 1-to-1 student access to computers or a ‘bring-your-own-device’ environment. Our goal is to provide instruction which engages our students in the technology skills and understandings they need for their world. This budget does recognize that a lower student enrollment and decreases in Special Education have provided opportunities for us to economize. This year a total of 6.5 positions have been reduced: 13 were eliminated; but 5.5 were added to accommodate an exploding ELL program and our increased tutoring needs in math. Also, although we hired them last year, the 4 security monitors had not been budgeted last year, so they appear as an addition in this year’s budget. Respectfully submitted, Lynn K. McMullin Superintendent of Schools “Education is more than a luxury; it is a responsibility a society owes to itself.”
- 7. The Orange Elementary School District recognizes that the education of each child is the shared responsibility of every member of our community. Our goal is to inspire and empower each student to achieve academic excellence, embrace social and individual responsibility, and lead with integrity. We believe all individuals should be valued and treated with respect. OUR MISSION
- 8. • Providing powerful academic challenges • Respecting individual and community values • Nurturing personal growth • Taking pride in our children and celebrating their successes • Promoting school and community spirit • Enhancing lifelong learning through technology • Believing all children deserve a childhood • Creatively, confidently building the future WE ARE COMMITED TO: Together … We Will Make a Difference
- 9. Our buildings are 45 - 100 years old and, as they age, need our resolute, ongoing attention. Preparing for the future of our buildings not only makes us proud owners, but positively affects our ability to deliver exceptional educational services to our children. Thus, a new line item has been added to this budget called ‘Capital Improvements.’ It is intended to begin addressing our immediate needs in a purposeful, organized way. We started with the most obvious safety and aesthetic needs – the items on everyone’s mind. These aren’t ‘caviar and champagne’ items; they are the bread, eggs, and milk. The school system is a community jewel. It draws families to Orange. It is the reason so many children who grow up in Orange come back to buy homes in which to raise their own children. In return, our schools respond by reflecting Orange’s values, by developing high-level programs which ensure our students are academically prepared for the next steps, by helping them become active participants in their schools and community, and by enabling them to embrace their personal, social, and civic responsibilities as future citizens. That symbiotic relationship is a worthy investment. These two core beliefs cannot be broached as an either/or consideration. The Orange School District cannot choose to either maintain its buildings … or strengthen its educational programming. Both are vital. TWO CORE BELIEFS … IN PRESENTING THIS BUDGET
- 10. 2014 – 2015 Budget – News item posted on our website Monday, March 10th – 7:30 p.m. Board of Education Meeting @ MLT Tuesday, March 18th -- 7:30 p.m. Board of Finance Meeting @ MLT Tuesday, March 25th – Link to budget added on SlideShare Tuesday, April 22nd – 6:00 p.m. Board of Education Meeting @ MLT – final adoption Wednesday, April 23rd -- 7:30 p.m. Budget Hearing @ HPCC Thursday, May 8th -- 7:30 p.m. Annual Town Meeting @ HPCC Tuesday, May 20th -- Referendum from 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. @ HPCC BUDGET PROCESS INFORMATION
- 11. CONTENT AREA 2006 % of Grade 6 at GOAL or above 2011 % of Grade 6 at GOAL or above 2013 % of Grade 6 at GOAL or above MATH 78% 93% 94% READING 79% 91% 97% WRITING 78% 87% 92% 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS Over the past five to six years, test scores have improved. Below you can see scores at Goal. In 2012, we began tracking the Advanced band. In 2013: 60% scored Advanced in Math 43% scored Advanced in Reading 44% scored Advanced in Writing
- 12. YEAR MATHEMATICS DRG B Rank READING DRG B Rank WRITING DRG B Rank 2006 12th of 21 18th of 21 17th of 21 2011 3rd of 21 6th of 21 4th of 21 2013 2nd of 20 1st of 20 2nd of 20 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS Percentage of 6th Grade Students Scoring ‘Goal’ or Above • A renewed focus on differentiating for students at the Advanced band should maintain and strengthen Orange’s position at the top of our DRG. • However, teachers in Orange have maintained their focus on meaningful, rigorous project-based learning, as well. • A new Math Expressions curriculum has a strong problem-solving component.
- 13. Grade 3 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Reading 70% 81% 72% 76% 75% Writing 72% 79% 73% 75% 74% Math 84% 86% 86% 81% 82% Grade 4 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Reading 78% 79% 87% 80% 81% Writing 76% 81% 91% 83% 81% Math 86% 90% 90% 85% 82% Longitudinal Improvements in % of students at Goal or above. 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS
- 14. Grade 5 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Reading 89% 83% 76% 92% 82% Writing 91% 89% 87% 87% 87% Math 91% 92% 94% 92% 87% Science 69% 76% 81% 90% 74% Grade 6 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Reading 89% 92% 91% 91% 97% Writing 88% 89% 87% 87% 92% Math 90% 96% 93% 92% 94% Longitudinal Improvements in % of students at Goal or above. 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS
- 15. Grade 5 (in 2013) 2011 3rd grade 2012 4th grade 2013 5th grade % change Reading -- 72% 80% 82% +10 Writing -- 73% 83% 87% +14 Math -- 86% 85% 87% +1 Grade 6 (in 2013) 2010 3rd grade 2011 4th grade 2012 5th grade 2013 6th grade % change Reading 81% 87% 92% 97% +16 Writing 79% 91% 87% 92% +13 Math 86% 90% 92% 94% +8 Growth over time: Achievement at Goal or above for same cohort 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS
- 16. 2012 – 2013 SUCCESS STORIES: ACADEMICS GOAL ADVANCED
- 17. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: COMMUNICATIONS • Implementation of PowerSchool o New Student Information System (SIS) o Parent Portal o Standards-based report cards o Improved in-house reporting capabilities o Improved State reporting capabilities • Schools’ ‘Annual Report’ to the BOE • Facebook Page • Added ‘news bite’ pop-ups to webpage • Published 35 SlideShare presentations • Improved OGAT and BOE meetings • Surveys – Kindergarten, Parent Satisfaction, Special Ed
- 18. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: EVALUATION Implementation of the new Teacher & Administrator Evaluation Plans o Wrote a customized plan to meet Orange’s needs o Full implementation – 100% teachers; 100% schools o BOE-approved and State-approved plan o Conducted calibration training for Administrators o Developed Talent Ed management tool o Conducted parent and student satisfaction surveys o School-based goals for parent and student feedback o School-level workshops for implementation
