Preliminary 2012-13 School Budget

Superintendent Landman presented his preliminary 2012-13 (FY13) school budget at the December 20 School Committee meeting. Some highlights are included below. Please note that nothing is final at this point, this is just the beginning of a process. The School Committee will provide feedback to the Superintendent who will then refine the budget before the School Committee votes on a budget to submit to the Town Manager by the February 1 deadline. If you have an opinion, question, comment or concern about any part of the budget you should feel free to contact the School Committee hpsschoolcommittee@hopkinton.k12.ma.us and Superintendent jlandman@hopkinton.k12.ma.us at any time. You may also voice your opinion publicly at the School Budget Public Hearing coming up on January 26.

Thumbs Up:

• Maintains close to level services for 2012-13
• Continues to work toward Strategic Plan goals such as:
• Aligning our math curriculum with Common Core standards
• Intervention Pyramid for struggling students
• 21st Century Learning (such as online classes at the HS)
• Technology Infrastructure Updates, such as replacing teacher laptops that are more than 5 years old
• Critical Language (Mandarin) at the HS
• Exploration of how to add the study of world languages to grade 6 and below
• Create a school bus parking lot in town to save fuel, as well as save on excise tax paid to the other town where our buses currently park.

Thumbs Down:

• $707,268 Decrease in budget offsets from last year such as state circuit breaker special education funding and education job grants
• Increased class sizes in grades K, 1, 4, 6 and 8 (see chart below)
• More high school classes with over 25 students (17% this year vs 20% next year)
• A net cut of 2.6 Staff Members compared to last year (a net cut of 20.4 staff members since the 2006-07 school year)

Proposed Class Sizes:

Mixed Bag:

• Increase student bus fees from $210 to $250 per year
• Increase student athletic fee from $125 to $200 per sport
• Increase student parking fee from $210 to $250 per year
• Assess a daycare drop-off bus fee of $100 per student
• Creation of a “walking zone” and elimination of the bus for Middle School and High School students living close enough to walk to school.

Summary of the Preliminary 2012-13 Budget:
$32,957,722 This Year’s Approved Budget 2011-12
+$1,518,755 Fixed Cost Payroll Increases (contractual obligations)
+$62,401 Other Fixed Cost Increases
___________
$34,538,878 Level Services 2012-13 Budget
+$285,425 Strategic Initiatives
+$71,000 Extraordinary Maintenance
-$69,342 Cost Cutting Measures
-$208,368 New Revenue (Fees)
-$359,608 Net Staff Positions Cut
_________
$34,260,733 Total Preliminary 2012-13 Budget

Recent Articles:
Hopkinton Crier: 2013 Hopkinton school budget proposed
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/mobiletopstories/x2140451562/2013-Hopkinton-school-budget-proposed

HopkintonPatch: 5 Preliminary Budget Recommendations
By Sean O’Donnell
http://hopkinton.patch.com/articles/5-preliminary-budget-recommendations-for-hopkinton-schools-in-fy-13

Hopkinton Crier: Hopkinton may revive high school laptop plan
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/news/x987651427/Hopkinton-may-revive-high-school-laptop-plan

Hopkinton Crier: Hopkinton school budget meeting is Jan. 5
By Michael Morton/Daily News staff
http://www.wickedlocal.com/hopkinton/mobiletopstories/x1895997901/Hopkinton-school-budget-meeting-is-Jan-5