Superintendent Proposes $50.65 Million Schools Budget

With last night’s $50.65 million proposal, Branford’s school chief is requesting a year-to-year budget increase of $1.5 million, or 3.10 percent, with planning built in to support the budget theme “Innovation through Investment.”

Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez unveiled an overview of the budget during a presentation-only discussion for the Board of Education (BOE) and the public on Feb. 7 at Branford High School.

“My job as the superintendent of schools is to advocate for public education. What you will see in this presentation are not pie in the sky, but things that we have been wanting to do that we have created the condition that we can now do this. And that was done very deliberately, very methodically and with a tremendous amount of thought and guidance,” said Hernandez.

He noted the majority of the $1.5 million uptick, $1.4 million, is created by district costs which actually come in at two-tenths of a percentage point less than the same costs in the current year. The costs cover benefits (including medical health and post-employment), salaries (certified and non-certified), transportation (2.5 percent increase, per contract), site license, purchase services and tuition for state- mandated costs the district must pay for other students to attend Branford Public Schools.
 
“That leaves $120,000 in other characters that we will discuss as a board tomorrow evening,” said Hernandez of the requested increased dollars.

At 7 p.m. on Wed. Feb. 8 and Thurs. Feb. 9, the Board of Education (BOE) will discuss the proposed budget, and hear public input, during workshops in the faculty lounge at Walsh Intermediate School.

The population of the schools will remain relatively flat in 2012-13, with no significant reduction in its number.  In his Feb. 7 slide show presentation (view the slide show here), Hernandez said district 2012-13 budget priorities include maintaining current class size, expanding early learning opportunities (in particular, with a Pre-K expansion at Sliney School), developing a teacher model vs. the current aide model for the town’s expanding English Language Learning population (a compliance issue -- currently, 130 students do not use English as their first language) and identifying resources for curriculum implementation.

Additional priorities including expanding opportunities for extended day enrichment, introducing world language in elementary schools, expanding the high school’s new on-line learning program and enhancing and integrating technology in the learning process, for which Hernandez is proposing a new position he’s identified as an  “…instructional coach” who will be a “district resource.”

The instructional coach will have a strong curricular background to work with students when needed diagnostically, will demonstrate for other teachers at the teaching level and work with administration on factors such as curriculum alignment.

“It’s a position we desperately need to move forward,” said Hernandez, adding the district also “still falls short” in areas of integrating technology and professional development for the practices, which are also areas addressed in the proposed budget.

As anticipated, in 2012-13, the district will receive no American Resource Recovery Act (ARRA) federal stimulus money. Over the past three years, ARRA funds have injected $1.3 million in the district’s annual budgets. Branford received $600,000 in ARRA funds 2009-10 ; $600,000 in 2010-11 and $102,000 in 2011-12 fiscal years of the school budget.

“Those dollars are no longer available. Those dollars are gone,” said Hernandez.

Despite that setback, Hernandez said, “…the fiscal posture of the town is conducive for supporting the Board of Education budget.”

He said the town’s 98 percent Grand List property tax collection rate, AAA financial rating from Standard and Poor’s and AA Moody’s rating, “…tells us we have the ability to finance public education.”