- 19. Provided 15 Professional Development Sessions – highlights are: o PowerSchool and Standards-based Report Cards o Argument Writing and Close Reading o Common Formative Assessments for PE, Music, Spanish, Art, Library (LMS) o Math Expressions for Special Ed paraprofessionals o TEAM Recertification Training for Teachers o Lexia Core 5 for paraprofessionals o Differentiation Strategies 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: CURRICULUM Professional Development to Teachers and Administrators
- 20. o Wrote ‘Teacher Resource Guides’ aligning the CCSS to Math Expressions and Standard-Based Report Cards o Aligned the ESL (English as a Second Language) curriculum for grades K - 2 o Created Performance-Based Assessments o Math o Language Arts o Special Area Subjects – Art, Music, PE, Spanish, LMS o Convened the LA Core Program Adoption Committee 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: CURRICULUM Curriculum Development
- 21. o Piloted Accelerated Math, Moby Max Math, and Mathletics programs 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: CURRICULUM Technology, Curriculum, and Instruction o Implemented Pebble Go research software (K – 3) o Implemented Type to Learn – (Grades 1 – 6) o Wrote a $45,000 CSDE grant for 3 carts of Lenovos o Piloted PowerSchool Electronic grade book
- 22. o Conducted 4 Parent Presentations in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Standards-based report cards o Homework Committee 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: CURRICULUM Community Involvement
- 23. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: CURRICULUM o Expanded 2014 Summer School Program to include Tier II, Tier III and ELL students o 1 hour Math; 1 hour LA o Added iPad and applications to Summer School Program Summer School
- 24. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: PROGRAMS o PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports, part of anti-bullying and Safe Schools) – full implementation at Race Brook School and Turkey Hill School o PBIS – year 1 training at Peck Place School o Doubled the number of students participating in instrumental music programs o 162 students in 2011 o 301 students in 2013 o Orange Elementary Marching Band is returning to the Memorial Day Parade
- 25. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: PROGRAMS o Robotics Summer Camp , 3 week-long sessions for First LEGO League competitions o Pre-school expansion w/ Open enrollment o 29 students 2013 – 2014 o 48 students 2014 - 2015 o Expanded Summer School to include regular education students for Math and LA instruction
- 26. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: TECHNOLOGY o 2014-2015 Technology Grant for 90 iPads (3 carts, one each to RB, TH, and PP) o Addition 3 carts of Lenovos (20 each) RB, PP, and TH o Addition of 9 portable laptop carts (2x30, 7x20) -- SBAC testing requirements o Addition of 2 portable iPad carts (2x30) -- SBAC testing requirements o Network upgrades to Fiber Optics, new switches o Installation of CAT5E cables in classrooms o Replacement of all CRT monitors with flat-screen LCD monitors
- 27. 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: TECHNOLOGY o Full implementation of PowerSchool -- more robust SIS (Student Information System) o Design of digital grade book and training for teachers o Custom built Standards-Based report cards o Implementation of School Gate Guardian Visitor Management System o Installation/configuration of Employee ID Access System w/Staff Proximity ID badges o Implementation of Direct IP printing
- 28. o Implemented Phase I of the Security Plan: panic buttons and ID Card readers at locked doors o Implemented removal of unsafe appliances from classrooms (safety/energy savings) o Replaced playground edging and mulch at Turkey Hill o Replaced main stage curtains at Turkey Hill 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: FACILITIES & FINANCIAL o Attained State approval for key facilities projects (boilers, roofs, and security)
- 29. o Implemented a responsible, comprehensive recovery from two significant events (Summer 2013 and January 2014) at Peck Place School 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: FACILITIES & FINANCIAL • Summer 2013: Facilitated mold clean-up and air-quality testing • January 2014: Facilitated immediate clean-up • Yale West Campus: Located new facility within 3 days; relocated within 3 weeks • Worked with town and Yale officials to meet occupancy requirements • Worked with insurance adjusters • Managed asbestos removal • Served as general contractor for renovation projects
- 30. o Negotiated two additional contracts: Central Office and Administrative Assistants/Paraprofessionals o Completed RFPs and ED-049 Application for Bonded Projects; ongoing bond application work o Implemented energy-conservation projects with UI (interior and exterior lighting); including Peck’s renovation 2013 – 2014 SUCCESS STORIES: FACILITIES & FINANCIAL
- 31. o Provides a new LA Curriculum which supports CCSS and our students’ and teachers’ needs o Continues to expand Instructional Technology o Begins to support facilities improvements and maintenance at MLT, RB, and TH o Meets our contractual obligations THE 2014 – 2015 BUDGET o 0-Based Budgeting o Maintains the smaller class sizes = hallmark of the community (Slide 44)
- 32. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #1: CURRICULUM o Purchase $159,477 Language Arts Curriculum; 1st of two installments for a district-wide program, grades K – 6 o At Advanced, Orange scored in the top 10 amongst DRG B districts in only four areas, as highlighted below Goals: Align to the more rigorous Common Core State Standards Differentiate for high-achieving students, as well as those who struggle Consistency of curriculum across the grades and schools 2013 Math Reading Writing Adv. DRG/ out of 19 Adv. DRG / out of 19 Adv. DRG / out of 19 Grade 3 39% 10th 31% 16th 27% 16th Grade 4 39% 15th 29% 10th 28% 18th Grade 5 43% 17th 28% 18th 39% 8th Grade 6 60% 5th 43% 7th 44% 9th
- 33. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #1: CURRICULUM o Expand Accelerated Math to Peck Place and Race Brook o ELL Curriculum and program support; expansion of case loads from 18 students to 46 students in 3 years o Expanding SRBI ‘suite of Interventions’
- 34. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET Race Brook School: Ramp and carpeting, playground, stage curtains At Race Brook, above, the same flooring on the ramp is worn and has lost its non- skid properties. Above and center: Non- skid flooring at MLT -- raised rubber surface prevents slipping.
