1994-01-31 School Committee Minutes

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REGULAR SESSION MINUTES 2 JANUARY 31, 1994 School Committee meeting. Chair D'Antona stated the budget as presented is an absolutely essential budget. CITIZENS' INPUT Chair D'Antona welcomed citizen input. Mr. Nate White raised questions relating to the reimbursement that Reading Public Schools will receive for each of the 92 METCO students. He noted that the proposed FY95 school budget, including town -wide spending, is $4,930 per pupil and that reimbursement from METCO for their students in Reading averages $1,280 per pupil. Two questions he asked School Committee to consider: should non - residents be enrolled in the school system in return for reimbursement of only 26 percent of their cost; and are the policies known to taxpayers? SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORTS Chair D'Antona addressed the minimum target the Education Reform Act of 1993 has set for each community's support for education though encouraging a higher standard of spending. She added when the minimum target for the school budget is calculated by using the formulas of the Educational Reform Act, Reading's school and municipal minimum target for spend- ing is $18,191,444. The FY95 budget voted by the school com- mittee on January 18, 1994, results in a school and municipal amount of $18,555,976, aspiring to the higher standard of the Educational Reform Act, exceeding the minimum target by $364,832. Continuing, Ms. D'Antona stated, if the minimum target is calculated in a different way, using the FY94 school and municipal minimum target plus the increase in staff wages, the minimum target becomes $18,310,092. In this case the school and municipal amount exceeds the minimum target by $245,884. Presenting both analyses, Ms. D'Antona stated the first direc- tion would mean larger classes, less school allotments and Professional Development, etc. The second version, called a "Level Standards Budget" (an essential budget) includes the minimum target - Base FY94 plus raises. She outlined the priority items not included in the school FY95 budget: 1.5 Specialists, $45,000; Sabbatical, $16,000; Chemical Holding Tank, $8,000; RMHS Language Lab, $75,000; and Increases for Substitutes, $5,000. Chair D'Antona turned the remainder of the School Committee meeting over to Assistant Superintendent Dennis Richards, who acted as the Moderator for the Round Table Discussion.