Milford Schools Superintendent Budget Request Makes Recent History

By Brian McCready, Milford Patch Editor

Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Feser is about to make recent history.

Feser officially pitched the Board of Education Monday night a $91.78 million school budget for fiscal 2016-17, which increases spending by $776,312 or 0.853 percent over the current budget.

The recently history part is, this represents the lowest increase sought by a Milford school superintendent in at least 12 years.

Feser said one of the reasons she is able to produce such a minimal budget increase is because the Board of Education and Board of Aldermen have so consistently funded previous education budgets, especially last year when $2 million was needed to reconfigure the elementary school system this year. The school system went from a K-2, 3-5 configuration to a K-5 setup this school year.

Feser said because past budgets were funded by the city it allowed the schools to upgrade its curriculum, technology, and add programs and increase professional development opportunities.

“The budget being brought before you is about sustaining the work and programs of the last four years while seeking to continuously improve in how we service students and keep them safe,” Feser said.

“We took much care to meet the learning needs of students, enabling ongoing professional development, keeping our schools safe, and meeting other financial obligations, while at the same time, seeking to reduce costs and honoring the support that has been provided to the school system by the Board and the city over the last four years. We wish to continue to strengthen the Milford Public Schools as measured by the quality of its educational program and student performance,” Feser said.

The Details

Feser is seeking to add a new half-day Pre-K program at Pumpkin Delight School including adding 1 teacher and 2 paraprofessionals. The program would target students who need additional literacy and numeracy support. There would be no impact on the budget, the superintendent said.

A computer science pathway program for the middle and high schools would be added because that is where numerous jobs are available. At the middle school level a robotics or coding program would be offered next year.

A language lab is proposed for East Shore Middle School costing $36,500 next year.

Security

Feser is seeking an additional $40,000 to add another School Resource Officer position in the schools. The city would have to agree to fund the other $40,000 for the position.

Currently, there is one SRO at each of the two high schools, and one SRO at West Shore Middle School, and one SRO is shared between Harborside and East Shore middle schools. The plan would be to ensure each of the middle schools has its own SRO position.

Feser said in future years, she’d like to add one SRO position to rotate between the district’s elementary schools.

Adding More Busing Next Year

The Board of Education voted to reduce the requirements for students who want to take the bus next year at the high and middle school levels. Currently you need to live within two miles of a high school in order to be eligible for busing, but that drops to 1.5 miles next year, and at the middle school the minimum requirement drops from 1.5 to 1 mile. There is no change at the elementary school level.

The change has resulted in an additional $280,000 needed for busing costs next year.

Savings

Last year the Board of Education had to spend $429,500 on one-time reconfiguration costs and officials vowed then to repay the city for funding those expenditures. Feser said the schools are keeping their word in this budget proposal.

Additionally, as enrollment continues to decline it’s allowing the school system to reduce staff through retirement and attrition. No layoffs are planned. School officials are planning on reducing 9.4 full time equivalent teaching positions next year saving $587,500.

Enrollment is currently 6,125 students and it’s decreasing next year to 6,083 pupils according to enrollment projections.

Feser said enrolment is especially going to decrease at the middle and high school level.

The Next Steps

The Board of Education must still approve Feser’s budget followed by the Board of Finance and then the Board of Aldermen in May.