- 35. Ramp at Race Brook School: worn, slippery, in disrepair, safety hazard 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET
- 36. Carpeting RBS: Music Room and PPT Meeting Room worn, stained, frayed, odorous 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET
- 37. RBS all-purpose room: upper curtain is worn, dusty, and inoperable; needs to be replaced with a reflective window film that will allow in light 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET
- 38. Stage curtains at RBS and MLT are worn, stained, torn, and in disrepair. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET
- 39. Turkey Hill School: Classroom structural reinforcement; main office carpeting and the blinds in the library are worn and in disrepair. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET
- 40. Mary L. Tracy: Entrances, stairs and sidewalks; stage curtain 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET 1 2 3 4
- 41. At Mary L. Tracy, the school entrance stairs and sidewalk are currently closed due to deterioration over the winter. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #2: SCHOOL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN TOWN BUDGET 1 2
- 42. 2014-2015 PRIORITY #3: TECHNOLOGY 2014 – 2015 Budget: o $73,325 in district hardware upgrades – connectivity to the Internet o Network switches, security firewall, 48 access points o $40,029 to fund our portion (63%) of State grant awarded for 3 i-Pad carts o $20,590 for replacement laptops, 20 new i-Pads at MLT o Maintain all district software, webpage, and SRBI tools
- 43. DISTRICT CLASS SIZES 2012 - PROJECTED These three charts show DRG A and DRG B data from the October 1, 2012, Strategic School Profiles (SSPs), the last published reports available. For every district, the number shown is the average class size; some may be larger, some smaller. For example, in Glastonbury, which has 6 schools, K sizes range from 14.3 to 20; Grade 2 sizes range from 18 to 22.5; Grade 5 sizes range from 19.7 to 20.2. To the data, "Orange 2014" was added based on the current class enrollments. As evidenced, class sizes have not risen in comparison with DRG A or B districts over time. Sorted smallest to largest by Grade K Sorted smallest to largest by Grade 2 Sorted smallest to largest by Grade 5
- 44. School Projected Population Projected Class Size District Total 1115 Mary L. Tracy – Kindergarten / Pre-K* 130 (7) 48 Pre-K (4) Current Actual = 108 / 15.4 Current Actual 29/10 18.5 (K) 12 (pre-K)* Race Brook Current Actual = 379 Prediction = 351 Turkey Hill Current Actual = 310 Prediction = 290 Peck Place Current Actual = 376 Prediction = 339 2014- 2015 PROJECTED CLASS SIZE: MLT * Partially tuition-funded
- 45. School Projected Population Projected Class Size District Total 1115 Mary L. Tracy Kindergarten 130 / 48 Pre-K Race Brook 351 Grade 1 45 (3) 15 Grade 2 57 (3) 19 Grade 3 51 (3) 17 Grade 4 60 (3) 20 Grade 5 71 (4) 17/18 Grade 6 67 (4) 16/17 Turkey Hill 290 Peck Place 339 2014- 2015 PROJECTED CLASS SIZE: RBS Reduction of one position
- 46. School Projected Population Projected Class Size District Total 1115 Mary L. Tracy Kindergarten 130 / 48 Pre-K Race Brook 351 Turkey Hill 290 Grade 1 30 (2) 15 Grade 2 47 (3) 15/16 Grade 3 54 (3) 18 Grade 4 48 (3) 16 Grade 5 51 (3) 17 Grade 6 60 (3) 20 Peck Place 339 2014- 2015 PROJECTED CLASS SIZE: THS Reduction of one position
- 47. School Projected Population Projected Class Size District Total 1115 Mary L. Tracy Kindergarten 130 / 48 Pre-K Race Brook 351 Turkey Hill 290 Peck Place 339 Grade 1 36 (2) 18 Grade 2 61 (4) 15/16 Grade 3 57 (3) 19 Grade 4 61 (3) 20/21 Grade 5 70 (4) 17/18 Grade 6 54 (3) 18 2014- 2015 PROJECTED CLASS SIZE: PPS Reduction of one position
- 48. School Year Certified FTE Non- Certified FTE Support FTE Total Student Enrollment 2012 - 2013 - 3.5 Teachers # - .5 Admin # - 6.0 SE Paras # + .6 Tech * - 9.4 1244 2013 - 2014 - 2.5 Teachers # + 1.4 Teachers * - 1.5 SE Paras # + 8.0 Security * + 5.4 1198 2014 - 2015 - 6.0 Teachers + .5 Admin - 7.0 SE Paras + 3 ELL * + 2.5 Tutors * - 7 1104 Decrease / over 3 years - 10.6 Teachers - 9 Paras + 8.6 Support - 11 - 140 3-YEAR STAFFING REDUCTIONS: 2012 - 2015 • * = new positions in instrumental music, ELL, technology, security monitors • # = through attrition
- 49. 2014-2015 BUDGET PRIORITIES 2014 – 2015 Budget Drivers: 1. $200,199 for Health Insurance – 1.1% 2. $159,777 for English Language Arts Curriculum – .8% 3. $156,236 for Technology upgrades network and student computers – .8% 4. $129,709 for Instructional Aides in ELL and Math – .7%
- 50. ADDITIONS OVER 2013 - 2014 BUDGET 1. $200,199 -- Anthem Health Insurance 2. $159,777 – New English Language Arts Curriculum 3. $172,000 -- Special Education Out-of-District Tuition / Transportation 4. $129,709 -- 3 ELL Tutors / 3 Math Tutors 5. $73,325 – Improved Network Service 6. $66,812 -- 4 Daytime Security Monitors 7. $60,619 – District Computers and Carts 8. $34,000 – Reorganization Central Office 9. $30,000 -- Custodial Substitutes 10. $29,126 – Math Textbooks for Special Ed
- 51. DECREASES FROM 2013 - 2014 BUDGET 1. ($215,632) – Special Education Teachers (included Assistant to Special Ed Director) 2. ($226,795) – Classroom Teachers (retirements, decreased enrollment) 3. ($170,100) – Special Education Paraprofessionals 4. ($59,000) – Maintenance Salary 5. ($27,000) – Oil Heat 6. ($23,500) – Professional Development 7. ($16,470) – Technology Initiatives 8. ($10,221) – District Software 9. ($6,000) – Summer School
- 52. BUDGET SUMMARY 2012 – 2013 Expended Actual 2013 – 2014 Approved 2014 – 2015 Proposed % Increase Administration (4 Security; contractual increase) $552,819 $577,713 $647,098 12% Curriculum (New LA Curriculum) $331,935 $279,209 $488,396 74.9% Principal Salaries (Re-org in CO moves 2 partial salaries into this line) $380,797 $454,812 $528,672 16.2% Classroom Teacher Salaries (2% contractual increase; Steps) $6,349,171 $6,344,226 $6,155,472 (3%) Non-certified Salaries (Paraprofessionals, office, aides) $365,834 $402,560 $526,705 30.8% Technology $253,482 $338,695 $494,931* 46.1% Instructional Supplies $132,763 $228,814 $215,062* (6%) Total Instruction (Salaries, Technology, supplies) $7,645,280 $8,171,834 $8,331,282 2.0%
