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“Working” Schools Budget Heads To Aldermen

by Thomas MacMillan | Feb 26, 2013 9:00 am

(3) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Schools

Thomas MacMillan Photo The Board of Ed gave its unanimous approval Monday night to a proposed $396 million budget for New Haven Public Schools, including a $3 million increase in the city’s contribution. The budget now heads to the Board of Aldermen for final approval.

The Board of Ed approved the budget at its Monday evening meeting at public schools headquarters on Water Street.

The school board officially released the budget Monday night, posting it on the New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) website.

The proposed 2103-2014 budget overall is smaller than last year’s, but includes an increase of $3 million in the city’s contribution. The Board of Aldermen will now take up the budget for consideration. Aldermen don’t have line-item veto power over the schools budget; they can simply vote the entire budget up or down.

Click here to read more about the budget, which weighs in at 488 pages this year.

Chief Operating Officer Will Clark presented the budget on Monday evening. He called the budget a “working” document. It includes a $9.4 million hole, dubbed a “budget initiative.” The school board will try to make up that money though savings from personnel attrition, comprising 55 teaching positions, 10 paraprofessional jobs, five clerical/security jobs, and six administrative positions. Also, officials can only guess at this point how much state money will finally flow to the schools after lawmakers finish that budget.

“We consider this a 365-day-a-year job,” Clark said of the budgeting process.

Board members asked clarifying questions about costs due to equipment, paraprofessional services, the NHPS website, and stipend payments.

Asked about the time frame for making cuts to fill the $9.4 million hole, Clark said school board will know more by late spring, when it’s clear who will be retiring or resigning.

Mayor John DeStefano, who sits on the board, said the school budget will become much clearer after that state adopts its budget in June.

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Comments

posted by: Curious on February 26, 2013  11:25am

Well, Mayo’s retirement frees up $90k a year, so that’s something :)

posted by: cedarhillresident! on February 26, 2013  4:51pm

were can we find a break down of all of the “OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE’s”???

posted by: RichTherrn on February 27, 2013  7:28pm

For the grants that I am involved in, the contracts aren’t awarded as part of the budget process. They go to vendors, consultants, etc.. as they come up.
For example, we contract with the NH Chamber of Commerce to manage the Science Fair program (mentors, school fairs, city fair, and the other partners that donate/participate). Those funds aren’t approved by the grant source until July, usually, and then we write a new contract for the school year. Then it goes for a vote.
Another grant might be for afterschool programming, and there might be new providers who bid for it each year before it is awarded. Another might be for professional development for teachers on a topic that is paid for by magnet funds, but not determined until the teachers decide their needs at the beginning of the school year.
Every contract awarded is also discussed in public at Bd of Ed Curriculum or Admin/Finance meetings, and then again at the full Bd of Ed before being voted on in public.
All of these are recorded in Bd of Ed minutes, publicly available at nhps.net (look under About:Public Information)

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