In a nearly three-hour marathon meeting Monday night, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee approved an $18.6 million fiscal year 2017 (FY17) budget. In total, the 8-page budget increased just 0.4 percent, or $73,600, over FY16, which ends June 30.
Many of those in the large audience, which filled the library conference room to capacity, expressed concern with staff and administrative cost-cutting and workflow measures, specifically a proposal to eliminate the special education director as an administrative position.
Currently, there are three layers of administration in the special education department: director of student services Island-wide, director of special education at the high school, and department head of the special education department.
“The thought was we could take one of those three positions, remove the position, and reallocate the money to direct services working with students,” Superintendent of Schools Matt D’Andrea explained, “therefore reducing the amount of administration that we have, and increasing the amount of services that we have for students.”
The decision stemmed from a larger effort to reduce administrative costs at the high school, which interim MVRHS Principal Peg Regan said have increased significantly over the past seven years, despite a decrease in student population.
Since the change came up at the budget hearing in November, Mr. D’Andrea said he and Ms. Regan received a significant amount of feedback. Under pressure from the public, school administrators announced Monday they will not remove the position.
“At this point Peg and I have decided we’re going to leave the position in, and between now and the end of the year we will continue to evaluate that position, and frankly all of the administrative positions here at the high school, to make sure that we have it organized in a way that’s best serving to the school and the students at the school,” Mr. D’Andrea said.
Members of the audience, including several parents of special education students and former MVRHS special education director Laura Gliga, expressed their appreciation for the decision.
“I appreciate, as a school committee member, the concern about how to make the budget work in an appropriate way,” West Tisbury school committee member Kate DeVane said. “But I also really appreciate the discussion that’s clearly gone on since the last meeting.”
She said as the parent of a special education student, she was thankful for the change of course. She warned the committee to be careful about where they decide to cut corners, which was echoed by others throughout the room.
The budget’s bottom line will not change because of the decision to maintain the director position. Instead, the committee unanimously voted to move monies from the special education teachers’ salaries line item to the special education director line, and from the guidance/conferences and workshops line item to the special education director contractual travel line.
The removal of a physical education instructor position for next year, following Donald Herman’s retirement, also sparked concern from some members of the public.
“We’re hoping that our position will also be saved, as we have a retiring member who is not going to be replaced, which will affect our department greatly,” physical education department chair Kathy Perrotta said.
Later in the meeting, Ms. Regan clarified the decision.
“We have no interest in reducing PE in the high school; it’s very important, but what we have to start doing a little bit better is instead of every time one person retires from a department and we look at filling that whole department slot, we look to see where people are multiple-certified, multiple-licensed, and be able to deploy people better,” she said.
In essence, the school will utilize teachers certified to teach certain sections of physical education rather than completely replacing the position. Three of the five sections Mr. Herman teaches will be fully replaced, meaning classes will be a bit larger.
A third position, the second assistant principal position, currently held by Andrew Berry, who is retiring in January, will also be removed.
“We have the staff, we have the needs of the kids for next year, so let’s use the staff we have to do what we need to do,” Mr. D’Andrea said.
Final budget
The budget process began in October with five budget workshops. A public hearing was held in November, and it culminated with the vote Monday night.
Ultimately, the budget was passed with very little contention. Only committee member Jeffrey “Skipper” Manter of West Tisbury, a town selectman, opposed the spending plan.
“It’s been gratifying to see the interest and the involvement by the towns in our budget this year,” MVRHS finance manager Mark Friedman said.
Increases in the budget are largely due to salary step increases. The revenue stream is down slightly, part of which is due to the removal of the excess- and deficiency-fund offset, which previously contributed toward the overall revenue. Those funds will now be utilized in the budget following the loss of about $100,000 in annual state reimbursement that previously went toward paying off debt from the 1995 building addition.
That decrease in revenue inches overall town assessments up slightly, about 2.4 percent, for a $16.4 million total.
A total of $200,000 will be put toward other postemployment benefits (OPEB) trust liability contributions, the approximate $30 million worth of outstanding debt that the school must work toward paying back over time. That’s an increase of $50,000 from FY16. Shared service costs are up $13,000, a lower increase than in prior years, Mr. Friedman said. Transportation costs are up $38,000 due to buses coming off warranty and the resulting maintenance of a bigger fleet of vehicles, he said. Several part-time instructor positions were added for next year, including a maritime sciences instructor and a culinary teaching position.
“I think this was a transparent and inclusive process, it was very thoughtful, and it’s a fiscally responsible budget,” Mr. D’Andrea said.