- 53. BUDGET SUMMARY 2012 – 2013 Expended Actual 2013 – 2014 Approved 2014 – 2015 Proposed % Increase Special Education $3,145,574 $3,267,725 $3,095,499 (5.3%) Transportation $735,917 $750,894 $764,310 1.8% Custodial Salaries $433,751 $436,001 $473,625 8.6% Utilities $528,413 $535,077 $530,822 .8% Plant Maintenance $402,101 $472,253 $423,970 (10.2%) Total Building Operations $1,031, 597 $1,051,554 $1,104,453 5.0% Employee Benefits $3,452,134 $3,624,943 $3,879,797 7.2%
- 54. 2012-2013 Expended Budget: $17,398,852 2013 – 2014 Approved Budget: $18,250,055 2014 – 2015 Proposed Budget: $18,821,908 BUDGET SUMMARY % Year 1.0 2010-11 0.6 2011-12 1.0 2012-13 2.7 2013-14 3.1 2014 – 15 Average: 1.7 Over 5 years
- 55. BUDGET COMPARISONS 95 districts have reported as of March 10 2013 - 2014 Rank 2014 – 1015 Rank Orange 2.7% 35th 3.1% 43rd State Average 2.2% 50th 3.1% 44th High 5.5% 1st 6.7% 1st Top 5 Newtown Hartland North Stonington Rocky Hill Vernon Ansonia New Canaan Darien Middletown Rocky Hill Low - 5.5% 95th - 1.8% 95th Bottom 5 Wolcott Montville Meriden Weston Hampton Region 18 Plainville Waterford Meriden Redding
- 56. BUDGET COMPARISONS 95 districts have reported as of April 7 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ansonia NewCanaan Darien Middletown RockyHill Norwich Preston Shelton Oxford Newington Bolton WestHaven Putnam Litchfield Stafford Salem EastHampton Waterbury Weston Glastonbury Canterbury EastWindsor Wilton Fairfield Region#5 Region#7 EastHaddam EastHartford Norwalk Brookfield Ellington Seymour Cromwell Tolland Southington Bristol EastLyme Vernon Orange AVERAGE Colebrook Barkhamsted Bethel Enfield Sherman Region#10 Chaplin Guilford Stonington Hamden Trumbull Woodbridge Windsor Region#19 Ridgefield OldSaybrook Colchester NorwichFreeAcademy Avon Voluntown Manchester Coventry Berlin NewFairfield Branford Lebanon Region#6 Mansfield Griswold Monroe Greenwich Pomfret Granby Groton Scotland Bethany NorthStonington Somers Portland Easton Hartland Wolcott Region#11 Montville Andover Eastford Region#9 Simsbury Hebron Milford Region#18 Plainville Waterford Meriden Redding BOE's 2014 - 2015 Budget % Increase
Hinweis der Redaktion
- This budget was presented to the Board of Education on April 7, 2014 and adopted with changes between its initial presentation and its final adoption. The initial budget was a 6.3% budget with 2.0% in Capital Improvements. The budget was reduced to 5.0% with 1.5% in Capital Improvements and it was adopted by the Board of Education and transmitted to the Board of Finance. Following review by the Board of Finance, the Capital Improvements were taken out of the budget and moved to a separated line in the Town of Orange’s budget and an additional $50,000 was reduced. This 3.1% increase is the final adoption of the 2014 – 2015 school budget and closes out a long and thoughtful process.
- The above appear as either pages or slides depending upon your version of the budget.
- The Board of Education worked on the budget in two open workshop sessions, which we called marathons: one onFebruary 20th from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. and the other on March 3rd from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Both were held in our meeting room in MLT.This budget was presented to the Board of Education on April 7, 2014 and adopted with changes between its initial presentation and its final adoption. The initial budget was a 6.3% budget with 2.0% in Capital Improvements. The budget was reduced to 5.0% with 1.5% in Capital Improvements and it was adopted by the Board of Education and transmitted to the Board of Finance. Following review by the Board of Finance, the Capital Improvements were taken out of the budget and moved to a separated line in the Town of Orange’s budget and an additional $104,500 was reduced.
- The Administrators developed their budgets in December and January and presented to the BOE during the February workshop meetings. This leadership team meets twice a month to discuss district-wide issues and to make policy and practice decisions together. This teamwork has strengthened our ability to provide a guaranteed and viable program across the schools, erasing important differences in the way children are educated school-to-school while still allowing for individualized communities and cultures. However, it was wonderful to see the camaraderie and support the team has for each other during our disastrous January in which Peck Place was displaced.
- This letter conveys the BOE’s adopted budget to the Board of Selectmen for their review.
- The letter focuses on both the rationale and sentiment behind the budget’s highlights. It formalizes and underscores the importance of the process.
- The Mission Statement was rewritten in 2012 – 2013, by the Strategic Planning Committee, which also published Orange’s first 3-year Strategic Plan, “Working Together We Grow.” This document is available on the webpage at oess.org in the Board tab.
- These bullet-points from the Strategic Plan document, and prominent on the wall behind us during meetings, drive our decision-making, including our budget decisions. In addition, specific goals are listed in the strategic plan, including goals such as improving the transitions between schools, continuing to improve security, and exploring full-day kindergarten.
- To my knowledge, Orange has not included Capital Improvements in its recent budgets. We carefully added dire Capital Improvements this year recognizing that there are ongoing maintenance needs which cannot wait to be addressed by a future bond. Some towns budget for Capital Improvements separately from their education budget; others do not. Thoughtfully, our Board of Finance has moved the Capital Projects which appear here to a town budget line.In the Fall of 2013, Orange was awarded the distinction by one online magazine of being the best community in which to raise children. That reputation must be fostered through both programming and building upkeep if the schools are to continue to attract families and if property values are hoped to out perform neighboring communities.
- Our webpage at www.oess.org is regularly updated and families can trust it as a source of current and accurate information. If you have found this presentation, then you are aware of the SlideShare tab under ‘Central Office’ where you can find all kinds of easy-to-read district reports, formatted just like this one. The CMT report is featured there, with a more detailed analysis of the next slides you will see here.
