Thompson Public Schools Budget Presentation

1. Thompson Board of Education
1
2016-2017
BUDGET PRESENTATION
BOARD OF FINANCE
MARCH 3, 2016

2. Who we are
A small district that provides high quality
education efficiently and effectively.
Small School = Big Opportunities
2

3. What we do
1,020 Students enrolled in the Thompson Public Schools.
In addition, 205 Thompson residents attend other schools in
which TPS has some financial responsibility for including:
• Quinebaug Valley Middle College
• Killingly Vo-Ag
• Ellis Tech
• Marianapolis
• St. Joseph School
• Home Schooled
3

4. Achievements
The New England Association of School and Colleges (NEASC) recently
awarded Tourtellotte Memorial High School full accreditation.
The Mary R. Fisher Elementary School (MRFES) received full accreditation
from NAEYC in 2015, with glowing commendations about the work
accomplished at MRFES by the teachers, administration and parent-support
groups.
88.5% of the 2015 graduated class had been accepted to college, post-
secondary school, or joined the military. Few public schools in Northeastern
Connecticut can match these numbers.
4

5. Did You Know?
Thompson $16,101
Killingly $16,683
Putnam $16,670
State Average $16,424
5
Thompson’s Per Pupil Expenditures is $582 less than Killingly
and $569 less than Putnam.

6. Budget Development
• Principals/Department Heads met with staff, Business
Manager, and Superintendent
- November 2015 to January 2016
• Online survey with 231 respondents
- Completed January 2016
6

7. Thompson Public Schools
Budget Input Survey
1. Hiring and retaining quality teachers 55%
2. Providing students with quality materials, books, computers 20%
3. Providing support services to struggling students 13%
4. Keeping class sizes small (low student/teacher ratio) 10%
When building a school budget, which of the following is most
important to you?
7

8. The Thompson Public Schools should continue
investing in the following programs:
8
Priority Ranking:
1. Classroom Technology 43%
2. Student Support Services 31%
3. Art 25%
4. Music 20%

9. FY 17 Budget Increases
9
FY 16 Budget FY 17 Increase % Increase
Salaries (excludes new positions) $ 9,605,437 $ 429,933 4.5
Health Insurance 2,737,491 246,374 9.0
Special Education (Out-of-District Placements & Transportation Only) 1,828,600 115,930 6.3
Building Repair & Maintenance 160,000 79,327 49.6
Substitutes 143,221 60,497 42.2
Legal Services 60,000 15,000 25.0
Textbooks 51,764 132,449 255.9
New Positions 0 189,353 N/A
Subtotal $ 1,268,263
Other Increases 25,162
Total Increase $ 1,293,425 7.3
$17,678,341 $18,971,766

10. New Positions
10
• Social Worker $ 50,133
• Pre-School Teacher 46,736
• Pre-School Paraprofessional 15,513
Subtotal $112,382
Benefits 76,971
Grand Total $189,353

11. Salaries - % Increases 2016-2017
• Teachers – 1.15% General Wage Increase plus step movement (3.1% total)
• Administrators –1.5% Increase plus possible performance allowance
• Secretaries – Negotiated Increase of 1.95%
• Custodians – Negotiated Increase of 1.95%
• Paras, Cafeteria, & Nurses – Negotiated Increase of 2%
• Bus Drivers – Budgeted at 1.5%
• Non-Union – Budgeted at average of 3.6%
11

12. Number of Employees at TPS
Teachers – 96 Paras, Cafeteria & Nurses – 40
Administrators – 6 Bus Drivers – 20
Secretary – 8 Non-Union – 12
Custodial – 14 Total – 196
Note - 42% of TPS employees live in town.
12

13. 13
Salaries
45%
Benefits
19%
Special Education
20%
Operations
11%
Technology
2%
Discretionary
3%
THOMPSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FY 17 BUDGET BY SELECT CATEGORY

