Well, it's apparent that there aren't many ideas surrounding the City budget. OK, time to unleash the hounds regarding solid ideas in reducing the BOE budget. Remember, keep it clean. It's about the kids....While the City Council has no control over the line items the Board budgets, the bottom line is decided there. If the ideas are viable, I'll make sure the BOE hears about them. The Finance Committee, too.
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Steve, "Time to unleash the hounds", I certainly appreciate your wit. Makes this blog more than informative, but an enjoyable read as well (testing/detested). After reading your latest post, I spent the afternoon raking leaves and pondering that $64,000 question, or more appropriately, that $96,000,000 question. I think you are right on regarding out of district placement costs, particularly high maintenence special eduction placements. Many urban districts have drastically cut this tremendous cost by providing the services/staff in-house. It is not uncommon for individual student placements to run in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars especially in residential placements. Hiring the specialized staff, using existing facilities, purchasing appropriate resources and keeping the students in district will save considerable money. Be aware, however, of the expected response; the specialized staff is not available, no facility space, we can't have those kids in our schools. Transportation may be an area to cut some costs. Without knowing the particulars of the bus routes, schedules, etc., I would suggest possibly staggering times for some middle/elementary schools so the same bus can service a few schools. I realize class size is a very touchy subject in this town, but maybe an independent (not BOE) review of all elementary classes, middle school classes and courses, along with high school classes and course offerings is in order. Elementary school classes with smaller class sizes in the same school can be merged, same with middle and high school. At the high school, there are a few course offerings that have only a handful of students. There has to be creative ways to combine/consolodate them. Bottom line, need to make some personnel cuts to cut the budget. Boy, that suggestion will have them really screaming! What is up with that new maintenence night supervisor position? As usual the BOE "finds" some money in the existing budget for a new position. I do agree with the mayor and many of the council that the position is not necessary. Why can't the head custodian supervise the evening custodian. You just need to look at the building in the morning to know whether the night man did his job or not. All I know is what I read in the newspaper regarding that position, but it sure reeks of nepotism. The mayor's comments certainly added fuel to that fire. Back to budget savings - students who are expelled do have the right to an alternative education, but let's make it the bare bones requirement only. The money saved can go to the "talented and gifted" kids who always get short changed. Reality being the students who get expelled have exhausted more school staff, resourses, programs, educational costs and legal fees and time than any other students. Put the savings into kids who want to be in school and succeed. Listening to the BOE meetings the past few months, I get this strange feeling that fuel oil has been disppearing from Thomas Hooker School. One school board member recently questioned why the fuel use at that school was so high given the square footage of the school relative to other similar sized schools. The Assistant Superintendent's response, and I think I heard it correctly, was "we installed new locks on that tank". Reading between the lines is quite interesting. Could this be a problem at other schools or municipal buildings? One last thing, I can't stand this dichotomy between the BOE and the City Council regarding "well, that side of the street..." You all need to realize taxpayers are all on the same side of the street!! Well, that's my input for now. Thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts.
Good post, Anonymous 8:16. You make some interesting points and in a rational, constructive way. I hope this blog is read occasionally by some of the BOE members. It's their ultimate charge to make the scools work with the budget the City can afford. Thanks for your thoughts, they're what I was hoping for in terms of dialogue.
Anonymous 8:16, I also meant to add that the mayor made a good suggestion during the BOE presentation on special ed costs. He suggested that the BOE analyze how many out of district students could be served at an expanded site located in the former Veteran Memorial Hospital, which currently houses the Venture program. The City now owns the building and is exploring new uses or sale. It's an idea that caught my ear, and I look forward to the BOE's work on their response.
Dear Mr. Zerio- Please remember that Special Ed placement and special ed in general may very well and probably do contain medical issues, which are regulated by very necessary rules and may very well contain medical information that is private and will remain so. Special Ed really can't be compared to any other 'activity'like a sport. I doubt it can be debated at any length with an eye for cost-cutting.