- In a time when the State and the country are faced with angst about the implementation Common Core Standards, Orange is in a position to embrace these higher-level achievement standards with confidence. Our students are already at Goal, and we were already expanding our expectations to include the Advanced band. With only two years of the new ‘Math Expressions’ program under our belts, our teachers and principals are very impressed with our students’ improved abilities to talk about and explain the math they are doing, rather than to ‘perform math by rote.’ The curricular choices Orange has made with the math program have proved to be an exceptional investment. This budget seeks to purchase a new LA Curriculum, which are teachers are anxious to implement. Concerning technology-based testing, such as with the SBAC, our parents were already keenly interested in their student’s individual achievement (versus a banded score); so the SBAC’s computer-adaptive test, which provides each student with a unique score, better meets their needs.
- A focus on curriculum and instruction, as well as deliberate decisions to incorporate a ‘suite of SRBI tools’ (scientifically researched-based interventions) for students who are struggling in math and reading, have led to Orange’s much stronger position in the DRG. These software and hardware purchases, including Lexia, Dreambox, Accelerated Reader, and Math are not new, but continue to be supported in the budget because of their data-supported educational value.
- Our student’s progress at the lower grades does not show the dramatic progress we see at the upper grades. However, recent changes in the curriculum at kindergarten have already begun to have impact. 85% of last year’s kindergarteners entered grade 1 as level 4 readers or above. The kindergarten has had to increase its number of reading books at the higher reading levels in both fiction and non-fiction. In Math, over 90% of last year’s kindergarteners reached the benchmark.
- At the upper grade levels, the new Common Core State Standards, which expect students to perform at higher skill levels, are perfect for Orange where we have begun to focus on students scoring at the Advanced levels. Of course, the CMT is now a test of the past, and the new SBAC begins this very month. The SBAC is a computer-based test, so the students will find it both interesting and challenging. More importantly, it is adaptive. Each student will be given questions in reading and math which get progressively more difficult until he/she cannot answer any more questions. After this year, (which is a trial test), students will receive a discrete score, rather than a banded score.
- It’s important for a district to track the achievement of the same group of students (cohort) over time. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that when scores are high, for example 92% of the students are already at Goal in Math in 5th grade, the room for growth is incrementally smaller. In other words, it’s much harder to close the gap between 92% and 100% at Goal, than it would be to close the gap between 75% and 83% at Goal.
- The district has continued to try to improve communications with parents and the wider community; some attempts have been successful and well received. The report cards, which are sent home, but also which can be accessed and printed from the parent portal in PowerSchool, will continue to evolve over the next few years as the standards are added or refined. The Facebook page, at Orange CT Board of Education, has once attracted over 3000 viewers, but the average post reaches 250 – 300 viewers. If you’re viewing this, you’ve found one of our 35 SlideShare presentations.
- The Evaluation Plans were fully implemented, despite flexibility which allowed us to implement with either 1/3 of our schools or a 1/3 of our teachers. The principals at all four schools stepped in with a workshop and professional development model for implementation that made it much easier for teachers to accomplish. Our parent and student feedback goals are school-based, so everyone is working together on the same goal. The plan is based heavily on self-reflection using four rubrics, so teachers were able to set instructional goals based on their own perceptions of their strengths and needs. We never tied our student achievement goals to the CMT, so the change to SBAC is irrelevant to our Evaluation Plans. Our teachers are basing their students’ achievement on in-house data from our benchmark assessments. Finally, we chose Talent Ed to manage our plan, forms, and paperwork, and we’ve experienced very few glitches as a result.
- The switch to PowerSchool, the Common Core State Standards, and the TEVAL Plan have played prominently in this year’s professional development, which takes place before the kids return to school in August and during minimum days throughout the year.
- The demands on curriculum, instruction, and technology have exploded in the past two years. The Common Core State Standards in Math and Language Arts, the new SBAC test, the implementation of the TEVAL Plans, as well as Orange’s own goals for revising the homework policy and creating district-wide benchmark assessments for Art, Music, PE, Library, and Spanish led to a reorganization of Central Office which results in the Director of Curriculum position changing from .49 to 1.0. The cost of this change is only $34,000, however, because another position, the Assistant Director of Special Education was eliminated in the same reorganization. In essence, four positions became three. We’ve also agreed that the Curriculum Director will use a portion of her time to write the grants we’ve let go and thereby pay for this difference. Very detailed information about the Central Office reorganization, which was discussed in general over the course of a full year and in its specifics in the BOE Personnel Sub-Committee is available on the webpage in the ‘Board – Minutes’ tabs.
- The connection between curriculum and technology is becoming more and more seamless as both new programs and new devices, such as i-pad and laptop carts, are added. The SBAC is a computer-based test; fortuitously it is pushing districts closer-and-closer to one device per child. If our children are to truly become 21st Century ready, they need as much exposure to the global community, visual and media literacy, interactive-communication, etc. as possible. They can gain this through the Internet. The district is moving towards BYOD (bring-your-own-device), but wireless upgrades and switches to improve connectivity to the Internet are needed first.
- The Director of Curriculum presented a workshop for parents at each of the four school in the Common Core shift and our own standards-based report cards. That presentation is also a SlideShare titled “Fall 2013 Parents’ Night Presentation.”
- Beginning this summer, our students receiving Tier II and Tier III interventions in Math, Reading, or both, and our ELL (English Language Learners) will be invited to attend summer school, which has also been expanded by one hour and one week. Summer School is a research-proven strategy to prevent the loss of skills, called ‘regression’, which occurs when students are away from school in the summer and not practicing or applying what they’ve already learned in any new contexts.
- Turkey Hill and Race Brook are fully immersed in PBIS, an intervention for negative behaviors and bullying which is accomplished through systemically recognizing the good behaviors. Both schools are already seeing the benefits. Peck Place is in the midst of its training and program design. This May, the community will enjoy the Orange Elementary Schools Marching Band in the Memorial Day parade. Two years ago, when the decision was made to expand instrumental music, many people feared that band would pull students away from a very successful strings program. Instead the district has seen a significant increase in the number of students participating in music with almost twice as many students enrolled in either the orchestra or band. Fundraising is currently underway for light-weight snare drums and uniforms.
