Reed Unveils $43.2 Million School Budget

By Tanjua Damon

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed spent a little over an hour Tuesday night explaining the 2001-2002 $43.2 million school budget for 2001-2002.

Board members, principals, and community members gathered in the Lecture Hall at Newtown High School to hear what the budget request would be for the upcoming school year. Although the actual audience was small in size, it may have been because people in Newtown watching Channel 17 could see the presentation live from their homes.

“This is the start of another budget season. What we are about to hear tonight is the called the Superintendent’s Budget. It’s at the state now where the superintendent is giving his suggestions,” Elaine McClure, school board chairman, said. “We have some idea what is in the budget. It will be interesting to see what Dr Reed has done with the budget.”

The introduction of the school district’s budget is marked with a 9.52 percent increase over last year’s budget. In order for the district to meet the Legislative Council’s finance committee’s suggestion to cap the budget at 7.5 percent, the school board will need to trim the proposal by nearly $800,000.

“I think this year, the way it may turn out, is particularly interesting for Newtown. I think we need to understand that what’s on the town’s plate, we are a big part of it,” Dr Reed said. “It’s a very significant thing when you couple with what the town is planning to do… It is a lot for the town. We’ve agreed to work through this together. Whether we can accomplish this or not I don’t know.”

During his presentation, Dr Reed pointed out that the district has been very successful in the accomplishments of its students with spending less money per pupil than many other school districts in Connecticut. Newtown’s net current expenditure per pupil is ranked 158th out of 169 towns.

“This is the net per pupil expenditure. I show this not because there is a magic number,” Dr Reed said. “I show this because this district is one of the most cost effective districts in the state.”

In Newtown’s ERG (Economic Reference Group) of 18 towns, Newtown is near the top on the Connecticut Academic Performance Tests, but is last in the net current expenditure per pupil, according to Dr Reed. Newtown is the second wealthiest in the ERG.

“Newtown was clearly clustered at the top. We’re at the bottom of the ERG at what we spend per pupil. We seem to be able to get the results,” Dr Reed said. “Don’t construe this that I’m saying we need to spend lots more money. We are a good stretch of the dollar. We are good shepherds of the dollar.”

Enrollment is another factor that adds to the impact of the operating budget. In the last two years the student population has increased by 428 students. Another 202 students are expected for the 2001-2002 school year. The state has predicted that the population in Newtown schools will grow to 6,000 by 2006-2007.

“That is why the 5/6 school is imperative,” he said. “It is the cornerstone of this school district’s plan.”

With the increased population, additional staff has been requested. An additional 17.33 certified positions are in the budget request, totaling $920,785 including benefits. The breakdown for teacher requests includes 6.2 elementary, 4.23 middle school, and 3.17 high school for regular teaching positions (math, English, science, social studies, or foreign language). The budget also requests 2.14 music positions, 0.1 art position at Hawley, 0.1 media position at Sandy Hook, 0.1 physical education position each at Middle Gate, Sandy Hook, and Hawley, 0.14 for Life Management and 0.2 for the director of athletics at the high school, and .75 resource room teacher at Middle Gate.

The budget also includes $184,067 for educational technology hardware; $490,499 for health insurance costs; $274,000 for higher utility costs including oil, gas, and electricity; $242,591 for out-of-district tuition; and $68,000 for supplies including textbooks and instructional supplies.

“In April, we will be in a dialogue about the bottom line. People will decide how much they want their taxes to go up,” Dr Reed said. “We need to think about the kids. We don’t hear much talk of the 5,000 faces in this school system. This budget is about them.”

Mrs McClure responded when Dr Reed finished with the budget proposal. She encouraged the community to tell the board what their wishes were and felt that Newtown has done a good job in being cost effective.

 “I don’t think there is any doubt that Newtown has been a cost effective district. I look at the goal set by the Legislative Council as a mixed blessing,” Mrs McClure said. “I also take a look at the 7.5 percent and look at the cuts John has already made. What’s in front of the board is hard. Let us know what your wish is.”

The school board will hold workshop sessions on January 25 and 30, and February 1 at 7:30 pm at Canaan House to review the budget in more depth. Proposed adoption of the budget by the school board is expected at its February 6 meeting.

The initial budget presentation made by Dr Reed and the school board Tuesday night will be replayed on Channel 17 on January 25 and 30, February 1, 6, and 8.