14. Discretionary (3%) Includes:
TEXTBOOKS
Includes e-books and proposed purchases
TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SUPPLIES
DUES & FEES
SOFTWARE
14

15. Special Education (20%) includes:
15
SPEC ED SALARIES
SPEC ED OTHER PLACEMENTS
$1,587,860
1,164,030
SPEC ED EASTCONN TUITION 640,500
SPEC ED TRANSPORTATION 140,000
SPEC ED PROF TECH 108,068
SP SERV SP/LANG 38,364
SPEC ED EVALUATION 37,548

16. 16
Fiscal Year Budget Actual Difference ($)
FY 12 $2,667,249 $3,393,543 -$726,294
FY 13 3,382,433 3,072,216 310,217
FY 14 3,357,619 3,591,010 -233,391
FY 15 3,348,479 3,490,486 -142,007
FY 16 3,413,955 3,622,318 * -208,363
-$999,838* Projected
Special Education Expenses

17. 17
Actual
Expenditures
Budgeted
Expenditures
2006-2007 2016-2017 $ Incr % Incr
District Total $ 13,772,146 $ 18,971,766 $ 5,199,620 37.75%
Special Education 1,092,386 3,777,952 2,685,566 245.84%
Health Care 1,722,599 3,052,239 1,329,640 77.19%
Special Education/Health Care Expenditures

18. 18
Account Description YTD Expenses Encumbrances Available Budget % Used
9001 High School $ 1,254,255.00 $ 909,935.60 $ 25,788.69 98.80
9002 Middle School 1,160,365.89 800,376.75 21,967.63 98.90
9003 Elementary School 1,355,382.78 935,205.52 (819.30) 100.00
9004 Special Services 1,935,047.21 1,687,271.10 (208,363.75) 106.10
9005 Health Department 102,514.11 59,739.70 1,138.46 99.30
9006 System Wide 3,406,306.15 1,320,215.89 (12,394.53) 100.30
9007 Plant and Operations 979,031.00 594,840.52 84,552.35 94.90
9008 Transportation 304,273.13 118,394.99 30,183.23 93.30
9010 High School Athletics 130,882.27 75,685.80 26,124.11 88.80
9012 Technology 341,556.84 86,077.08 19,678.66 95.60
9013 Middle School Athletics 23,588.93 29,116.00 7,568.07 87.40
9014 Curriculum 38,098.36 17,275.24 17,481.46 76.00
Grand Total $ 11,031,301.67 $ 6,634,134.19 $ 12,905.08 99.90
FY 16 Expenses

19. Proposed State Budget for FY 16-17
• Cuts discretionary accounts across the board, except Education Cost Share (ECS), by 5.75%.
• ECS remains flat funded.
• Transportation grant cut $1.3 million. This cut includes $1,000,000 that was already cut mid
year for 15-16.
• Excess Special Education grant cut $8 million.
• Magnet Schools cut $18.7 million.
• Priority Schools cut $2.6 million.
• Open Choice program cut $3 million.
• Adult Education cut $1.6 million.
19

20. 20
IDEA Part B Section 611 $ 295,707
Title I Improving Basic Programs 170,383
Scientifically Researched Based Intervention (SRBI) including
Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
150,000 competitive
School Readiness 109,771
Carl Perkins Technology Grant (2) 54,972 competitive
Title II Teachers Grant 52,889
Adult Education 51,414
After School Program 25,000
Technology Grant 22,000
IDEA Part B Section 619 14,125
Competitive School Readiness 3,811
International Paper Company 3,000 competitive
Total$ 953,072
Current
Year
Grants
12

21. Our role keeps getting more complicated.
In 1910, schools were responsible for basic
reading and math instruction while
responsibility began to shift.
In the last 100 years, some 40 responsibilities
have been added.
21

22. Nutrition Vocational Education
Immunization Business Education
Health/Physical education Speech and Drama
Mandated school transportation School lunch programs
Art and music Half-day kindergarten
Driver’s education Early childhood education
Title I Full-day kindergarten
Adult education Preschool programs
Special Education Gifted and talented programs
Title IX Drug & alcohol abuse education
Keyboarding After-school programs
Assessment At risk/dropout prevention
22

23. In the first decade of the 21st century, added
•No Child Left Behind
•Bully prevention
•Anti-harassment policies
•Expanded early childhood programs
•Race to the Top
23
All of these responsibilities have been added without adding a
single minute to the school calendar in six decades.
See Appendix 1 for more information.