- About a dozen student attended robotics camp this past summer, and the program will be offered again. The ‘campers’ then go on to join First LEGO League teams and compete against other schools to solve a humanitarian problem and program their robot to perform a task. This year, the students could select any type of natural disaster and devise and present some ‘invention’ to provide relief. Their robot needed to be able to navigate around debris.In the 3-year-old and 4-year pre-school program, with an open enrollment and a much lower tuition than other area pre-schools, more students are able to participate in the program. This coming year, a total of 48 students will be enrolled.
- The focus for 2013 – 2014 was twofold: first, expanding the capabilities of the district through improved infrastructure; and second, expanding student access to technology through the addition of mobile carts with either Lenovo laptops or i-Pads. Increased bandwidth was also required for the advancements in security including our ID card readers, the installation of the panic buttons, and this summer’s installation of the video surveillance cameras, which are Phase I and Phase II security projects.
- Additional advancements in technology occurred with the implementation of programs. Some are utility program and enhance how teachers work, collect data, and communicate with parents, such as through the new Student Information System (SIS) – PowerSchool. PowerSchool also enabled parents to view their own students attendance and grades, and soon they will be able to print report cards according to their own needs. The standards-based report cards required extensive hours of work for each trimester. The IT Department installed the School Gate Guardian Management System for visitor recognition. We switched our printing solution from local desk-jet printers to grade-level based printers and networked printers with privacy capabilities. Printers are accessed through the same ID Badge system as we use. The implementation of Equitrac has allowed the IT department to provide a new print management system, to reduce printing costs, to increase document security, and to promote sustainability.
- Since the referendum passed, the Bond projects have involved extensive meetings with the architects and with the State Inspectors. The roofs are in local review and we expect they will go out to bid in another month. Phase II security has been approved by the State, but will still need to go out to bid.With regards to security, as most people realize, you can’t prevent an intruder from arriving at your doorstep. Thus, the focus of all of the security projects has been on mitigating what can happen if someone should try to gain access. Phase I security allowed us to lock the doors to the schools at all times, even when teachers are coming and going, even when Rec Center basketball is taking place. Monitors further observe parents and visitors. The rapid notification buttons (panic buttons) allow the school personnel to shut all the fire doors, announce a lock-down, and call 911 simultaneously at the touch of a button.
- Peck Place School needed a lot of attention this year. Condensation on the floors in May led to a common mold (not black mold) problem in July. The school was cleaned, tested, and reopened in September. We managed the fall with dehumidifiers, constant washing of the floors and removal of area rugs and other fabrics. In January, however, the damage from broken water pipes in the ceiling was much more significant. First, we had to relocate the students. For the short-term, the Peck students were divided between Race brook and Turkey Hill, but this was never meant to be more than a temporary solution. Great effort was made to reunite the students and their teachers on one place. A ‘school’ was created out of empty office space at Yale West Haven campus, and while describing this in a few sentences makes the move it easy, it was not. A tremendous number of hours went into this relocation. In the meantime, extensive clean-up, including asbestos removal, and renovation is currently underway at Peck. The insurance adjusters have almost completed their work, and one phase of the recovery has been completed successfully and received a clean bill of health. Now, the installation of new flooring, ceilings, and cabinets, and the repainting can begin.
- We also negotiated two additional employee contracts. The boilers have gone out to bid, walk-through’s took place, bid were recorded, and a contract was awarded. Currently the plans from that contractor are being reviewed before the work starts. United Illuminating assesses our lighting and makes recommendations that can provide the district with savings. If the savings are significant enough, we can use the savings to fund the project. That analysis is currently underway at Peck, for the interior lights that were taken down when the ceilings were damaged and removed for abatement.
- This budget has two key areas of increased spending: 1. a new Language Arts Curriculum (teachers and principals are requesting this trulyneeds-basedinvestment every day) and 2. improvements in connectivity and access to technology.Zero-based budget does NOT mean ‘no increase.’ It means that the principal or administrator does not simply tack-on a percent increase over last year’s spending, but inventories what is actually in the school, what will be needed for next year, and budgets from 0 up, which prevents supplies from accumulating in closets and line items not being fully expended.Despite some dissatisfaction, class sizes in Orange are really quite low. They are not balanced, however. Despite imbalance, however, the difference between the largest classes and the smallest classes is less than 5; research shows less than 7 creates little to no difference. Students in Orange are doing very well in the classroom, and students with Tier II or Tier III needs are receiving the interventions they need. We have tutors for Language Arts and Math who help students who are struggling to master skills. An increase in Math tutors (to come closer to the Language Arts ratio) and in ELL tutors is represented in this budget. All of the contracts have approximately a 2% increase in salary. In addition, the teachers have a step increase, and for some teachers an increase based on their educational degree status (a teacher earning a Masters degree in May 2014, for example).
- Just as Orange did with the implementation of Math Expressions, a core group of educators has been meeting regularly to evaluate programs, visit other districts, and pilot materials in an effort to decide on a comprehensive English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. While aligning to the Common Core may seem to be a negative with the most recent press, in Orange, where students are already achieving at Goal, aligning to a more rigorous set of standards is the natural choice. The ELA Common Core Standards make sense for our students, and the two remaining ELA programs under consideration are flexible enough to accommodate workshop instructional models and differentiated instruction. The Director of Curriculum has arranged approximately the same price for each of the two programs; and each of the two companies will agree to spread out the costs over 2 years with no interest charge. Professional Development has also been negotiated.
- AcceleratedMath, from the same provider as Accelerated Reader, was piloted this year and is an exceptional addition to our instructional toolbox.The ELL (English Language Learners) budget has been moved out of the Special Education budget. Orange has experienced a significant growth in children who do not speak English at home, and we are adding new materials and investing in additional tutoring with district-trained paraprofessionals. Federal requirements dictate the number and type of servicing each ELL student and family requires.
- Capital Improvements were moved from the Board of Education budget to the town’s budget in March. We have retained the pictures and emphasis to underscore the importance of these projects in the Town’s Budget.The two pictures,left and center, were taken at MLT and show non-skid flooring which is still functional. The rubber disks in the flooring are raised, provide traction, and preventing slipping. On the right is a picture of the same type of flooring on the ramp at Race Brook School. Through constant wear and use, the floor has worn down and lost its non-slip characteristic. When Peck students were at Race Brook this past January, and not being used to the ramp on a daily basis, some said they were afraid of falling. Adults often report the same fear. The ramp is slippery; so slippery that during the recent visitation for Mike Gray’s Principal of the year award, the ramp was not waxed along with the rest of the floors.
