Budget Revision Discussion

March 8, 2024

​

FY2025 Proposed Expense Budget

Failed X

30 vs 2

30 school districts budgets failed

Last year only 2 school districts failed

​

What if a budget does not pass?

$39,517,350

87% of FY2024 current operating budget

16 VSA 566

$45,422,241

Devastating Impact

$5,904,891

$11,327,353

22.3% cut of $50,844,703

13% reduction of current FY 24 budget-almost the size of Crossett Brook’s operating budget

Proposed Expense Budget by Percentage Category

70.05% Salaries & Benefits

9.45% Other Purchased Services

7.14% Purchased Tech/Prof Srvs

4.47% Supplies

3.02% Transfer to Maintenance

2.30% Purchased Srvs-Property

1.38% Debt Services

1.31% Property/Equipment

0.65% Transfer to Food Service

0.16% Dues & Other

​

​

Those highlighted in yellow represent fixed expenses in the current footprint. Less 9.6% of expenses are consumable costs.

X

FY2025 Proposed Budget

$.09 Discounted Rate

$9,775- Yield

​

Summary View of Discounted Tax Rate Scenarios

Using $9,775 Yield

Yet Another Preliminary Yield

Newest very preliminary Yield $10,000

​

• When Yield goes up it is beneficial
• Yield is set by the Legislature late Spring

Summary View of Discounted Tax Rate Scenarios

Using $10,000 Yield

Our Students Suffer

​

Adequate funding ensures access to qualified teachers, stable learning environments, educational resources, and other support services.

​

Impacting Student Outcomes

Impacts of underfunded schools:

• Understaffing affects the quality of students’ experiences at school and their ability to access additional support when needed
• Lower quality of education for students, often focusing on core courses and fewer opportunities such as advances courses, electives, and educational resources
• Studies have shown spending cuts resulted in lower achievements for students
• Lack of diverse education and extracurricular opportunities can lead to decreased student engagement and motivation
• Research has shown that increased class sizes, particularly in early grades, have found to negatively affect student achievement (NEA) & (NCTQ)

Impacts of Budget Cuts

• Teacher/Support Staff Morale-directly affecting quality of instruction
• Teacher Retention & Attrition-teachers resigning to take jobs elsewhere
• Shortage of experienced educators
• Reduced Support Services- such as counseling and intervention, impacts student well being and academic support
• Reduced investment in educational materials and technology, negatively impact student outcomes
• Programmatic cuts limits the breadth and depth of student education by narrowing the curriculum
• Reduction in extracurricular activities impact student development and college applications

​

Rejected Budgets: What is required?

​

​

• 17 V.S.A. § 2680. Australian Ballot System; General�(2) If a budget voted on by Australian ballot is rejected, the legislative body shall prepare a revised budget.
• (A) The legislative body shall establish a date for the vote on the revised budget and shall take appropriate steps to warn a public informational meeting on the budget and the vote. The date of the public informational meeting shall be at least five days following the public notice. The date of the vote shall be at least seven days following the public notice.
• (B) The vote on the revised budget shall be by Australian ballot and shall take place in the same locations that the first vote was taken; provided, however, that if that polling place is unavailable, the vote may be held at a different location, with notice posted of the meeting location at the original location.
• (C) The budget shall be established if a majority of all votes cast are in favor. If the revised budget is rejected, the legislative body shall repeat the procedure in this subsection until a budget is adopted.
• ​

​

View of Other Districts-Pass or Fail?

MMUUSD Vote is 4/2/24

Vermont Education: What is required?

• Vermont Education Quality Standards

​

2120.5. Curriculum Content

a. literacy (including critical thinking, language, reading, speaking and listening, and writing);

b. mathematical content and practices (including numbers, operations, and the concepts of algebra and geometry by the end of grade 10);

c. scientific inquiry and content knowledge (including the concepts of life sciences, physical sciences, earth and space sciences and engineering design);

d. global citizenship (including the concepts of civics, economics, geography, world language, cultural studies and history);

e. physical education and health education as defined in 16 V.S.A. §131;

f. artistic expression (including visual, media and performing arts); and

g. transferable skills (including communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, inquiry, problem solving and the use of technology).

Vermont Education: What is required?

• Vermont Education Quality Standards

​

Each school shall provide students in grades K-8 with at least two physical education classes per week. Each school shall provide students in grades 9-12 with one and one-half years of physical education or the equivalent thereof.

Each school shall offer options for students in grades K-12 to participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity within or outside of the school day. Physical activity may include recess and movement built into the curriculum, but does not replace physical education classes.

Each school shall provide appropriate learning opportunities to all students to support their attainment of the standards approved by the State Board of Education. As required in 16 V.S.A. §2902, each public school shall provide support for students who require additional assistance in order to succeed or be challenged in the general education environment.

Each school shall provide comprehensive elementary and secondary health and physical education learning experiences, including the effects of tobacco, alcohol and drugs on the human system for all students in accordance with sections 16 V.S.A. §131 and §906(b)(3).

Each school shall ensure students are able to access academic and experiential learning opportunities that reflect their emerging abilities, interests and aspirations, as outlined in the students' Personalized Learning Plans

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• Miscellaneous

​

• 16 V.S.A. § 1045. Driver training course�(a) A driver education and training course, approved by the Agency of Education and the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall be made available to students whose parent or guardian is a resident of Vermont and who have reached their 15th birthday and who are regularly enrolled in a public or independent high school approved by the State Board.

