HomeMy Public PortalAbout04-08-2014 BFO (SPED Costs)_201404040911217848Town of Watertown
Town Council Committee of the Budget and Fiscal Oversight
Report of the Meeting of March 27, 2014
Report Date: April 8, 2014
The Committee convened on March 27 at 7:00 pm in the 3rd Floor Louis Andrews Conference
Room. Present were Vincent Piccirilli, chair; Angeline Kounelis, vice chair; Cecilia Lenk,
secretary; Town Manager Michael Driscoll; Town Auditor Thomas Tracy; Town Council
President Mark Sideris, Town Councilors Aaron Dushku and Anthony Palomba; and School
Committee Members John Portz, Michael Shepard, and Julie McMahon. Several residents were
also in attendance. Unfortunately no one from the School Administration was able to attend.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss school special education (SPED) funding and related
matters with a goal of finding a better way to fund unbudgeted and unanticipated SPED expenses
mid -year without using general education funds.
Mr. Portz outlined some of the issues in developing the annual school budget and causes of
significant unanticipated changes. The SPED budget each year is created based on three
categories:
• Current SPED population with their estimate of needs the next year (currently 595
students or 21% of the district student population).
• Those current students known as being "at risk" for SPED services next year.
• An "unknown" budget amount for expected new SPED students the next year.
In FY2014, the School Department budgeted $400K for unknown SPED costs; the actual
unknown costs were about $700K. It was noted that the School Department needs to continue
budgeting for both at -risk and unknown SPED costs each year.
Mr. Driscoll recommended dialog with the Superintendent regarding costs and increases in
SPED expenses, noting it was important for all taxpayers to understand why SPED costs are high
compared to other districts. He further stated he did not believe general education fund should
cover these unanticipated costs and recommended that the Town Council consider setting up a
Special Education Stabilization Fund. He noted Belmont had created a SPED Stabilization Fund
to fund unanticipated, unbudgeted costs (see first attachment). There was discussion among the
Committee and attendees about how such a Stabilization Fund could work. It was noted that in -
district costs need to be considered, as these can be substantial (see second attachment).
The Committee and School Committee members present supported the concept of a SPED
Stabilization Fund. The Committee agreed it needed further discussion with the School
Administration and School Committee regarding a SPED Stabilization Fund for unbudgeted,
unanticipated costs; in particular, there is a critical need to analyze five-year data and trends in
SPED costs in order to better these understand unanticipated and unbudgeted costs. The next step
for the Committee will be to schedule a meeting with the School Administration to continue this
discussion.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm
Report prepared by Cecilia Lenk
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1
SPED Stabilization Fund
3 -.2? -/`1
• Stabilization Fund Established under MGL
• Only for the purpose of supporting unanticipated, unbudgeted
Special Education costs that might arise from year to year.
• Precise Special Education funding difficult to predict
• Changing nature of mandated Special Education services
• Students in out -of -district placements: tuition & transportation
• Students with special needs frequently move into Belmont after
appropriations have been allocated in the annual budget.
• Initial funding derived from appropriation of one -time -only revenues
in the sum of $250,000.
• Establishment of the Fund requires 2/3rds vote of TM
• Withdrawals from the Fund require 2/3rds vote of TM
• Only for Special Education expenditures
BeA vvi avCi-
ARTICLE. To See if the Town will vote to create and appropriate money to a Stabilization
Fund in accordance with Section 5B of Chapter 40 of the Massachusetts General Laws for the
purpose of Special Education; to determine whether the money shall be provided by the tax levy,
by transfer from available funds, or by any combination of these methods; or to take any other
action in relation thereto.
A Stabilization Fund would be es abiished for the purpose of supporting unanticipated
and 1 h„ get=Pd ,Special _n_c_asts that might arise from year to year. Precise
Special Education funding is difficult to predict or project given that the changing nature
of needs of mandated Special Education services, and especially for students in out -of -
district placements that encumber tuition charges and transportation costs. Students with
D special needs frequently move into Belmont subsequent to approval of the annual budget.
2,9)1° funding for this Fund is proposed to derive from 00,000 appropriation of one-
time -only revenues. Establishment of the Fund requires a simple majority; however,
withdrawals from the Fund for Special Education expenditures require a two-thirds vote
of members at a regular or special Town Meeting.
The Board of Selectmen, Warrant Committee, and School Committee will report orally on this
article.
Proposed Motion:
MOVED:
That the Town establish a Special Education Stabilization Fund in accordance with
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 5B, and appropriate $200 0 from
available cash reserves to said Fund for the sole purpose of Special Education costs.
Majority vote required for passage
‘,4- 014r
Specialized
Programs
2013-2014
1
609
students
on IEPs
Connections
# Teachers
Cost
#IAs
Cost
Total
Cost
Total
Students
Per
Pupil
Cost
5.8
347,334
30
697,527
1,044,861
30.5
34,258
Learning
Support
#Teachers
Cost
#IAs
Cost
Total
Cost
Total
Students
Per
Pupil
Cost
6.7
334,772
8
204,062
538,834
42
12,829
Language
Based
#Teachers
Cost
#IAs
Cost
Total
Cost
Total
Students
Per
Pupil
Cost
12
870,017
7.2
179,427
1,049,444
142
7,390
Integrated
Services
#Teachers
Cost
#IAs
Cost
Total
Cost
Total
Students
Per
Pupil
Cost
5
366,633
4.5
119,065
485,698
50
9,714
Inclusion
#Teachers
Cost
#IAs
Cost
Total
Cost
Total
Students
Per
Pupil
Cost
21.8
1,548,628
53.6
1,323,624
2,872,252 , 344.5
8.337