- The floor is worn-down and slippery, as shown in the left picture, and the uneven areas shown in the right picture, are a potential tripping hazard. Compare these pictures with the inset of the MLT flooring. The safety of the ramp at Race Brook has been a topic of concern for some time, and the flooring needs replacing before an accident occurs. Unfortunately, the major reason it has not been attended to yet is the high cost of an abatement ($25,300). Just as with Peck, and with any building of this vintage, the mastic used to adhere the flooring has ‘asbestos’ and the school would need to be closed while the flooring is removed and this area is abated.
- Also, at Race Brook, two rooms at the back of the school, the Music Room and the PPT meeting room, have stained and fraying carpeting. During a building walk-through last fall, the Board of Education members and I were dismayed by the condition of the carpeting in these two rooms. The cost for abatement and replacing the non-skid flooring on the ramp and the carpeting in these rooms totals $73,500.
- This curtain was added to cover the windows in the all-purpose room at Race Brook. They are faded and dirty and can no longer be opened, which leaves them permanently closed and blocking the light in the room. The plan is to remove the curtains and either replace them with a functional curtain or to add a reflective film to the glass which would return natural light to the room, but eliminate glare. The argument could be made that this request is about aesthetics, not safety; but the value of aesthetical upgrades are addressed in the next slide.
- Stage curtains at Race Brook School need repair as they are torn and stained. In places, the stage curtain is a tripping hazard. The aesthetics are important in our school buildings; they speak to our sense of pride. Our children are keen observers of the world around them, and we certainly want them to be observers, because what they see daily influences their habits of mind. Some of the capital improvements we’ve requested address aesthetics such as these stage curtains, which frame our children’s special performances, ceremonies, and celebrations.
- Exactly $80,000 of the above amount is earmarked for the reinforcement of 18 classroom walls per a recent architectural engineering study of the exterior wall in the last classroom at the end of Turkey Hill’s front corridor. In this classroom, a custodian noticed a gap between the window frame and the wall, and further investigation of the gap led to a full study of Turkey Hill. Additional classrooms were found to have this same structural flaw. The repairs can be made over the summer by installing supports, similar to lolly-columns, along the classroom walls. The library one of the key hubs of the school, and 100’s of children and adults visit the library every week. The thermal shades which were installed in the 80’s to save heat are stuck in the lowered position and can no longer be raised or repositioned. Because they need to be lowered for security purposes, they are left permanently closed and, as a result, they block any natural light which might come in through the library windows.
- The front entrance to the MLT kindergarten is in a desperate state of disrepair. 1. In the picture on the right, you can see that the 3rd, 4th, and 5th stairs from the bottom have very little tread remaining. This left side of the stairs, shown here, is closed. Within weeks, we will need to close the right side, and all children and community members coming to and from MLT will need to use the handicap ramp. (While we’re focused on these stairs this summer, we’ll paint the railing, as well.) 2. Additional areas of the sidewalk are uneven and create a tripping hazard. 3. The wall needs repair, called repointing, in some areas. 4. One new section of the sidewalk, in front of the BOE Office, has raised about 2 inches and created a gap which fills with water and freezes.
- 1. This set of stairs, also in the front of MLT, (used for voting and other non-school functions), is deteriorating and has a pitch towards the stairs themselves. 2. In the picture on the right, if you look at the back railing, near the ground, you can see the gap between the railing and the platform widens as you get closer to the stairs. The front of the platform, from the crack outward, has sunken and pitched downward towards the stairs.
- Technology has expanded admirably in Orange, but there had been a lag and there is still some catching up to be done. The goals are to achieve something close to 1-to-1 access through the addition of more computer carts (COWS or ‘computers on wheels’) and through BYOD (bring your own device). We would like to achieve one cart per grade at each school. In the meantime, we need to replace units as they age and take steps to protect our servers and infrastructure. As mentioned in the Security slides, increased bandwidth is required for a number of reasons. More and more of the district’s utility and software programs are Internet based, from a management-based program such as PowerSchool to a student-tutorial program, such as Lexia. In addition, the district needs to move steadily closer to 1-to-1 access for students for their daily instruction, for expanding their 21st learning opportunities, and for the delivery of the SBAC. As part of that 1-to-1 initiative, this budget includes an additional COW (computer on wheels with 20 laptops) and computer headsets, one for every child to keep in his/her desk, so that headsets are not shared. There is also an allotment for LCD projector bulbs since the LCDs are two or more years old, and bulbs (which last about 800 hours) will begin burning out more regularly from here on out.
- The class enrollments charts have been updated this month, using the most recent data available, the October 1, 2012 report. The columns are sorted smallest to largest for Kindergarten, Grade 2 and Grade 5. The DRG average row is in pink; Orange in 2012 is the yellow row and the projected average for next year (2014) is shown in orange. The argument might be that the Orange ‘average’ isn’t a consistent class size enrollment school-to-school; but the since every town is an average, the same is true. In the slide itself, Glastonbury is used as an example, because each school was searched separately to find the ranges at each grade level. The largest class size in Orange is 21; in 2012, the largest class size in Orange was 22.
- As you can see, the total enrollment for each school will be lower next year than this year. This year’s kindergarten (108 students) is considerably smaller than last year’s (156). The kindergarten class registering now is likely to be much bigger (120 - 124?), but we won’t have a total enrollment picture for MLT until this summer. We have added section to the pre-K 3’s and 4’s and expect full classes in the pre-K program.
- This year’s kindergarten (108 students) is considerably smaller than last year’s (156). Therefore, next year’s 1st grades will be much smaller than the 6th grade classes graduating to Amity Middle, causing the decrease in overall enrollment. This small 1st grade class will need to track itself all the way through the grades before the enrollments start to climb again. We’ll keep a close eye on the 1st grades at each building to see if the enrollment shifts over the summer. Race Brook’s 1st grade is being budgeted at 3 sections because 2 parents have recently asked for registration packets for 1st grade, and Avalon is in the Race Brook district.
- Turkey Hill has the lowest enrollment of the three schools; this is where the most significant differences in class enrollments occur. The last time the district redistricted students was in 1994 because Turkey Hill was over-populated. Redistricting can be disruptive for a community and should be undertaken when Orange is experiencing overcrowding or under-crowding extremes in student population. An occasional difference of 5 – 6 kids is not extreme.
