Pittsfield Public Schools

FY 25 Budget Workshop 1

February 28, 2024 Reid Middle School

Participant Feedback Form

Participant Note Catcher

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Calendar

Tonight is the beginning of a collaborative conversation related to the FY25 budget highlighting a few cost areas.

A detailed budget overview will occur on March 13, 2024.

Everyone should have three handouts.

Our evening will focus on some of the spending areas that support three of our core values.

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Excellence in Teaching

Sense of Belonging

Academic Excellence

Agenda

Welcome

Whole Group - 45 minutes (5:30-6:15p.m.)

Chapter 70 & ESSER Overview

Enrollment Projections and Class Size Guidelines

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Small Group Conversations - 30 minutes each (6:15 - 7:45 p.m.)

Supporting Tier 1 Instruction - conference room

Supporting Student Engagement & A Sense of Belonging - library

Supporting Academic Excellence - Media Arts Room (library hallway right)

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Whole Group Feedback - 15 minutes (7:45-8:00 p.m.)

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FY25 Chapter 70 Aid

Implementation of the Student Opportunity Act

Chapter 70: State Funding for Education

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• Student Opportunity Act & FY25 H.2 proposal (Governor’s budget)
• State budget process
• Pittsfield enrollment changes
• Review of Chapter 70 formula components
• Pittsfield’s Ch. 70 aid based on H.2

Governor’s Budget Proposal

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H.2 increases Ch. 70 aid by $263M (4%) over FY24

(FY24 H.1 proposal was $568M, a 9.8% increase)

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Based on: The Student Opportunity Act

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Student Opportunity Act

Established new, higher foundation budget rates in 5 areas that will be phased-in over a 7 year period. H.2 includes rate changes above inflation toward the goal rates in these 5 areas and closes an additional 1/6th of the gap.

• Benefits and fixed charges
• Guidance and psychological services
• Special education out of district tuition
• English learners
• Low income students

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House 2

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Inflation rates

• 5.03% inflation rate for employee benefits (based on 3-year average premium increase for GIC plans)
• 1.35% inflation increase for all other foundation rates (FY24 was $4.5%)

Minimum Aid

• Sets $30 minimum aid per pupil

Assumed in-district special education enrollment

• Closes another 1/6th of the gap in moving from 4.75% to 5% for vocational students and 3.75% to 4% for non-vocational students

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State Budget Process

Governor released House 2 on January 24, 2024

House Ways and Means budget released mid-April

House final usually late April

Senate Ways and Means budget released May

Senate final usually mid to late May

Conference Committee meets to resolve differences between House and Senate bills

Final budget to the Governor for signature and line item veto process (late June)

House and Senate votes to override vetoes (July and August)

FY25: Pittsfield Enrollment Changes

• Statewide foundation enrollment increased by 225 students or 0.02%
• Enrollment decreased for 165 districts, and increased in 148 districts
• Pittsfield’s foundation enrollment decreased by 19 students (0.34%)

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FY25: Pittsfield Enrollment Changes

• English Learners foundation enrollment increased by 63 students
• Low-income student count decreased by 90 students
• Districts with higher concentrations of low income students benefit from higher rates
• Pittsfield moved from the 11th tier in FY24 back to the 10th tier in FY25 (out of a total of 12 tiers)

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There are three primary steps in determining each district’s Chapter 70 aid

Chapter 70

Key factors in school funding formula

Foundation Budget

• Enrollment
• Wage Adjustment Factor
• Inflation

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Local Contribution

• Property value
• Income
• Municipal Revenue Growth Factor

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These six factors work together to determine a district’s Chapter 70 aid.

Districts receive different levels of Chapter 70 aid, because their community’s ability to pay differs

Each district's foundation budget is calculated by multiplying the number of pupils in 13 enrollment categories by cost rates in 11 functional areas

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House 2 Rates

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Difference between group 10 and group 11 is $675.28 per pupil

Covid Relief Funding Sequencing FY20 to FY24

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ESSER-III

Literacy Coaches @ 5 Elementary Schools

SEL Interventionist Teacher Pilot @ Conte

Emergency and Safety Coordinator @ District

Dean of Students @ PHS

Teacher of Deportment (3) @ THS

Additional Content Teachers (5) @ THS

Family Engagement and Attendance Coordinators @ MCS, CCS, CES

School Adjustment Counselors 8.0 FTE

Social Emotional Learning Coordinator

Teachers of Deportment (2) @ Reid

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ESSER-III

Paraprofessionals (2) @ Allendale

Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning at Egremont

Teachers (2) & Paraprofessional @ Stearns

Computer Technician @ District

Special Education Instruction and Accountability Coordinator @ District

Early Childhood Coordinator @ District

Dean of Students @ Allendale

Dean of Students @ Herberg

Main Office Secretary @ District

Additional Math Teacher for Multilingual Learner Support @ PHS

Academic Interventionist @ Allendale

Total FTEs: 44

FY25 Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections - Class Size Guidelines

Enrollment Projections

Possible reduction in parenthesis

new class size if reduction takes place

Registration is now occurring.