24. What Do Our Students Need?
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Textbooks, E-books, and
Improved Learning Technology

25. Textbook and E-book needs
• Need new high school science and social studies textbooks and
e-books to align with State Standards.
• Science reading and content levels are not at the level of rigor for
grades 8 and 5.
• Current grade 5 social studies textbooks are in rough condition.
• Current ages of textbooks – 1998, 1999, 2002-2007
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26. What Does Our Community Need?
26
Increased preschool opportunities
to help every student get the start
they deserve.

27. Early intervention could lower the number of students
in Special Education as percentage of student
population by 1%.
The potential savings would be some $300,000.
27
See Appendix 2 for more information.

28. Preschool Tuition by Town
Andover Free
Ansonia Sliding Scale
Ashford Free
Bristol Free
Brooklyn Free
Canterbury Free
Eastford Sliding Scale
East Haven Sliding Scale
Hamden Sliding Scale
Killingly Sliding Scale
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Lebanon Free
Ledyard Sliding Scale
Plainfield Free
Putnam Sliding Scale
New Haven Free
Sterling
Thompson
Free
Sliding Scale
Vernon Free
Windham Sliding Scale
Windsor Free
Windsor Locks Free

29. Preschool Information
Current Preschool Enrollment – 42
By adding a new preschool teacher and paraprofessional, our
options are:
• Adding 2 more half-day sessions may increase preschool
enrollment by 24 students.
• Adding 1 full-day session may increase preschool enrollment
by 12 students.
29

30. What Do Our Students Need?
30
Expanded social and emotional supports.

31. Increased Student Needs
31
Position
Recommended Caseload by
National Organization
Current
Enrollment
1/11/16
Time doing
Social Work
Activities
# of high needs
students
ES School Counselor 250:1 400 60% 22
ES/MS Psychologist >500:1 576 (Pre-k-6) 30%/week 22
MS School Counselor 250:1 339 60% 27
HS/MS Psychologist >500:1 438 (7-12) 20% 21+
HS School Counselors 250:1 HS has 2
(1.4 General Counseling / .6 spec. ed/504)
275 20% 20
District Social Worker 40:1
Requisites – 1 Social Worker requested will provide more time for Guidance Counselors to support students
with moderate needs.

32. What would a Social Worker do?
• Works with parents/families to support their children’s school adjustment &
engagement.
• Uses Case Management to assist parents in accessing & utilizing school & community
resources.
• Assists with attendance & truancy issues by making home visits.
• Advocates for students, families & schools to receive support from social & mental
health agencies.
• Develops intervention strategies to increase student academic success.
• Assists with conflict resolution, anger management, drug, tobacco & alcohol abuse.
• Helps students develop appropriate social skills.
• Assists teachers with classroom behavior management & Behavior Plan tracking.
• Identifies and reports child abuse and neglect and participates with DCF follow-up
services.
32See Appendix 3 for more information.

33. Running Scholarship Total - $450,000
33
To date and still counting, 42 colleges have
accepted Tourtellotte students!
Class of 2016

34. 34
For a decade, we have cut and trimmed important aspects of
our educational program and put off and delayed. We are now
at the point that if this budget isn’t approved, we will be forced
to begin cuts to technology, textbooks, sports, arts, curriculum,
and before and after school programs.
Communities are judged by how we care for our elders, and
how we educate our children.
The real estate market - the resale of homes and apartment
rentals - is driven by investment in schools and social services.
This is an investment not just in our children, but in our homes.