Budgeting For Results Committee - March 23, 2009

[Guest sullinss]

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

March 23, 2009

Call to Order

 

The Budgeting For Results Committee of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County and High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana met at Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, on Monday, March 23, 2009. Chair Malcolm Goodrich called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. and led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance. Committee members present were: Joel Guthals, Paige Darden, Deana Elder, Rod Gottula, Jane McCracken, Shanna Henry, Joan Sleeth, Malcolm Goodrich, Ross Johnson, Kelly Donovan, and Bruce McIntyre. Members Don Stanaway, Peter Grass, and Mary Jo Fox were absent. Also present were CFO Thomas Harper, Budget Analyst Becky Zent, Executive Director of Elementary Education Kathy Olson, and Executive Director of Curriculum Gail Surwill.

 

Communication From the Public

 

Amy Griffin, a member of the McKinley Task Force, addressed the Committee with concerns about combining Broadwater and McKinley improvements along with adding Cottonwood on a bond issue. She asked if operating costs for all 23 schools would be identified and talked about before a bond issue would be presented to the public.

 

Chair Goodrich stated under State law we are not allowed to answer questions from the public comment portion of the agenda; but, they will try to incorporate some of these concerns as they go forward.

 

Program/Budget Review

 

Chair Goodrich reviewed his proposed timeline for Program/Budget discussions. The Elementary Education Department will present tonight and at the next meeting on structure, accreditation, mandates, staffing, special education, and At Risk needs. Subsequent meetings will address Adult Education; and, Administration will present non-salary issues. The District will explain their plans to correct deficiencies in the next fiscal year and beyond. This Committee will then make their own observations, and a consensus will be presented to the Board in May as a recommendation for planning and/or budget cuts for the next fiscal year.

 

Elementary Education K-6:

 

Executive Director of Elementary Education Kathy Olson said there is an average of 1000-1300 students per K-6 grade. We also have special class students as follows:

• STAR

 2 classrooms for Students at Risk – 15 students

 15 classrooms for SPED Self Contained – 122 students

• Preschool

 4 classrooms for 45 students (2 at Meadowlark, 1 at Rose Park, 1 at Beartooth)

• Preschool Students off Site

 Headstart & Career Center – 88 students (we pay for teachers & aide)

 

Enrollment counts are actual student body numbers, whether they are half-time or full-time students. Average Number Belonging (ANB) is the average number of regularly enrolled, full-time pupils attending school. ANB is based on a formula applied to enrollment and is then used to calculate funding for the following year.

 

Poverty in Billings is significant based on the number of children that qualify for free and reduced lunch.

10 of the K-6 schools have 37% or more of their student population that qualify for free and reduced lunch.

 

 

 

K-6 Staffing:

381.6 FTE – General Fund – classroom teachers

15.5 FTE – Title II Fund – Class size reduction teachers

40.1 FTE – General Fund – Art, Music, Health teachers (provides negotiated teacher prep time)

18.5 FTE – General Fund – Noon Duty Aides (covers teacher lunch time)

 

Programs such as Early Literacy Intervention, Read 180, Language, Reading Coaches, Students at Risk (STAR), Class Size Reduction Teachers, Math Coaches, Attendance Intervention Specialist, and Homeless Liaison, account for 53.5 FTE funded from different sources (11.75 FTE Gen’l Fund, 11.85 FTE Title I, 20.4 FTE Title II, 8.0 FTE Spec. Ed., 1.5 FTE Other). Specialists that are shared between schools are allowed 20 minutes travel time on each end of the trip plus lunch time.

 

Accreditation standards are one administrator for every 250-550 students. We exceed class size accreditation standards of 1 teacher for 20 students in grades K-2 in 53 classrooms. We do not exceed standards in grades 3-6 (grades 3-4 are 28:1 and grades 5-6 are 30:1). The State puts the District on notice if they exceed accreditation, and there is a potential to lose funding after a period of time.

 

Kathy was asked at what point boundaries would be redrawn if we had an influx of kindergarten students. Kathy stated the problem with redrawing boundaries is you move kids from one overcrowded school to another overcrowded school since most schools currently have space issues. Potential cost savings by clustering grade levels was questioned; and, Kathy said the benefits would be economy of scale, and staff development, etc. The clustering concept was presented about nine years ago in lieu of closing schools; however, it was rejected as many parents objected to having their children in different schools. We no longer have space for grade clustering since we have implemented full-time kindergarten and closed Garfield and Rimrock schools. It was questioned if there was space at the middle schools to house 6th graders; and, if every effort had been expended to save space to keep from building a new school. Kathy said Will James, Castle Rock, and Riverside have no extra space. Lewis & Clark is not a workable solution to house 6th graders due to lack of gym space and music space. Lewis & Clark also houses Bright & Beautiful, Extended Studies, Art, and the ECI office all in one classroom. It was questioned if ECI could be moved to Lincoln. Kathy said ECI was moved out of Lincoln to make space for the High School Academy students. It was questioned if we have declining enrollment, why we need more space. Kathy said we do not have declining enrollment in grades K-6; and, demands for space have increased for more special education students, computers, the impact of full-day kindergarten, and added language and Read 180 programs. Kathy said if you want to save space the only solution is to move the classroom size up to the maximum size of 30 students. The Beartooth School opening did provide some relief in the Heights.

 

Joel and Malcolm assured the Committee that the Board has not made a decision if the District will run a bond issue in November of 2009; they will examine all funding opportunities. Our immediate concern is a $1.3M Elementary General Fund deficit next year, and how the District can address this perpetual problem.

 

It was questioned if any consideration had been given to staggered hours in the school day for grades 7-12. Kathy responded it had not been considered since before Skyview was built, but it could have both positive and negative aspects.

 

Kathy explained we have 17.1 FTE (32 employees) Instructional Para Pros for overcrowded classrooms funded by the Flex Fund. These half-time employees do not receive insurance. Because of the mobility of the students in our District, we assign a Para Pro in K-2 if there are 23 or more students; and in grade 3 if there are 26 or more students; and in 4-6 if 28 or more students. The number of Para Pros is a function of the number of teachers on staff. We still do not meet accreditation standards for staffing. For years Arrowhead and Eagle Cliffs student numbers required additional teachers; but, with no classroom space to add teachers, we utilize Para Pros.

 

It was questioned about the feasibility of specialty, or charter type schools focused on particular topics and if they could be held at Lewis & Clark in lieu of gym or music, for example. Kathy said you can perhaps provide different specialists, but teacher prep time must be provided per negotiated agreement. Kathy believes there may only be 3-4 classrooms available at Lewis & Clark. Every effort was made to place the Reading Tutors that were cut from last year’s budget in an overcrowded aide or special education aide position this year.

 

The accreditation standard is one librarian for every 251-500 students. Five schools are in violation of that standard. Grades 4-6 students receive one hour of library per week; K-3 students receive 30 minutes of library per week. The accreditation standard is one counselor for every 400 students. Seven schools are in violation of that standard. The 17.6 FTE are funded in the Flex Fund; 3 FTE are funded via Title 1 thus allowing all Title 1 schools to have a 1.0 FTE counselor on staff because of the significant needs of the students and families at these schools.

 

Chair Goodrich stated the Elementary presentation would be continued at the next meeting. He asked that the space available at the Lewis & Clark Middle School be determined by that time.

 

Adjournment

 

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Malcolm Goodrich, Chair

 

 

 

 

Sherrill Sullins, Recorder