In the video posted,
superintendent of schools referenced MGL c 71, section 34, so here it is for
all to see read, read again and make note of any questions for town meeting. My
opinion is that officials often throw out MGL this or CMR that without giving you
a copy of said law or regulation. I also feel that sometimes these laws are
referenced without clarification, or as Pauly may say, in laymens terms. I
would also opine that the case could be made that throwing out these laws and
or regulations can be used to try to intimidate people and could that also be a
form of bullying? That is just a question, not an accusation. I hope this post
is of some to help to some people in making a decision at town meeting. Jeffrey
Bennett
CHAPTER 71PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
Section 34. Every city
and town shall annually provide an amount of money sufficient for the support
of the public schools as required by this chapter, provided however, that no
city or town shall be required to provide more money for the support of the
public schools than is appropriated by vote of the legislative body of the city
or town. In acting on appropriations for educational costs, the city or
town appropriating body shall vote on the total amount of the appropriations
requested and shall not allocate appropriations among accounts or place any
restriction on such appropriations. The superintendent of schools in any city
or town may address the local appropriating authority prior to any action on the
school budget as recommended by the school committee notwithstanding his place
of residence. The city or town appropriating body may make nonbinding monetary
recommendations to increase or decrease certain items allocating such
appropriations.
The vote of the legislative body of a city or town shall establish the total appropriation for the support of the public schools, but may not limit the authority of the school committee to determine expenditures within the total appropriation.
The vote of the legislative body of a city or town shall establish the total appropriation for the support of the public schools, but may not limit the authority of the school committee to determine expenditures within the total appropriation.
Bottom line- town meeting votes the NUMBER.
ReplyDeleteSchool committee can spend that NUMBER as they see fit.
End of story!
Vote the lower number! Motion the lower number.
Let the chips fall where they may. Please have the state come in and review the management....kind of like a DOR review for the schools. Good idea!
The following is a quote from The Gormogons:
ReplyDelete"Just a friendly reminder in these tight times when your politicians and school board members come along, hat-in-hand asking for more money for teh childrunz that you can remind them that real per student spending has about tripled and the number of teachers and administrators per student have doubled in our lifetimes and yet the outcomes are the same.
So no, they can't have any more money and perhaps they should do more with less.
The rest of us are, after all."
For the numbers see: The U.S. Dept. of Edjumacations' handy-dandy "Digest of Education Statistics," and NAEP tests, Long Term Trends, 17 yr olds.