- Peck Place has the most variation in its class sizes, but the variation does not exceed 7 students. Like Race Brook, however, two or three students moving in or out at various grade levels during the year, make class sizes hard to predict. At Peck, since August, 3 students moved into 1st grade increasing the enrollment from 58 to 61; at the same time, 4 students moved out of 4th grade decreasing the enrollment from 74 to 70.
- This slide shows the district’s efforts to budget its staffing needs responsibly. Decreases in students requiring Special Education services have been significant (27 fewer students this year, for example). At the same time, the number of students and their families requiring ESL (English as a Second Language) services has increased over 3 years from 18 to 46. Our ELL students (English Language Learners) represent 26 different languages. Many of the ELL students have mandated services of 3 or more times per week, thus the need for tutors in that program. The security monitors were added to the staff to monitor the coming and going of parents and visitors to the schools. They allows us to keep our doors locked at all times, even after school hours during activities such as 21st Century, basketball, scouting, and adult meetings.This year, through a Central Office reorganization, we rewrote four positions into 3 positions, but added a .5 to the Director of Curriculum. We accomplished this by eliminating a 1.0 Assistant Director of Special Education from the teacher salary line right above it. Thus, the total cost of changing the Director of Curriculum position to 1.0 is not the cost of a .5 administrator, but $34,000.
- The budget increases in order of cost, not importance.
- 7% increase in health insurance per contract with the carrier, Anthem Blue Cross.Investment in ½ of the new English Language Arts curriculum, aligned to Orange’s needs and the Common Core Standards – Budget Priority #1 – see slide 32.4. Special Education services are based on actual needs of students per their IEPs; includes tuition increases from providers’ includes increases in transportation.5. This line item is complicated. There is a reduction of 7 paraprofessionals in the Special Ed budget, however, three (3) .5 paraprofessionals were servicing ELL students and are now being moved out of the Special Ed budget and budgeted in this line where they belong; to that number, we are adding 1.5 based on the actual case loads and needs of our ELL population = 3 ELL paraprofessionals. In addition, we are adding 3 Math tutors to service students who are struggling in Math. The district’s recent data collections regarding Tier II and Tier III students prove that when tutors provide targeted instruction to students who are struggling, the students improve. Currently, students are under serviced in Math.6. Budget Priority #3 – see slide 42; our investment in technology infrastructure supports our security projects and by providing faster connectivity is changing classroom instructional strategies and personalizing students’ learning through programs such as Accelerated Reader and Math and through access to the Internet. 7. We hired the four additional daytime security monitors over the summer, but they show as an increase in this budget because they were not budgeted last year. The buildings are now locked 24-hours.The other portion of #6 above is the purchase of the computers students use in the classroom. Computer carts are heavily in demand.The demands on every district for TEVAL, Common Core, SBAC, and TEAM, all new mandates, as well as the expectations for curriculum development and grant writing, require a 1.0 position. Normally, one might assume that if a .5 administrator position ($64,000) was increased to 1.0 the increase would be $64,000. However, the total cost of the Central Office reorganization, which provides Orange with a 1.0 Director of Curriculum, is $34,000. This is NOT a $34,000 raise for the Director of Curriculum, who will receive the same 2% wage increase as contractually negotiated for all administrators. It includes an increase in the principal line for the combined Special Ed pre-K and Principal at MLT and a decrease in the Special-Ed Director line for the new Director of Special Ed. It also includes a decrease of one FTE in the teacher line, as the Assistant Special Ed Director position was eliminated. This is based on this year’s actuals. The new Math Expressions and the new ELA curriculum both have differentiated textbooks and teacher manuals for Special Education students. In the past, Special Education teachers shared these materials, but a more effective model is if each resource room is fully-equipped.
- 1. Includes elimination of Assistant to Director of Special Ed ($88,000) which off-sets the 1.0 Director of Curriculum as part of the Central Office reorganization. Includes retirements and elimination of positions based on decreased enrollments. See slide 48 for general overview of staffing over the past 3 years.2. Includes a contractual increase of 2%, but which sometimes exceeds 2% due to step increases and changes in degree status, such as getting a Masters degree; but also includes retirements and decreases in staffing due to decreased enrollments in 1st grade and Special Education. (See Slides 43 - 47).3. Based on decreased enrollments, particularly among students with 1-to-1 paraprofessionals.This position is being temporarily unfilled because of the new boilers, new roofs, and the renovations at Peck. We anticipation that there will be less maintenance next year, particularly for heating and leaks.Based on actuals and conversion to gas; even though gas has increased considerably, as well. A significant portion of Professional Development is included in the ELA curriculum.
- In the Administration line, it is very important to note that while there is an increase of .5 in the Director of Curriculum position, this increase does not go to the Director of Curriculum as a raise. The Director of Curriculum is in a contractual position and receives only the same 2% contracted wage increase as all of the other administrators in that union. In the Instructional Supplies line, $27,877 in computer supplies was moved to Technology, so overall the Instructional Supplies were increased by $14,135.
- 1. Decreases in Special Education are NOT decreases in services. The decrease has occurred as a result of fewer students being identified as Special Education; students’ needs for additional support in reading and math are being addressed more effectively in the lower grades. The 8.6% increase in custodial salaries is not a wage increase but the result of actual costs for overtime in the past two years due to extensive snow removal and storm clean-ups. Should we have a more ‘temperate’ year, the overtime will not be required. Plant Maintenance is expected to decrease due to the new roofs and boilers (which will be under warranty, the capital improvements being addressed in the Town’s budget; and the extensive work being done at Peck.
- This year’s BOE Budget, at 3.13%, is the highest in over five years, though the five year average is 1.7%. This adopted budget is .1 above the State average of 3.1% for those 95 school districts which have reported. It has gone through three revisions, from an initial 6.3% to 5% to the current 3.13%.
- Some districts include Capital Improvements in their budgets and some districts do not. This was the first time in recent years that Orange Board of Education requested any Capital Improvements in its budget, and the projects originally included are dire and must be accomplished. Many are safety issues. We did not want to choose between curriculum and capital improvements, as both are vital. Gratefully, the Orange Board of Finance moved the Capital Improvements to the Town Budget resulting in a 3.2% budget for the Board of Education.
- The chart above shows only the districts which have reported their budget information to CAPSS. Orange (marked with an orangestar) falls midway amongst the 95 reporting as of April 1st. Orange’s 3.13% adopted budget is at the State average (in yellow) of 3.1%.