Potential available seats for new or transferring students according to class size guidelines

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Enrollment Projections

Small Group Discussions

Supporting Student Engagement &

A Sense of Belonging (1)

library

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Supporting Tier 1 Instruction (2)

conference room

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Supporting Academic Excellence (3)

Media Arts Room (library hallway right)

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ROTATE CLOCKWISE

Supporting

Tier 1 Instruction

Deputy Superintendent Mendonsa

Director Stokes

Director Brites

Supports for Our Educators

Assistant Principals of Teaching and Learning

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Instructional Coaches

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Role of Coaches vs APTLs

Rise and Reset Rooms

Calming Corners

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Reset Room

The Reset Room is a classroom designed to provide immediate support and assistance to students who will benefit from a temporary period of time to regain their composure, “reset”, and return to their learning environment.

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The primary purpose of the Reset Room is to provide consistent treatment and support to students when they are experiencing emotional and/or behavioral difficulties---when students engage in unskillful, inappropriate, or unacceptable behaviors.

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Reset Room

What happens in this space?

The Reset Room team will implement a structured approach to help students regain composure, process their behaviors, and plan for re-entry to class.

In addition, the team will ensure that effective communication takes place to keep everyone up to date and informed about student needs and re-entry plans.

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RISE ROOM

Restorative In-School Education Room

The RISE Room provides structure and intervention when chronic unwanted behaviors or high-impact incidents prompt assignment of students to an alternative learning setting for an extended period of time from .5 days to three days

The RISE Room is a place of consequence for students who are being held accountable for misbehavior and a place of restoration for students to learn more skillful and appropriate behaviors while in the classroom and in public spaces

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Primary Purpose of the RISE Room

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The primary purpose of the RISE Room is to begin to remediate behavioral concerns by engaging students in pro-social activities and restorative interventions to support the student’s self-awareness, self-management, and social and academic efficacy.

The goal is to assist students in restoring relationships with other students and/or staff through constructive actions. In addition, students will complete academic assignments to promote academic efficacy and ensure that the student does not fall behind.

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Calming Corners

Definition: a designated area within a classroom that students have been taught to use as a peaceful and safe space to regulate their emotions and return to a “ready to learn” state.

Objectives

• promote self awareness and self regulation skills.
• ensure students can have access to self regulation and coping strategies without having to leave the learning environment.
• foster student’s sense of autonomy and agency within the classroom.

94 Classrooms - Conte, Crosby, Morningside

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Staffing Structures

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Staffing Structures

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Do Smaller Class Sizes Make a Difference?

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PPS Class Sizes

PPS Contract Provides the following guidance:

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Current PPS Average Class Sizes:

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*Based on updated enrollment projections 1/2024

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PPS Class Sizes

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Current PPS Average Class Sizes:

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*Based on Oct 1 enrollment report

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PPS Class Sizes

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Current PPS Average Class Sizes:

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*Based on Oct 1 enrollment report

Financial Impact - Supporting Tier 1 Instruction

Preserving Educator Instructional Support Staffing

(Local & ESSER Funding)

Assistant Principals of Teaching and Learning $919,540

Elementary Literacy Coaches $776,540

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Preserving Rise, Reset, and Calming Corners Staffing

(Local Funding)

RISE and Reset Teachers (10 MS/HS) $650,000

Teachers of Deportment (1 HS; 4 ES) $325,000

RISE and Reset Paraprofessionals (3 MS/HS), SSPs (Elementary)(7) $300,000

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Adjusting Class Size to Current Guidelines

25 teachers - $1,625,000

Supporting Student Engagement &

A Sense of Belonging

Director Nichols

Superintendent Curtis

Social Emotional Learning and Student Support

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BIMAS-2: Social Emotional Behavioral Screener

Fall 2023 All Students: SEL Core Competencies

[Stakeholder] Survey Results

SEL Competencies and Wellbeing (3-5)

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[Stakeholder] Survey Results

SEL Competencies and Wellbeing (6-12)

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Social Awareness (3-5)

Panorama - 64% of students in grades 3-5 report positive social awareness skills

BIMAS-2 - Teachers report 68% of students in grades 3-5 have positive social awareness skills

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Social Awareness (6-12)

Panorama - 52% of students in grades 6-12 report positive social awareness skills

BIMAS-2 - Teachers report 60% of students in grades 6-12 have positive social awareness skills

