To the Editor:

I suggest applying “Facts First” means voting Yes for the town and education budgets on Tuesday, April 23. Here are some grounded facts:

In 2006/07, the number of teacher full time equivalencies was 449.76; in 2019/20, it was 421.7. In other words, as the student population declined, so has the number of teachers. Comparing 2013/14 to 2019/20, the teacher-to-student population is basically unchanged (K-4 18.31 to 18.30; 5-6 21.89 to 24.5; 7-8 21.43 to 21.94; 9-12 14.54 to 13.870). Since 2016/17 the K-4 enrollment has been increasing overall, not just above the high projections of 1,198 versus the actual 1,318.

Aside from the fixed salaries, there are numerous other factors that drive the education budget. Special education expenditures are mandatory by statute. In 2006/07, Special education was $5,337,434; in 2019/20, it was $11,193,177. That’s a 100 percent-plus increase. There are 251 state unfunded mandates for education. Here are some of the most recent ones:

Excess Cost deficiencies for special education; new programing requirements, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics); NGSS; additional teaching and learning requirements; security requirements; psychology, emotional support, and mental health supports; full-day kindergarten; data privacy laws; increased reporting requirements; computerized standardized state assessments; alternative education; and teacher evaluations, for a start. Complying with the 251 unfunded state education mandates takes administrative staffing. Consequently, although we have a declining number of teacher hours, the administrative staff hours have mandatorily increased.

Two Board of Finance members, Steve Hinden and Ned Simpson, did separate complex analyses as to declining enrollments and education expenditures outside of fixed costs. Both came to the same conclusion, i.e. education expenditures are on par with the declining enrollments outside inflation and fixed cost pressures.

The town and education budgets have received bipartisan support. Fifteen of eighteen Board of Finance and Legislative Council elected officials voted in the affirmative for the budgets. If we add the Boards of Selectmen and Education the numbers are 24 out of 28 elected officials voting in favor of the respective budgets, i.e. 85 percent. Education district representatives, town officials, and town departments underwent hundreds of hours of vigorous investigation, cross-examination, and interrogation by officials and respective board members. “Facts First” prevailed.

Finally, I recall some years ago where education supporters called for proportionate percentage increases of the school budget to the percentage of increase in enrollment. As was correctly articulated, the budget and enrollments are not linear equations. Conversely, such is also the case for a declining enrollment. From 2006/07 to 2019/20, the percentage increase of the education budget (with 85 percent of the budget wages and salaries fixed, the doubling of special education, and 251 unfunded State mandates) amounts to less than a two percent per year — a little over one percent if compounded.

Please be sure to vote on April 23 at the Middle School.

Thank you!

(These are my personal views and not necessarily those of any particular Board or office I am honored to hold.)

Sincerely,

Jim Gaston

8 Main Street, Newtown         April 17, 2019