School budgets present some hard choices in next fiscal year

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Superintendent of Schools James Weiss. — Michael Cummo

Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools superintendent James Weiss presented a draft fiscal year 2016 (FY16) budget for his office and shared service programs, which includes special education, at the All-Island School Committee’s (AISC) meeting last week.

Mr. Weiss said his proposed $5.8 million budget includes only items that are truly required, for an overall increase of $456,256, or 8.49 percent over FY15. It includes no new services but does expand mandated special education programs. The proposed FY16 budget also includes funds for maintenance at the superintendent’s office building and to expand English language instruction for children Island-wide in response to increasing demand.

Mr. Weiss also presented another proposal for comparison purposes that included all of the “wants” in program and personnel additions suggested to him. A new cafeteria/food service manager and facilities manager were among them.

Unfortunately, Mr. Weiss said, all of those new items and program changes, as well as contractually obligated increases in salaries and benefits, would increase the budget by $755,000, or 14.5 percent over FY15.

“I’ve heard from town folk, school committee members, and principals about concerns about money and concerns about needs,” Mr. Weiss said. “I tried to make choices based on input I’ve received from all of the stakeholders in this room.”

The AISC will take up the superintendent’s budget discussion again at 7 pm on November 20 in the regional high school’s library conference room.