written (or copy and pasted) solely by Stanley H. Wotring, Jr. I am not a representative of the LSC (BUT I WANT TO BE!}
nor are they responsible for the content. My email address is ***Lynn.School.Watch@gmail.com***.
TIME TO GET SERIOUS!
Search This Blog
Sunday, February 21, 2016
COULD THIS BE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE $2 MILLION WINDFALL?
The Next School Committee Meeting is Feb. 25th | Agenda Here
My guess is the discussion will remain focused on the Chapter 70 funding formula only. Most likely the history and basics of the formula and how it is calculated will be mentioned, as well as any changes that have been made. For example, the foundation budget is now calculated using "economically disadvantaged" enrollment figures instead of "low income" enrollment figures. If you recall, most districts have fewer economically disadvantaged students than they had low income students. The discussion will most likely lead to the formula and funding process not being fair, particularly to large, diverse districts like Lynn. Hopefully, the discussion will include the importance of appropriating the limited funds the district does receive to the areas most in need (like maybe textbooks for students and not raises for administrators). It would be great if the discussion also included the importance of transparency and how crucial it is to know and easily track exactly how much money is coming into the district and from what sources, as well as where each dollar is being spent. For those who have been present at a budget meeting and sat there just as confused as committee members wondering where huge amounts of money went to, you know what I am talking about.
According to the most recent DESE figures posted on 1/27/16, Lynn's preliminary FY17 foundation budget is $192,172,423 based on enrollment of 16,463. This figure is not a significant increase at all from the preliminary FY16 figures of $191,949,857 based on enrollment of 16,036.
Preliminary figures for FY16 showed Ch.70 aid for Lynn to be $147,362,682 based on enrollment of 16,036. Preliminary figures for FY17 show Ch.70 aid for Lynn to be $147,691,942 based on enrollment of 16,463. Therefore, based on these figures, Lynn is expected to be getting only $329,260 additional state aid for the additional 427 students.
You are probably right about what they may want to talk about BUT the line is vague enough I think to allow for discussion. That is if someone is BRAVE enough to bring it up!
My guess is the discussion will remain focused on the Chapter 70 funding formula only. Most likely the history and basics of the formula and how it is calculated will be mentioned, as well as any changes that have been made. For example, the foundation budget is now calculated using "economically disadvantaged" enrollment figures instead of "low income" enrollment figures. If you recall, most districts have fewer economically disadvantaged students than they had low income students. The discussion will most likely lead to the formula and funding process not being fair, particularly to large, diverse districts like Lynn. Hopefully, the discussion will include the importance of appropriating the limited funds the district does receive to the areas most in need (like maybe textbooks for students and not raises for administrators). It would be great if the discussion also included the importance of transparency and how crucial it is to know and easily track exactly how much money is coming into the district and from what sources, as well as where each dollar is being spent. For those who have been present at a budget meeting and sat there just as confused as committee members wondering where huge amounts of money went to, you know what I am talking about.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the most recent DESE figures posted on 1/27/16, Lynn's preliminary FY17 foundation budget is $192,172,423 based on enrollment of 16,463. This figure is not a significant increase at all from the preliminary FY16 figures of $191,949,857 based on enrollment of 16,036.
Preliminary figures for FY16 showed Ch.70 aid for Lynn to be $147,362,682 based on enrollment of 16,036. Preliminary figures for FY17 show Ch.70 aid for Lynn to be $147,691,942 based on enrollment of 16,463. Therefore, based on these figures, Lynn is expected to be getting only $329,260 additional state aid for the additional 427 students.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/finance/chapter70/
You are probably right about what they may want to talk about BUT the line is vague enough I think to allow for discussion. That is if someone is BRAVE enough to bring it up!
Delete