From David Spier
Bill Heck’s letter of Dec.18 notes that more than 400 Boston students attend Newton Schools. I am aware this is a tradition in Newton to provide opportunities to inner-city children while contributing to diversity. Newton Public Schools’ FY 2014 Enrollment Analysis Report shows that out-of-district students total 583, including 105 children of non-resident, non-taxpaying faculty.
Newton taxpayers bear significant costs for Boston children and 80-100 percent for other out-of-district students. A 583-student total represents an entire school, such as Bigelow. I understand the School Department makes best efforts to fit students into under-capacity classrooms, however more than 500 students represents a huge cost no matter how carefully allocated.
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Our schools cost too much already, representing nearly two thirds of the annual budget. Costs have grown far faster than taxpayer incomes and other city costs. The most frightening out of control costs are for unfunded, off-budget future employee benefits. Emerging retirement costs are huge, while health benefit costs are monumental. As Mr. Heck states, “Under Setti, debt has grown to $1.16 billion. The greatest factor in this debt bloat is the runaway cost of Newton schools. And, yet, officials act like Newton’s burdensomely-expensive public schools are free to give away.”
It is rational and responsible to reevaluate the scope and cost of out-of-district students. Not only are student counts excessive, but Boston students are 100 percent more likely to need costly Special Education support (clearly Boston Schools are cherry picking students to avoid the cost of special education). The New Year marks an opportunity for Newton government to realign its thinking, respect its taxpayers and rein in the burdensome cost of our schools. Mayor Warren claims to have executed a zero-based budget process, however it is clear this program still needs to be disassembled and - if worthy - rebuilt from the ground up and re-sold to Newton taxpayers.
