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MARS Board Meeting Minutes
November 9, 2004
Present: Board members: Gene Carlo, Clifford Fountain, Marcia Lukon, Richard
Scortino, Lynn Ryan. Visitors: Robert McIntyre, Bruce Kaiser, Carol Jacobs,
Richard Robbat, Steven Nembirkow. Staff: Dee Dee Niswonger
Gene Carlo and David Tobin are meeting with all available education groups to
build consensus in two areas: accountability and finance. They will refine the
current MASS Position Paper and after sending it out for review to all, will use
it to express our needs to the legislature, asking all interested parties to
also use it so that we speak with one voice.
Legislative strategies include working with MASS Round tables to invite local
legislators to each Round table with programs designed to inform legislators
about our positions. It is vital in inform our legislators many of whom are not
currently well informed about education needs. With the new House speaker,
Speaker DiMasi, we have a tremendous opportunity, especially if we are all
saying the same thing.
The foundation formula idea is good, but the numbers are wrong and we need to
have either two foundations, one for non-regions and one for regions, or we need
to put all the costs for which regions are legally responsible into the
foundation budget used for all, and adjust with zeros any lines which do not
apply to non-regions. We must make the point, as well as receive the financing
for, that when health insurance goes up for a region, classroom expenditures
come down, that when transportation is cut, the cuts are paid for out of
classroom expenditures.
The DoE has submitted budgets to the Governor which reflect what the Governor’s
office expects, but the numbers do not reflect the actual numbers, the real
costs. We are caught, through the Hancock case, in a bind. The schools are
plaintiffs in the case for which the State, and therefore the DoE, is the
defendant. Thus they can’t admit to our problem without admitting to inadequacy.
As an example, the foundation budget says the average teacher’s salary is
$38,000, but it is not, it is $52,000.
The wage adjustment factor is messaged to control budget. In the past there were
25 wage adjustment districts, now there are 21. At the end of the period of
growing state support for education all districts had to be at foundation. To do
that they changed the wage adjustment factors, which changed foundation, and
state “brought” everybody to foundation. 100% is the state average. By making a
district 105%, it could result in being at foundation without any new state
dollars.
The 20% cut sliced everybody without any formula.
S2463: good thinking but there are danger spots. The target share here does not
work for regions. Out of the 84 regional districts only 8 get increased aid
under this plan. For the rest, even with hold harmless, there will be a gradual
reduction in aid. Hold harmless commits to not going down, but it does not
commit to going up, so inflation will erode the value of the aid. The state
philosophy is that the locals spend their money first. More and more local money
is to go into education but with no increase in required local contribution
which means each district is left fighting for what they need, without state
support for the fight.
Student enrollment. Numbers from the DoE indicate declining student enrollment
statewide. It is proposed that the decline results from new counting practices
and we should await further counts to see what the real trend is.
Regional transportation: Across the state east and west should not be treated
the same. High density is much easier (from street to street) than low density
(from forest to forest). One size fits all isn’t the best for kids.
We gave so much trouble to the legislature last year that they gave us more to
shut us up. This year we must be WORSE. We are looking at 25 million more.
Getting more requires that central offices fill out the forms using every bus
except sports buses, and be sure nothing is left out. When building your 06
budget don’t cut transportation; you are cutting your own throat.
Remember we are busing for the welfare of kids, not to save dollars.
For next year estimate at 47.52%, the amount available in the state now. One
strategy is to plan for what we have, and budget at that rate with an agreement
with towns that if the reimbursement comes in higher than expected after the
towns have agreed to their assessments, the district will return the excess to
the towns using the Oct. 1 count.
The real reimbursement percentage for 05, and which can be used for 06, is
47.52% for regional transportation. Although there is a rumor that there will be
a reduction in transportation, the rumor appears invalid.
Circuit breaker: not all districts are affected by the circuit breaker at this
time. For those who are the relationship between town and school controls how
the money goes. Regardless of whether the money ultimately ends up in the
district accounts or the town’s, the check is coming. One budgeting technique
for districts is to not count on this money as revenue, but rather to put it
aside, with complete openness to the towns, to meet unexpected increases in SPED
costs in the future.
Accountability and Finances seem to be the issues about which the legislature is
currently most interested.
You could say money = accountability, and more money = more accountability.
Therefore there is so much paperwork some want to send a bill for processing it
to the state! Gene Carlo has a group developing a list of the paperwork now
required with the goal of calculating the real cost of having so much, in so
many areas, to do. AYP, EQA No child Left Behind are some of the newer programs
now demanding staff time, even with some overlapping material the work is
requiring districts to hire staff to meet the demands.
Finance: MASS is studying the true per pupil costs which are known to the DoE
through schedule 19 but are not used to calculate the foundation budgets which
are what directs the requested sum for Chapter 70. Once again the need for
regions to receive aid reflective of real costs, those required by law,
benefits, transportation, health insurance and so forth, need to be part of the
foundation budget for a region.
Charter schools to be studied by some urban districts for recommendations for
the MASS Position Paper. A question was asked about whether municipalities are
“drawing down” from regional budgets on any costs in their schedule 19s. Please
send information to either Gene Carl or David Tobin.
Medicaid: Is the best protection for unforeseen per child costs. Putting
Medicaid as revenue on budget shows where the money comes from to cover
unexpected costs for a child going out of district unexpectedly. It is always
better to let people know what you have rather than having them find something
they didn’t know was there. Because it can’t be controlled (what will come in)
put what is already in place in budget, don’t anticipate. But, can move money
into an account when you really have it, and can also get enough in an account
that it makes sense to give some back to the communities using Oct. 1
enrollment. This develops terrific good will.
There is some talk that Romney is going to be asked to take on Homeland
Security. Kerry Healey is a bright person but no governor. House One will have
less meaning than ever. Power is in the legislature.
In response to some discussion about the different percentages of health
insurance premiums paid by different districts in relation to the state wanting
a uniform percent it was pointed out that health insurance is only part of a
package, and should not be seen standing alone. If the state wants unanimity,
let them pay for it. Do they want unified salaries? Let them pay for that, too.
Two votes were taken relative to the Director’s salary.
On a motion by Lynn Ryan and seconded by Marcia Lukon it was unanimously voted
to increase MARS dues in FY 06 by $50.00 to $500.00 annually.
On a motion by Lynn Ryan and seconded by Clifford Fountain it was voted
unanimously to increase the Director’s annual salary to $20,000.00 prorated
November 1st for FY 05.
Those attending were asked to fill out a brief form to be used by Gene Carlo and
David Tobin. Issues, challenges, data needed, strengths, opportunities, vision
and weaknesses were all topics to be described as they fit each person’s
district. These sheets will be correlated and used for material in the MASS
Position Paper.
The next MARS meeting is scheduled for Dec. 14. Because the legislature is not
back in session there may not be reason to meet. However, an invitation was
offered to all, those attending as well as the greater regional community to
contact MARS with issues which you would like to discuss or to gain information
about. Such contact can be part of any meeting’s agenda by e-mailing, snail
mailing or ’phoning the MARS office. It may be that out of this invitation comes
material warranting a December meeting.
Minutes respectfully submitted by
Dee Dee Niswonger
For More Information Contact:
Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools
P.O. Box 334, Williamsburg, MA 01096-0334
Tel: 413-268-3607
E-mail:
niswonger@comcast.net
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Massachusetts Association of
Regional Schools