Review
the
Executive Summary for the FY 2020 Preliminary Budget
from the Public Schools of Brookline, the school district in Brookline, MA. (Note: Port Townsend School District does not have an executive summary of the budget for reference.)
Prepare
a 700- to 1,050-word executive summary that will serve as the cover for the budget you developed for Port Townsend School District. Include the following elements:
- A description of the formative process of constructing the budget, including challenges
- An evaluation of fundamental elements, assumptions, and methods used in educational or hospital budgeting and in your budget
- A statement of budgetary priorities and the rationale behind them
- Major provisions of adequacy, equity, efficiency, and equal access
- The funding formula and its purpose
- How eligible expenditures may be funded by bond proceeds, and how bonds may be repaid
- Long-range planning for educational facilities or for the hospital
- A prediction of responses to the budget proposal, and predicted challenges for future budgets based on the current budget
Include
5 or more scholarly sources to support your statements.
Format
your executive summary according to APA guidelines.
Compile
your budget and executive summary, using your executive summary as the cover document.
2019 Annual Town Meeting Budget Detail Version: FEBRUARY 22, 2019 Executive Summary FY 2020 Preliminary Budget **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 2 **Preliminary** Table of Contents Budget Overview 3 Section I – The Primary Drivers of the FY 2020 Budget 6 Five Core Values guide the Public Schools of Brookline 6 Section II – 2018 Proposition 2 ½ Override and Debt Exclusion 9 2018 Operating Override Three Year Projection Detail as of 4/23/2018: 13 Section III – Summary of Expenses 16 Personnel 17 FY 2020 Expenses 24 Highlights in the FY 2020 Override Budget 26 Section IV – Summary of Budget Revenues 29 **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 3 **Preliminary** Budget Overview The Fiscal Year 2020 budget is built to support the Public Schools of Brookline’s mission to ensure that every student develops the skills and knowledge to pursue a productive and fulfilling life, to participate thoughtfully in a democracy, and succeed in a diverse and evolving global society. The budget rests on two foundational beliefs: 1. Brookline should expect nothing less than exceptional and equitable outcomes for all of our learners. We must use our resources to ensure that we enable every student to succeed at high levels. 2. In an effective school system, what takes place in our classrooms and our schools matters the most. The resources of the district must be organized in a way that recognizes the centrality of our classrooms. As such, administration supports principals as instructional leaders, so principals can support educators, and educators can support each and every one of our students. Through our budget choices, the school district is organized so that we support high quality instruction at all levels, prioritize the work that happens between students and educators in our classrooms, and build on our strengths and our challenges openly. Our primary focus remains high quality teaching and learning for all students and especially for students in groups we know are disproportionately impacted by opportunity and outcome gaps - including race, income, disability, and language status. This budget prioritizes the staffing, program, and materials needed to ensure educators have the resources needed to support individual student needs. As a district, we must support students and educators - both inside and outside of the classroom. To that end, the choices made in the FY2020 budget support the Public Schools of Brookline’s five core values. The district’s work in support of these core values is guided by the three-year goals put forth during the development of the FY2019-2021 override budget. These goals focus on maintaining the quality of education, programs and services in the face of historic and ongoing enrollment growth; and on maintaining small class sizes and the resources needed to fund new student support positions in guidance, nursing and English Learner instructors in order to lower student/educator ratios. These goals also continue the work on critical priorities, including educational equity, restorative practices, professional development, and curricula review and renewal. Since Town voters approved the three-year operating override in May 2018, both the revenue and **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 4 **Preliminary** expense outlooks have changed significantly. These changes have resulted in three unanticipated fiscal challenges that affect the budget in the following ways: 1. Significant changes downward in the Town’s growth estimates of new revenue, along with an increase to the school department’s charge for pension liability and increased expenses charged to other Town departments, are currently resulting in a net revenue loss to the PSB of $626,254. 2. Revenue from revolving funds and other sources of revenue, including transfers and offsets, are no longer allowed to be considered, resulting in a net revenue loss of $406,714. 3. Unanticipated increases in mandated expenses, mainly a 27% increase in out-of-district tuition expenses, are increasing the special education budget for FY2020. Combined, the two revenue reductions result in a deficit of $1,032,968 that impacts the FY2020 budget. In the face of these challenges, the FY2020 budget request focuses on three primary areas, all designed to maintain the commitment to small classes, to increased staffing and improved services, and to strategic investments identified in the 2018 and prior operating overrides: 1. Maintaining current staffing levels and fulfilling our contractual obligations - As with all school systems, the majority of PSB’s budget pays for teachers and other school-based personnel. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of the FY2020 budget increase funds the contractually obligated costs of maintaining our existing staff. In this presentation of the budget, a pool of funds equivalent to a 2% increase in cost of living (COLA) and equivalent to a 3% increase to cover all known contractual obligations for steps and lanes is included. This funding is within the 2018 override projection for FY2020. Holding this pool of funds in reserve pending the speedy resolution of our Unit A, Unit B, and paraprofessional contracts before they expire in 2019 remains a priority despite the significant FY2020 fiscal challenges. 2. Responding to our ongoing increases in enrollment and the complexity of student needs - Brookline’s historic enrollment growth, which has been affecting the K-8 elementary schools since 2005, is now impacting Brookline High School. Since 2005, the district’s K-8 student population has grown by 41%, or 1599 students. During that same time, Brookline High School grew by 11%, or 203 students. Over the next five years, high school enrollment is projected to accelerate and increase by an additional 21%, or 429 students. To keep pace with this ongoing growth, the FY2020 budget allocates increases in staff in several key areas. This includes the following commitments: o 7.0 FTE scheduled as a part of the 2018 override to support BHS enrollment growth o 3.0 FTEs for guidance (K-8), nursing, and English Learner (EL) instruction **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 5 **Preliminary** o 1.0 FTE for an additional educational leader position at Brookline High School o A 27% increase in funding for out-of-district tuition to ensure that the PSB fulfills our moral and legal obligations to provide a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment to all students 3. Continuing commitment to strategic investments approved by voters in 2018 - In the face of a significant operating deficit, the FY2020 budget maintains the strategic investments approved by voters in 2018. These include: o Hiring a Senior Director for Educational Equity o Increase in professional development funds to support district-wide professional development on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion o Funding, at appropriate levels, of the resources necessary to support implementation of math program review recommendations, including funding for materials and professional development. o Funding the District’s Financial Assistance policy. o Funding to subsidize transportation services for high school students living in South Brookline. o Holding in reserve funds above the 2% COLA, steps and lanes for paraprofessional collective bargaining. This budget overview is organized into four sections designed to explain in detail the major forces affecting the FY2020 budget and provide a high-level summary of the budget focusing on major revenue and expenditure categories. Section I Primary Drivers of the FY 2020 Budget: Our Core Values and our District-Wide Priorities Section II FY19-FY21 Original Override Projection Section III Summary of Expenses Section IV Summary of FY2020 Budget Revenues **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 6 **Preliminary** Section I – The Primary Drivers of the FY 2020 Budget The FY2020 budget request is driven by three primary forces: 1. The Public Schools of Brookline’s five core values and four district-wide goals; 2. Maintaining the quality of the education, programs, and services in the face of historic and ongoing enrollment growth; and 3. The commitments made in the Operating Overrides approved by Brookline voters in 2018 and prior overrides. Five Core Values guide the Public Schools of Brookline Our five Core Values inform all of PSB’s work: everything from budget decisions to each building’s School Improvement Plan. The aspirations underlying each of the Public Schools of Brookline’s five Core Values are defined below. Pursuit of these values guides how we allocate our funding, people and time and are reflected in the FY 2019 override budget. High Achievement for All The Public Schools of Brookline inspires our students to develop a passion for learning. We support students through strong relationships to become invested in their learning, develop the confidence and persistence to grow as learners, and meet their goals for success in and beyond school. To pursue our value of all students achieving at high levels, the PSB is committed to and the FY 2019 override budget supports: Maintaining small class sizes. Quality early childhood education. Inclusive classrooms and district-wide Special Education programs. A comprehensive high school curriculum with an extensive variety of opportunities and programs. Math Program Review. Differentiated instruction for all learners PK-12. Educational Equity The Public Schools of Brookline identifies, understands, and eliminates barriers to educational achievement in our schools. Educators in every school provide their students with the support needed to reach and exceed Brookline’s high standards. To pursue educational equity, the PSB is committed to and the FY 2019 override budget supports: District-wide Strategies such as: o High quality curriculum across all grades and all schools. o Inclusive classrooms with educators and specialized instructional personnel. o High quality professional development opportunities and supports focusing on instructional coaching and collaboration. o Specialized programs and services district-wide in support of access for all learners. **Preliminary Draft** FY2020 Public Schools of Brookline 7 **Preliminary** o Literacy and Math Specialists across schools to provide support and create high outcomes for all students. o Child Study Teams individualizing student interventions and