Boston School Committee and Superintendent Urge Governor to Increase State Aid to Schools

BOSTON - The seven members of the Boston School Committee and Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant have urged Governor Mitt Romney to increase State aid to Boston in order to preserve funding for the Boston Public Schools.

Last week, the School Committee approved a $619 million budget for FY2004, which reflects a 5% reduction from the current budget and a more than 11% reduction from a level service budget. In order to balance the budget, the school department had to identify $81 million in reductions to address a gap between the expected appropriation and the cost of running the schools next year.

In a letter to Governor Romney (attached), the School Committee and Superintendent noted that the slight increase in Chapter 70 funds earmarked for education is offset by the elimination of several major State education grants, including funds for class size reduction, full-day kindergarten, student transportation and early literacy education. Similarly, charter school tuitions - no longer reimbursed by the State -- will cost the city more than $48 million next year. "What may appear to be a nearly $40 million increase becomes only a $13 million gain when all of these cuts are included," they wrote.

The letter also cites an overall decrease of nearly $69 million in State aid to Boston this year as having a negative impact on school funding. While approximately one-quarter of the BPS budget is supported by Chapter 70 funds, the remaining three-quarters is funded by the City of Boston using property taxes and Local Aid from the State.

The officials noted that previous increases in public education funding have helped the Boston Public Schools make considerable gains in improving student achievement. "Boston has been diligent in living up to our responsibilities under the Education Reform Act," they wrote. "The Governor's Office and the Legislature have supported us in these efforts by providing the necessary resources that higher standards and accountability demand. While we recognize the challenge of these economic times, we cannot afford to retreat and jeopardize the tremendous educational gains that have been made. Instead, we must devise strategies to continue investing in the future of the Commonwealth by investing in public education."

At the outset of the budget development process, the school department faced a gap between expected revenue and expenditures of more than $114 million. Shortly before the School Committee's vote, Mayor Thomas M. Menino appropriated an additional $33.5 million from the City's reserve funds for certain one-time expenses, such as the startup costs for the three new schools opening in September. The final budget includes $81 million in cuts, including the closing of five schools, increased class size, a 10% reduction for all schools, a more than 20% reduction for all central offices, and a salary freeze for all employees. Officials estimate that as many as 1,400 positions - including as many as 650 classroom teaching positions - may be eliminated as a result.

Last week, Dr. Payzant also submitted testimony to the State Legislature's Committee on Ways and Means calling for increases in State funding for public education. The Superintendent asked the legislature to revise the formula for Chapter 70 funding and to support Mayor Menino's legislative proposals to reform Charter School funding and generate additional local revenue.

Attachment: Letter to Governor Romney, March 27, 2003

March 27, 2003

Governor Mitt Romney
Massachusetts State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Governor Romney:

On behalf of the families and students of the Boston Public Schools, we are writing to alert you to the repercussions of the proposed FY2004 State budget on Boston's education system. The overall reduction in State aid to the City of Boston has a direct negative impact on schools.

Guided by the Education Reform Act of 1993, the Boston Public Schools has made great strides to raise academic standards. Boston has embraced the principles and practices of standards-based reform, including full alignment of State Curriculum Frameworks and the MCAS exam with our Citywide Learning Standards and promotion policy. We have provided additional supports to students at greatest risk of failure. As a result, test scores and attendance rates have increased dramatically, the dropout rate has decreased, and more of our graduates go on to college than almost any urban school district in the country. The percentage of Class of 2003 students meeting the MCAS graduation requirements has nearly doubled - from 40% to 78% - in less than two years.

In short, Boston has been diligent in living up to our responsibilities under the Education Reform Act. The Governor's Office and the Legislature have supported us in these efforts by providing the necessary resources that higher standards and accountability demand. While we recognize the challenge of these economic times, we cannot afford to retreat and jeopardize the tremendous educational gains that have been made. Instead, we must devise strategies to continue investing in the future of the Commonwealth by investing in public education.

We are grateful that your budget proposal includes an increase in Chapter 70 funding. However, as indicated on the enclosed chart, this increase is offset substantially by the elimination of numerous funding sources. What may appear to be a nearly $40 million increase becomes only a $13 million gain when all of these cuts are included. Moreover, the projected decrease of nearly $69 million in State aid to Boston necessitates drastic reductions in all City departments, including the Boston Public Schools. Without the authority to generate additional revenue, the City has no means to compensate for these losses.

For the current fiscal year, the Boston Public Schools annual budget is approximately $650 million. The revenue shortfalls described above (as well as "9-C cuts" during FY2003), combined with new State and federal mandates and an increase in fixed costs, result in a budget deficit for FY2004 of nearly $81 million.

We have identified significant reductions to close this gap. As we have done in the past, we have made every effort to hold schools harmless by targeting all non-classroom expenditures. However, given the tremendous shortfall this year, it is impossible to close the gap without affecting schools. Our cost-savings strategies include:

• closing of up to five schools;
• more than 20% reduction across the board for all central and support services;
• 10% reduction across the board for all schools;
• class size increase of 3 students at all grade levels;
• caseload increase for special education support positions; and
• salary freeze for all employees.

The most troubling consequence is that these proposals would result in eliminating more than 1,400 positions, including as many as 650 classroom teaching positions. Parents, students, principals and teachers have expressed grave concern about the tremendous impact these cuts would have on schools' ability to function effectively.

The current economic downturn presents great obstacles to balancing the State budget. We applaud your efforts to identify reductions which minimize the impact on service delivery. However, the proposed budget threatens to undermine a statewide education reform effort that is the envy of the nation. We have come too far and made too much progress to turn back the clock to a time when public education was not the Commonwealth's top priority.

The resources we dedicate to schools today truly are an investment in the future of Massachusetts. We must work together to ensure that all students in every community receive a first-rate education which sets them on a sound course to become the highly skilled workers and productive citizens of tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Reilinger
School Committee Chair