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[Stakeholder] Survey Results

SEL Competencies and Wellbeing (3-5)

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[Stakeholder] Survey Results

SEL Competencies and Wellbeing (6-12)

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School Adjustment Counselors (25)

September 2023 - January 2024

• 6174 individual sessions with students
• 1467 small group intervention sessions
• 489 parent meetings
• 116 home assessments (for special education evals)
• 180 risk assessments
• 416 crisis interventions
• 148 FBAs
• 242 Behavior Intervention Plans
• 1405 consultations to school personnel
• 908 parent contacts
• 456 agency contacts

~30% of services are provided by ESSER funded SACs

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School Psychologists (8)

September 2023 - January 2024

• 286 building assistance meetings (student support)
• 318 special education evaluations
• 35 functional behavioral assessments
• 5 risk assessments
• 27 professional development sessions provided

Support staff and school teams with trainings on topics such as de-escalation, positive behavior support, engagement (40+ sessions so far for 23/24)

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Tier 1 Engagement

Supports school teams and SEL Leads in implementation and evaluation (6+ sessions)

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Tier 1 SEL Curriculum

Support planning and implementing surveys and focus groups, data analysis and school/district planning support

Surveys & Focus Groups

Lead schools teams in implementation, data review and follow up planning using data

Universal Screening

Supports Director of SEL with support consulting, coaching and evaluation of 32 staff

Staff

SEL Coordinator

$95,000/218 days

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Re-engaging In School and Reducing Chronic Absenteeism

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Chronic Absenteeism Rates

Loss of Instructional Time

Ten (10) half-days of in-service training shall be provided to members of the bargaining unit during the school year. The content of eight (8) of these half-days shall be District driven, and two (2) of the half-days shall be teacher driven . The type of professional

development (i.e., District driven or teacher driven) will be included in the school calendar commencing with the 2013-2014 school year. A Professional Development Committee, chaired by the Deputy Superintendent, shall be convened quarterly and will include the following: members selected by the UEP, members of the curriculum department, members of the technology department, school principals, the Director of Special Education ( or designee ), and members of the PEAA.

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180 school days required

900 hours required for elementary school

990 hours required for secondary schools

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Chronic Absenteeism

MA DESE Structured Learning Time Requirements

Current UEP Contract Language

Requiring Educator Professional Development

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Chronic Absenteeism

23-24 Average Daily Attendance Rate

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Chronic Absenteeism

23-24 Half Days of School

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Chronic Absenteeism

22-23 Half Days of School

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Chronic Absenteeism

What are schools doing?

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Chronic Absenteeism

Costs for Eliminating Eight Half Days of School

To eliminate 8 half days of School

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• Add 4 full days to the UEP work year

$1,000,000

• Add 8 half days to the paraprofessional work year

$160,000

$1,160,000

Financial Impact

Supporting Student Engagement & A Sense of Belonging

Student Support Staffing $2,970,000

(SAC’s & school psychologists)

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Social Emotional Learning Staffing $95,000

(Social Emotional Learning Coordinator)

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Reducing Chronic Absenteeism Costs $1,160,000

$4,225,000

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Supporting Academic Excellence

Assistant Superintendent Gage

Director Rush

College & Career Readiness

Elementary

• Career Awareness - MorningSide Community School Pilot

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Middle School

• Career Exploration - StemMatch, Career Fairs, 8th grade tours

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High School

• Career Immersion - Pathways, Internships, Co-OP

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College and Career Readiness

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Career Development Grades K -12

“in 2023, 47 states implemented 115 policies impacting career and technical education, with a focus on K-12 schools”, according to a report by Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education. The report is entitled “State Policies Impacting CTE: Year in Review”

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College and Career Readiness

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MyCap

MyCAP is a student-directed process of self-discovery and college and career planning that leads to a unique personalized path towards post-secondary success. As an instrument, MyCAP captures the learning and documents the achievements of the learning objectives at each grade level.

Innovative Pathways

Innovation Pathways are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

Chapter 74, Career Technical Education (CTE)

In Massachusetts, state-approved vocational technical programs are known as “Chapter 74 programs.” Chapter 74 of the Massachusetts General Laws establishes the rules under which vocational technical education is run in Massachusetts. This state law is furthered defined by Vocational Technical Regulations (603 CMR 4.00) adopted by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Portrait of a Graduate

Portrait of a Graduate is developed with the community to identify the skills, dispositions, and competencies students need for success in this rapidly changing, complex world.

Career Technical Initiative (CTI)

The Career Technical Institutes upskills unemployed or underemployed jobseekers while supporting them on their path to upward mobility. By enrolling in training programs in construction trades and manufacturing, participants learn the skills needed for entry-level positions in fields that have high earning potential.

