BOE Adopts $54.2M Budget

The Board of Education has unanimously approved a $54,281,728 budget for the 2016 – 17 school year, a budget recently shaved down as a result of projected teacher retirements. The BOE budget is the largest portion of the town’s overall budget . According to town officials, the town budget is progressing, but not yet finalized.

The decision to reduce the budget down to a 1.98 percent increase instead of a 2.25 percent increase over the previous year took place at the Feb. 17 budget workshop, the only workshop the BOE held this year. The original budget was for $54,427,520.

BOE chair Michael Krause described this as a budget that is ​“responsible” due to what he described as ​“reallocation and compression,” while still meeting contractual obligations. Contractual obligations for teachers, staff, and administrators give the school budget little leeway for additional programs.

This is the first phase in the budget process, one that occurs over the next three months, first at Board of Finance budget meetings this month, then at the Representative Town Meeting and then back to BOF for a final decision and a mill rate determination.

Capital Improvements Budget

Board members voted on capital expenditures as part of the 2016 – 2017 budget. They were also updated on education-related efforts from state legislators and the progress on the School-Based Health Program.

The capital improvements budget of $949,060 was approved by the board on Feb. 24. Hernandez discussed various future and potential needs, such as tile replacement in the Sliney School cafeteria; parking lot work at the elementary school, which will be deferred; and shoring up a pipe corrosion problem at Walsh. He said energy savings will be recouped from the high school’s $210,000 energy management system with roof-top units above the gym being replaced with heating and air conditioning units. System-wide, he said expenditures will be deferred on equipment, brick and sidewalk repairs and a boiler at Tisko Elementary School.

Hernandez said technology is a ​“heavy hitter.” The schools continue to increase the number of devices from middle school down to the elementary level; at the high school students pretty much bring their own. The town was awarded a technology grant for $67,000 (which is not part of the budget) to be used toward the cost devices and making them available one-to-one at the intermediate school.

High-speed Internet access at the school is provided through the Connecticut Education Network, a state-sponsored network. Hernandez said server infrastructure is a big part of the expenses. Rebates are available, but the dollars are needed upfront.

In terms of the final figure, Hernandez said the adjustments that would save $110,065 from previous the year’s capital projects will bring the amount down to $839, 06. Expected rebates, he said should net the figure down to $500,000-$550,000.

In terms of other projects, ez-IQC, the owner’s rep for the turf and track replacement at the high school, was given the go-ahead by the board to prepare the document. The budgeted cost is $750,000, plus from $150,000 from repurposed/residual costs from the Walsh pool dehumidification project, bringing the total to $930,000. The design firm will then be selected for track and bleachers. (The BOE met briefly Wednesday night to clarify and vote on the transfers.)

Hernandez said the track will be ​“an organic or virgin rubber” surface and encapsulated. He said he has met with East Shore Health District, trades will be lined up, and work is expected to take place from the end of school year to August.

Superintendent’s report, testing

Hernandez discussed changes to the Smarter Balanced Assessment tests, which are aligned to Common Core standards and administered annually to students in grades three through eight. He said the shorter testing window reduces the English language exams from two to one. He said Assistant Superintendent Anthony Bruno reviewed curriculum work and common core standards process to break down and identify relevant standards.

In an effort to reduce the amount of testing time, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced this week that the state is moving toward a universal Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which would be given in lieu of the SBA tests; there’s also the possibility that the SBA tests would be given at the 10th grade rather than the 11th grade when students have a lot going on.

Many students take the SATs multiple times, which can be expensive. A universal SAT, taken by all students, may reduce the cost, but may skew test results by including the scores of non-college-bound students.

Legislative report

State Reps. Lonnie Reed and Sean Scanlon and State Sen. Ted Kennedy, Jr. updated the board on pertinent legislative issues.

Reed discussed the state’s fiscal deficit and a task force that is looking into reducing the number of hours for teachers’ professional development. Hernandez said professional development should be more relevant, timely, and purposeful. Board member John Prins added that it should be meaningful rather than reducing it.

Reed, who said she wants to bring back the bill to redistribute more Educational Cost Sharing funds to the town, described a recent meeting at the Branford Early Learning Center and the progress made by a student who had moved to Branford from a nearby town.

Scanlon discussed the recent prescription drug and heroin epidemic at a forum in Guilford. He said one will be held in Branford March 29 at Fire Headquarters. He said drug use is a ​“full blown crisis,” adding ​“more and more people overdose than from car crashes – it affects every generation.”

Kennedy said he saw these education meetings as ​“an opportunity to learn critical issues facing the community.” He provided the board with a summary of education-related laws passed by General Assembly. ​“We rely on the boards for information on key issues,” he said.

Kennedy said a skills gap exits. ​“United Technology needs 3,000 machinists in the next few years but can’t find the people.”

Board member Maria Erhardt said vocational education often gets cut because ​“the focus is on common core, math and literacy.”

Kennedy asked the board’s student representatives for their input regarding testing procedures.

Aaliyah Heyward-Scott expressed concern about the test scores, adding that she doesn’t test well. She said she took the SATs two times. ​“What about students who do well in a class setting?” she asked.

Kiersten Bjork said she’s also taken the SATs twice. She said colleges are placing less emphasis on scores and that the ability to take the test without payment is helpful.

Report on School-Based Health Center

Melanie Wyles, director of the School Based Health Center, reported on her two months in Branford. She said her goal of 87 percent enrollment for services in district would be a ​“win-win” situation for all. She said Murphy has achieved that goal; Walsh is at 70 percent (900 students, 629 enrolled); and the high school is at 54 – 55 percent. ​“High school parents are more hands off,” she noted. ​“The overall district rate is 66 percent.”

Wyles said $500,000 has been cut from school-based health centers, more than 5.75 percent; the cost to operate the centers is $110,000 per school and there are 96 centers within the state. Fortunately Branford is affiliated with Yale, which will pick up the difference. She encouraged students to ​“inundate” the legislature about the center’s importance within the community, adding that they appreciate the connection to Yale, where all their school information is on file. ​“That’s how the system is supposed to work,” said Hernandez.

Wyles also said the school-based health centers are connected to private providers and accept whatever the providers pay; there are no co-pays on site. They service more medical than behavioral issues, she said. ​“It’s important to reach the parents of children at the 4th grade level.”

The next regular Board of Education meeting is March 30.

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