Now, having said that, how about a deciscion to make all sport a pay for play? Perhaps I will draw ire, but one needs special education, one does not need to play State- or City-funded sport. One can perhaps pay a portion of the coaching costs? or the equipment costs? Or is that happening already? Please tell me I'd like to know.
Perhaps sports can be self-sustaining after a first payment is made by the City and the group can fund raise for the next season?
Maybe there is a way to improve the fields and make them so that they attract outside players who rent them? If we want to be serious about this, then we need to look at private-public initiatives. The economy of Meriden needs some money from outside to start cycling through the City. Are there any semi-professional sports teams in like the Rock Cats (not them, but like them), a semi-pro soccer team that we can attract to Meriden, use the facilities and then let the school use them for special, like championship games, rental etc.? Or can we run camps in the Summer like Quinnipiac College does and raise some revenue for the schools there? How about a really nice camp for a few different things or a Elder Hostel sight or the like? Maybe we can use our grounds and resources more wisely. I really don't see how any notches can be tightened on an already very tight school budget belt.
We need a non-polluting company or companies to come to Meriden to give our City a boost, but the downtown Hub is just so plug-ugly that I bet it turns people away. If I were an employer, I'd be unwilling to come here because the City is not doing anything about that. Even the sight of construction is more hopeful to new potentials than the way it is now! At least raze it to where it isn't an eyesore. There could be a plan to make it neutral in looks while the debate on what to do with it rages. Thank you for your time and attention.
The position that special education is needed and "doubt it can be debated at any great length with an eye for cutting-cost" is a non sequitur. Anyone who has observed the process and debate that goes into the molding of an IEP, knows and understands that what is contained in that IEP drives the level of services the student receives. Therefore, reasonable and logical minds usual disagree about what is the most appropriate course of action. So the sweeping statment that all special ed is needed is not logically consisent. All special ed. is not created equal. By taking a good hard look at the out of district placements, I am sure cost savings with be recognized. In fact, some years ago, the town of Colechester attacked the out of district cost issue by partnering with Elmcrest (now defunct) and created a clinical day school within the confines of Bacon Academy (a public high school). This type of thinking and approach represents a cost saving measure that still addressed the needs of the students.
Anyone who has followed the BOE during the past several years has clearly understood that the Board wants to bring more out placed students back to town. For several years the Memorial Hospital site was considered for school use, but the city did not have a final determination as to what it wanted to do with the site. Hence, per the usual, nothing happened. Also, remember that when a child has a PPT that results in an outplacement, it is not always easy to suddenly bring that student back. A new in-town option for outplaced students might take several years to show any savings.
As anyone who has actually looked into the matter knows, each school bus in Meriden already services two or three schools. To suggest that this be implemented shows a lack of understanding as to what already occurs.
As to class size: What is meant by an independent review? The numbers are the numbers. Every year a class size report is issued which lists every class in the city of Meriden and the number of students in it. Also, the total number is sent to the state. As for the idea of taking two small classes in a school and merging them... Assuming we did have two small classes in the same grade in one school, and by small I mean 15-16. Is anonymous really suggesting that we combine those classes into one of 30-32? If so, let me know so I can put my house on the market before prices collapse.
As far as high school goes, there may be some small classes, AP Calculus, AP Physics, etc. What do you suggest we merge these classes with?
Public input is great. Leaders need to know what people think. However, responsible citizens need to have their facts in order before throwing out ideas. Debate and comment based on rumor and inaccuracies does nothing but add lots of heat and no light to the debate.
Finally, the job of a leader, Steve, is to lead. Not stick your finger in the air to figure out which way the wind is blowing and run like heck to get in the front of the crowd. Education is the long term future of this city. If we gut the school system, we will pay for it many times over. We elected twelve people back in November to lead and make Meriden a better place. Do any of those twelve believe that larger classes, fewer opportunities for kids and a deteriorating school system is going to make Meriden a better town to live in? If so stand up and let your voice be heard.
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