Fiscal Year 2011 School Budget Information

In an effort to make information available to the public about the ongoing Northampton Public School budget discussions, we will post information on the website. The first document is the draft level service budget – this represents what the Northampton Public Schools would need to maintain the same level of services in our schools today. The level service budget includes all the staff that are in the schools today, and all supplies and services currently budgeted for in the current year. This level service budget only includes one new position that is not currently in the schools today – The Director of Academic Effectiveness. Other than that one position, the budget reflects simply the calculation of what it would cost next year to keep what we have today.

The level service budget for Northampton Public Schools in FY2011 would need to grow by 2.62% or approximately $719,504 to maintain level services. The assumptions and parameters for the draft Level Service Budget are as follows:

  • a 185 day school year rather than the 183 days budgeted for in FY10 – cost to add back approx. $150,000
  • no 2 or 3 day furloughs that unions agreed to take last year – cost to add this back was approx. $40,000
  • step increases for unions and all known lane changes for teachers
  • no cost of living increases
  • no increases for non-represented employees
  • no increases for Supt., Bus. Mgr, Principals and other non-represented administrators
  • SPED administrative reorganization proposal by Supt.
  • Position of Director of Academic Effectiveness
  • All known retirements – 12 – estimated savings approx. $178,000
  • Anticipated increase in SPED out of district costs approx. $344,000
  • Increased Circuit Breaker funding approx. $305,742
  • Increase in School Choice funds $75,858
  • Eliminates the traveling nurse and health dept. secretary that were laid off in January due to grant reductions
  • Includes all new staff added since the beginning of the school year – teacher at Jackson Street and four ESP’s
  • Increases in ELL staff and SPED line items in response to SPED Coordinated Program Review
  • Decreases utility costs by approx. $173,000 due to new rates for electricity and natural gas
  • Assumes level funding in the appropriation from the city

  • The current budget gap for FY11 is $764,661 which is $45,157 more than what we need for level services. That is because we also have to make up for additional revenue losses in grants and other funds. The Superintendent has made a proposal to balance the budget and that is included on the website. Also on the website is the power point presentation from the April 28th, 2010 School Committee meeting and the power point presentation from the Transportation Forum held March 15, 2010.

    The line item budget on the website is organized by location in the school department. You will be able to view all schools and see the list of positions funded at each school, and the operations and maintenance costs for all schools. In addition to a line item budget for each school – Bridge, Ryan, Leeds, Jackson, JFK Middle and NHS – there are also budgets for Central Office, Special Education, and the District-wide account where all district-wide special education programs are funded. There are also budgets for Florence Community Center and the Fieker School budget, which, while they are included in our budget they have no impact on any aspect of our public school funding and expenses.

    Please feel free to email questions regarding the budget document to the Business Manager, Susan Wright, at swright@northampton-k12.us

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    Northampton School Department
    212 Main Street - Northampton, MA 01060
    (413) 587-1331 ph. - (413) 587-1318 fax