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• A Federal Example

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• Vermont’s System for supporting students

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• HUUSD - HUEA Contract

​

11.7 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS: Preparation Time and Non-Teaching Duties

Each teacher will have at least the following amount of time per week for preparation:

Full-Day Program Preschool and Kindergarten: Four (4) hours per week

Grades 1-6: Four (4) hours per week

​

11.8 CROSSETT BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL: Teaching Time, Preparation Time and Non-Teaching Duties

Except by mutual agreement, teachers may be assigned to teach classes within their certified

endorsement(s) for no more than 1,350 minutes per week (an average of 270 minutes per day) of

student instructional day time, which shall be calculated from the beginning of the class to the beginning

of the following class (or lunch period or school dismissal if applicable). A teacher will not have an

excessive number of preparations, as adjudged by the Building Administrator.

​

11.9 HARWOOD UNION SCHOOL Teaching Time, Preparation Time and Non-Teaching Duties

Except by mutual agreement, teachers may be assigned to teach classes within their certified

endorsement(s), or to conduct TA and/or supervise for no more than 1,280 minutes per week (an

average of 256 minutes per day). A teacher will not have an excessive number of preparations, as

adjudged by the Building Administrator in consultation with the Department Head, if applicable.

​

​

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• State Board Rule 2121.2. Staff

​

​

School boards must establish optimum class size policies as consistent with statutory guidance from the Agency of Education. Class size must comply with state and federal safety requirements.

​

HUUSD G14-P Class-Size Procedures

​

Model Class Size Chart (Minimum, Optimal and Maximum)

Minimum Average per Optimal Average State Board Maximum

Grade Cluster Instructional Area Grade Cluster Range per Grade Average per Grade

Cluster Cluster per SBE Rule 2120.8.2

K-2 All 14 14-18 20

3-4 All 14 14-18 20

5-6 All 14 14-20 25

7-8 All (except PE) 14 14-22 25

7-8 PE 14 14-22 30

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• HUUSD - HUEA Contract

​

​

8.2. Association Notification — In the event that a reduction in force is deemed necessary by the Board, the Association shall be notified of any proposed staff reduction as early as possible, but in no event later than March 15. The Board will provide, at the request of the Association, an opportunity to meet with the Board and discuss the need for a reduction in staff. The request to meet must be made by the Association within ten (10) school days following receipt of notice of the contemplated RIF action from the Board. If a timely request to meet is made, the opportunity to meet will be provided prior to any final decision by the Board on staff reduction. Such notification will be in writing and will include the specific positions under consideration.

​

8.3. Teacher Notification — Any teacher who is to be laid off will be notified in writing no later than April 1. Such notification will include the effective date of layoff. Layoff of a teacher will only be issued after a meeting between the teacher involved and the Building Administrator, at which time the teacher will be notified in writing of the reason(s) for the layoff. The teacher may, at his or her option, have a representative of the Association present at such meeting.

​

​

​

Vermont Education: What is required?

• HUUSD - HUEA Contract

​

​

​

8.4. Attrition, Turnover, Transfer — No teacher will be laid off under the provisions of this Article if the

reduction can be accomplished through staff turnover, attrition, transfer or reassignment within the

building or within the District. The Building Administrator(s), in consultation with the teachers involved,

shall make reassignments within or between grade levels or the areas to be reduced according to the

teacher’s licensure and qualification by education or experience.

​

HUUSD: Examples of Special Programming

​

​

• HCLC (Harwood Community Learning Center)
• Athletics
• Co-Curricular Activities (ex. Fall plays, spring musicals, etc)
• Classroom technology
• Central Vermont Career Center Tuition
• Harwood Farm to School Program (used 23% of food budget to buy local)
• Student Transportation (not state-mandated for most students in Vermont. 16 V.S.A. § 1222)
• Student Field Trips
• Outdoor Education
• Extended learning opportunities in the summer

​

​

​

Vermont Education: Who supports our students?

​

• Classroom Teachers
• School Counselors
• School Nurses
• Art Teachers
• World Language Teachers
• Music Teachers
• The Superintendent
• Other central office staff

(ex. accountant, payroll, human resources,

special ed director, curriculum director,

MTSS director, finance director)

​

​

• PE teachers
• Principals
• Instructional Assistants
• Food Service Workers/Chefs
• Maintenance/Custodial Staff
• Student Support Specialists
• Information Technology specialists
• Intervention/Special Ed Teachers
• Librarians
• Administrative Assistants

​

​

Next Steps?

​

1. When do you want to go out for a second vote?

• Option 1 Approve a budget March 13^th Board meeting for a vote on April 12^th or after
• Need to know Boards percent change or target
• Option 2 Approve a budget March 27^th Board meeting for a vote on April 29^th or after
• Option 3 Approve a budget April 10^th Board meeting for a vote on May 10^th or after
• Option 4 Special Meeting at any time with a targeted vote date

*Clerks are not available April 20-27, April 29, May 15-24

2. What analysis/information can we provide for March 13?

​

​

30+ days are needed to rewarn budgets