TPS 2015-2016 Moving Forward Welcome, thank you for coming tonight…. It is very important that we have this opportunity to talk, and this opportunity to share….

Good evening, and thank you for coming Coming together to move forward, it takes a village, every single one of us to help our schools and children achieve success It takes a village to raise a child -Common African Proverb

Been working hard with administrators, and curriculum people to get a good picture of where we are with CURRICULUM, PROGRAMS, and BUDGET, and where we need to be…

Tonight 7:30 – 7:35 Welcome 7:35 – 7:50 Brief presentation of where we are… Big Hits, Bad Habits, & Moving forward 7:50 – 8:20 Break-out groups (HELP! Brainstorming & Discussion, Problem Solving & Ideas) 8:20 – 8:30 Come together to share out 8:30 – 8:40 Setting the stage for January 20 / 21 – Reporting Out and Discussion 8:45 Drive Safely! Tonight…. The moving FORWARD part, the break out groups, CAN”T CHANGE WHAT WAS, BUT CAN CHANGE WHAT WILL BE….

Where we are…The BIG HITS 88.6% of a budget that keeps the same level of services (Salaries, Benefits, Transportation, Insurance, and Tuition) equates to a 5.6% budget increase not including any program expenditures 88.6 % of the budget comes from Salaries, Benefits, Transportation, Insurance, and Tuition – increases in these areas alone, for level services, equates to a 5.6% increase to next year

Add supplies and program expenditures… without any new staff And the budget request becomes a 7.91% increase Add supplies and program expenditures, and you have a 7.91% increase over this year’s budget WITH NO ADDITIONAL STAFF ADDED, the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THAT WE ALL KNOW< THIS IS NOT LIKELY TO FLY! Chance of passing in a referendum in Tolland: Not very likely 2014-2015 Adopted: $37,189,581.00 vs $40,132,799.00

Some other potential BIG HITS for 2015-2016… Allocation of funds to the the utility fund ($128,438.00 this year, potentially the same or more next year…) Paraprofessional Contract RETRO-PAY (negotiations) (potentially $32,400.00 this year) We are adjusting to a new energy fund… some big hits we may take this year is the potential need to contribute to this fund. We also may have to pay

…the BAD HABITS Pre-Purchasing Negative Balance Budgeting Severance $340,000.00 in Pre-payments (paying things in the 2013-2014 year for the 2014-2015 year, impacting what the increase looks like in the 2015-2016 year) WHY BAD? Because pre-paying $340,000.00 out of the 2013-2014 budget… lowers the actual budget request for 2014-2015 – making it look less expensive than it is… this in turn makes the year that follows, 2015-2016, look more expensive the % increase appears bigger by the pre-purchased amount when there is no longer any pre-purchasing: the % increase in this case, for 2015-2016, is higher by almost one full percentage point due to previous pre-purchasing alone! Negative Balance Budgeting In anticipation of receiving money from the state, or some other entity, the practice of entering NEGATIVE line items: in this case, by almost -$200,000.00. This also makes a budget look artificially lower, less expensive, than it is, and in turn, when the practice is not carried forward, it makes the next year look higher, more expensive, and with a higher percentage increase than it would have otherwise had… in this case, for 2015-2016, it is higher by more than half a percentage point due to previous Negative Balance Budgeting alone. Severance Contracts that allow for lavish severance and retirement – paying out accrued vacation, and sick time… This is hard to anticipate and in the 2014-2015 budget cost the district $214,982.00

Lack of Outplacement Alternatives …the BAD HABITS Lack of Outplacement Alternatives A lack of agreements with other agencies (such as EASTCONN) that make it possible to handle certain “outplacements” through collaborative agreements. In other words, EASTCONN runs a program in our buildings, and we receive tuition wavers for X number of students. Special education for the coming year is up $440,000.00 alone. This equates to a nearly 1.2% increase alone.

On-Your-Own Curriculum & Program Support …the BAD HABITS On-Your-Own Curriculum & Program Support Underfunding curricular and program needs, and relying on teachers to find their own materials, and sometimes their own training, to implement initiatives and programs. While this lowers the percentage increase – it makes effective instruction and execution of curriculum difficult and inconsistent.

Lack of focus in spending…wide and shallow implementation …the BAD HABITS Lack of focus in spending…wide and shallow implementation The practice of trying to do too much, too fast, with too little… when initiatives are spread out over many disciplines, and resources are spread out and not channeled into critical priorities… the impact – change – and movement forward is slow, inconsistent, and sometimes ineffective.

Looking FORWARD…some critical priorities LITERACY A focus on literacy, by supporting a well-articulated and aligned curriculum through high quality, well-vetted consistent programs and corresponding professional development, sufficient resources, personnel and budgetary support. HOW for 2015-2016: Implementation and support of Writers Workshop K-8 – 25 years of supporting research. MATH A focus on mathematics by supporting a well-articulated and aligned curriculum through high quality, well-vetted consistent programs and corresponding professional development, sufficient resources, personnel and budgetary support. HOW for 2015-2016: Implementation and support of Singapore Math – Math in Focus K-8, proven worldwide implementation and success. CURRICULUM A focus on a curriculum development plan that integrates a curriculum that is purposefully designed, emphasizes depth, rigor, and application of knowledge that is aligned and exists in a common format with corresponding pacing guides. How for 2015-2016: Implementation of a well-supported curriculum development initiative. It will require expenditures in professional development, materials, and resources that have been underfunded in years past, but must be funded for 2015-2016 for us to move forward.

Looking FORWARD…we need your help! Without any changes, to bring the 7.91% budget down to a budget increase number that has had a greater history of passage (something in the 3% - 4% range), and to retain the critical professional development, materials, and resources for Literacy and Math, we would potentially need to: THS – Potentially reduce $130,232.00 in supplies, SS, Science, Athletics, Library, etc. Potentially reduce 5.0 instructional staff positions (3 full time, 4 reductions to .5) TMS Potentially reduce $3,000.00 in Science materials Potentially reduce 6.0 instructional staff positions (5 full time, 2 part reductions) TIS Potentially reduce $39,545,00 in Library, software, equipment, art materials, Guidance materials, music, PE equipment Potentially reduce team leader positions, office staff, paraprofessionals, and 2 instructional staff positions. BGP Potentially reduce 4.5 instructional staff, 5 paraprofessionals, office staff, medical staff, custodial.

Looking FORWARD…we need your help… What do YOU think? How can we achieve greater efficiencies? What kind of co-operative arrangements can we seek with the Town, businesses, and the community? How can we achieve cost savings, and what would some examples and strategies be? What percentage budget would you support? How can we encourage support to pass the budget? What else…? We need to know from you, WHAT could we live without or do more efficiently, WHAT would you support, WHAT do you think we should change, How can we move forward? Your INPUT IS CRITICAL.

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11% increase And the budget request becomes a EXTRA SLIDE – NO GOOD PLACE - Maybe don’t use Add the staffing the Principals have reported they need…for Common Core…for Literacy and Math… And the budget request becomes a 11% increase Chance of passing in a referendum in Tolland: Not a chance…