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State and Local Initiatives

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College and Career Readiness

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Pathways at Pittsfield and Taconic High School

Berkshire Blueprint

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College and Career Readiness

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FY 25 Career Budget Requests

Careers Budget Data

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Taconic High School

Environmental Science Teacher

Video & Performing Arts Teacher

CTE Paraprofessional

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Pittsfield High School

Innovative Pathways Business Teacher

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FY25 Career Budget Requests Pittsfield and Taconic High School

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College and Career Readiness

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Increased Rigor and Support; Community Partners & Stakeholders

• Grants
• Donations
• MOU’s
• Articulation Agreements
• Program Advisory
• PD

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College and Career Readiness

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Positive Post-Secondary Transitions

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College and Career Readiness

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• At least one articulation agreement with 2 and 4 year colleges, tech schools, apprenticeship program for every program
• At least two earned Industry Recognized Credentials (IRC’s) for every program
• Increased Post-Secondary Options

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Future Ready

Supporting Multilingual Learners

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Multilingual Learners

Welcoming New Students Over the Years

2016

2024

*Graph data is based on student information provided to DESE by Oct. 1. PPS currently has 470 ML students enrolled.

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Multilingual Learners

Students in Each School

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Multilingual Learners

Approved in 2022 - 2023 School Year

• National Geo Inside (Middle School)
• High School Teachers still considering
• ELLI (High School)
• Hands-on English
• Carousel of Ideas
• Frames for Fluency
• Imagine Learning (This is for the core class)

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Research and Evidence Based Curriculum

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Multilingual Learners

Administrators:

• PPS Team attending DESE sessions on supporting MLLs in STEM
• Shared with educators and principals
• Workshops with Berkshire Immigration Center

Multilingual Learner Teachers:

• School Counselors, MLL Teachers Migrant Training workshop
• MLL Teacher Workshops the morning of every half-day (10 sessions!)

Classroom Teachers

• Strategies to support MLLs at New Educator Orientation & Induction
• DLT visits to schools/Data Review
• Science of Reading Boot Camps & After School Offerings
• Elementary Specialist Workshop

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Professional Development

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Multilingual Learners

NEW 2022-2024

• Identification in Power School
• ELL
• HLNE
• ACCESS Testing
• Tested more students
• Tested all students
• Did not test students who exited
• Afghan Grant
• English Classes for Parents
• Books and “Magic” Pens for Home & School
• Hancock Shaker Village Family Trip/Student Field Trip with DTL
• Immigrant Liaison
• Provides supplemental resources to local school districts to provide enhanced instructional opportunities for immigrant children and youth

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Systems

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Multilingual Learners

NEW 2022-2024

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• First MFAC (ELPAC) Meeting ever!
• Link to the first meeting!
• Link to all meetings to date (PPS Sponsored)

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Systems Part 2

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Multilingual Learners

• (GOAL) Family Engagement Coordinator (FY25 Title III)
• Allow Immigrant Coordinator (3-year grant) to focus on instruction
• High School Teacher’s to Pilot a Curriculum
• Attend Professional Development around it
• Applying for two additional grants
• Afghan Grant (year 2)
• (GOAL) Immigrant Children and Youth Grant
• …provides supplemental resources to local school districts to provide enhanced instructional opportunities for immigrant children and youth
• (GOAL) Additional three MLL teachers in FY25 budget to support growing population

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3 additional educators

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More to Come

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Multilingual Learners

Allendale - .5 FTE (shared with Stearns)

Capeless - 10 hour tutor

Conte - 2.0 FTE

Crosby - 2.0 FTE

Egremont - 1.0 FTE

Morningside - 2.0 FTE

Stearns - .5 FTE (shared with Allendale)

Williams - 1.0 FTE

Herberg - 1.5 FTE (.5 FTE shared with Reid)

Reid - 1.5 FTE (.5 FTE shared with Herberg)

Pittsfield High School - 1.5 FTE

Taconic High School - 1.0 FTE

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Current Staffing

Early Childhood

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Pending: PreK Partnership Grant Management

Financial Impact - Supporting Academic Excellence

Continuing to Build Our College and Career Programming

• Environmental Science Teacher $70,000
• Video & Performing Arts Teacher $70,000
• CTE Paraprofessional $35,000
• Pittsfield High School Business Teacher $70,000

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Responding to our Multilingual Learners’ Needs

• 3 additional teachers @ $65,000 $195,000
• MLL Family Engagement Coordinator - $50,000 plus benefits
• Title III Grant Funded

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Continuing to Build a Robust Early Childhood Program

• Early Childhood Coordinator $87,000

$527,000

Thank You!

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