With little fanfare, but with local anticipation akin to a Harry Potter book release, Corda released the hounds, er, the budget to BOE members. The Advocate reports:
The $149.6 million total - $7 million more than this year’s budget -includes hiring additional teachers to meet an increase in the high school population and to serve special education students and English-language learners.
The latter programs, normally funded by state grants, now must be financed by the district, Corda said.
The budget also reflects teachers’ salaries, which are going up by $5.2 million, as well as health insurance and energy cost increases.
The school board last year requested a 7.7 percent spending increase. Ultimately, the Common Council gave the schools a 3.8 percent increase and the Board of Estimate and Taxation approved a special appropriation from additional state aid funds, bringing this year’s total increase to 4.5 percent. “The proposed budget is essentially a continuation of our programs, with the exception of what we are required to do to meet the needs of English-language learners and special education students,” Corda said in an interview yesterday.
One of the largest increases - close to $700,000 - includes costs for transportation, out-of-district tuition and special education.
The district is planning to add more than two full- or part-time special education teachers. Seven additional English-language learner aides will be hired.
Enrollment at the city’s three high schools is projected to increase by more than 110 students, according to the budget. Norwalk High School is expected to have the largest increase, with 60 more students.
The good news is that Corda reveals that the budget may actually make it up to the BOE web site (middle of next week.) Today, a message greets visitors to the website:
19-Dec-2007
2008-09 Budget meeting datesJanuary 2, 2008, ,7:45 pm, community room, Superintendent’s 2008-09 budget presentation
January 3, 2008, 7:45 pm, community room, budget conclusion
January 7, 2008, 7:45 pm, community room, public hearing on Superintendent’s proposed budget. Please note if you are unable to make this meeting and would like to offer comment, you may do so by sending comments to Greg Burnett, budget committee chair, via email at burnettg@norwalkps.org.
This is a nice improvement. There are still some big issues that Corda will have to confront. One is that there is a band of finance wonks who will be pouring over this budget like no budget before it. The other is that the BET does not have much confidence in the way Corda prepares budgets. This speaks to the lack of a finance director, the history of budget presentations and the fact that there are some very smart finance schooled people on the BET. Council members have already expressed that they will not support a BOE without a finance director hire by the BOE.
Corda lost a great opportunity to work with the council and the BET this past summer and fall in a joint meeting organized by then Common Council President Mike Coffey. Now the time crunch is looming, and the budget realities facing the entire city are taking center stage.
source: Advocate, School budget hike put at 4.9%, By Lisa Chamoff, December 28 2007
