City, school budget-makers learn to speak each other's language

City, school budget-makers learn to speak each other's language

By Samantha Allen TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — It started out with an acknowledgment that things had been less than "harmonious" in the past between city government and the public schools; it ended with a plan to move forward together.

In the second installment of a conversation on funding public education in Worcester, sponsored by The Research Bureau and the Worcester Education Collaborative, officials came together Wednesday morning to look at the state of schools.

Some attending the discussion pointed to students not having textbooks to bring home, or teachers having to pay out-of-pocket for supplies. Superintendent Melinda J. Boone said she regretted some students having two study halls in their school day because of a lack of money for electives.

"I'm embarrassed to say (that)," she said.

At MCPHS University, Ms. Boone and City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. each reviewed their goals. Mr. Augustus called for more "transparency and honesty" around school financing. He said all school costs should be reflected in the foundation budget, including crossing guards. He noted that lowering class sizes from as high as 30 students per teacher is another priority.

Ms. Boone said she took criticisms surrounding the budget seriously and works constantly to keep funding of the local schools out in the open. She pointed to challenges ahead, including declining federal aid, a rising student population and a gap in special education funding.

"We were told (our budgeting process) was not transparent enough. … (like) 'We don't know what your needs are?' " she said. "I took that to heart."

She noted Worcester's school district is the third largest in the state, with about 25,000 students, and is now a contender for second place as Springfield's numbers dip. With that figure, costs increase, and she noted that roughly 2,500 students are categorized as homeless.

The superintendent said enrollment figures are returning to where they were about a decade ago. In fiscal 2008, with nearly 22,900 students, several schools were closed. She said the numbers have leveled back at 24,777, according to the latest figures.

"We've made certain investments based on certain assumptions and hypotheses," she said. "Are those results delivering the results we anticipated? And if not, do we continue to invest in those? ... Or is it time for us to invest differently?"

Ms. Boone also pointed to a recent boiler breakdown at the Grafton Street School. A boiler at Columbus Park Preparatory Academy authorized for replacement by the MSBA was brought over to Grafton Street to fix the problem.

"These are the realities of how we look internally," she said. "How do we stretch those dollars and resources?"

Ms. Boone thanked both Mr. Augustus and Mayor Joseph M. Petty for their continued collaborative efforts. Mr. Augustus, a former school committee member, noted some "tensions" between city and schools are beneficial in the end.

"Some of those tensions or rivalries are built into the structure into how the debate is intended to unfold," he said. "It's not always an unhealthy thing to have that back and forth."

Mr. Petty said he believes schools are underfunded and more must be done.

"The needs are great for Worcester public schools," he said. "We're all in this together."

Contact Samantha Allen at samantha.allen@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SAllen_89