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Brockton, Massachusetts Brockton School Committee Finance Subcommittee Meeting Tuesday, June 4, 2024 |
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Agenda
Item 1 Call to Order
Item 3 Establish Quorum
Item 2 Pledge of Allegiance 1:06 |
A meeting of the Brockton School Committee (SC) Finance Subcommittee was held this evening in the George M. Romm Little Theatre of Brockton High School, 470 Forest Avenue, at 5p. These minutes contain a summary of the meeting and lists items (Agenda Attached) that were under discussion. Vice-chair Tony Rodrigues opened the meeting at 5:05p. The Vice-chair read the following information aloud: This meeting will be held and be accessible to the public via Comcast channel 8 and 1071HD Version, and online via this link: www.youtube.com/TheBrocktonChannels Brockton School Committee Finance Subcommittee Meeting 6-4-24 - YouTube Roll Call was taken to establish a quorum.
All stood to salute the American Flag. Also Present: Dr. Cobbs, Acting Superintendent of Schools, Mr. TJ Plante, Open Architects, City CFO Troy Clarkson, Patricia Boyer, Interim School Business Administrator, Mr. Dan Vigeant, Senior Director of Technology, Dr. Karen Spaulding, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, PK-5, Dr. Michele Conners, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning, 6-12, Dr. James LaBillois, Assistant Superintendent of Unified Student Services, Ms. Márcia Andrade Serpa, Director, Parent Information/School Registration Center, Ms. Kellie Jones, Director of Bilingual Services, Ms. Jami Langley, Associate Director of Exceptional Learning, Ms. Jennifer Perez-Siciliano, Transportation Director, Mr. Kevin Bresnahan, SC Attorney *Mayor Sullivan is an ex officio/non-voting member of subcommittees **Mr. Vega arrived at 5:10p. |
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Item 4 FY 2024 Budget Update
2:50
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TJ Plante shared his screen (Zoom) and gave an update on the FY24 End of Year projections. His screen illustrated the FY24 January Projected Budget and the FY25 May Projections. Mr. Plante explained that the May projection included previously unfilled School Department (SD) positions. In his presentation (Excel Spreadsheet) had a Notes column that explained changes and/or addition from the January to May projections. There were larger fluctuations in SpEd costs, unexpected invoicing, and transportation turnover than budgeted. Overall, the projection for Net School Spending (NSS) is $227m and the Non-Net School Spending (NNSS) has lowered to $19+m. Currently, MUNIS is showing a NNSS deficit of $8.5m. The Finance Team was able to identify and leverage $5m to Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. There are several line items that require further investigation (Overtime, Police Payrolls, Leases, Incentives) but may result in a $2+m surplus. A $4.1m potential deficit in NNSP may be resolved by the City of Brockton. There is $1.2m in School Choice Revolving that is being looked at to appropriately fund either Net or Non-net expenditures. Chapter 70 in SY24 was $219+m with as much as $100m of that paid out for Brockton student outside tuition costs. Troy Clarkson, City CFO offered, with regard to the SY24 Budget, that his team has found $10m in budgeted but unexpended funds on the City-side which could be moved to the SD to balance the SY25 Budget. He would like to see the SD use the School Choice funds to off-set some of the Transportation overages, thereby lowering the need to use all of the unexpended funds. |
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Item 5 FY 2025 Budget Update 33:42
37:13
43:34
47:56
54:60
1:08
1:23:30
1:22
1:30
7
1:37
1:40
1:42
1:46
1:48
1:54
1:56
2:41
2:43
3:05
3:09 3:10
3:12
3:11
3:18
3:20
3:22
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Mr. Clarkson reported that the proposed figure for NSS in SY25, as it will appear in MUNIS, is in keeping with what the City is recommending. The proposed NNSS of $19m will appear as $18m, with mechanisms in place to cover needs. The Mayor reported that Lt. Governor Kim is providing a mentor to implement Cost Containment Measures with Brockton, avoiding a future state take-over. Ms. Boyer shared sheets from Excel on the budgeting amounts allocated for SY25, with a NSS amount of $226m with the NNSSP figure of $19m. Mr. Vigeant spoke on the $6+m in the Technology line explaining that there are three allocations found there, hardware, software and contract services. Student laptops are purchased by 25% of the population yearly in a 4-5 year cycle. Staff laptops were purchased four years ago during Covid, so they are all due for replacement. That will not be seen in next year’s budget. Software is pretty steady, however, his department absorbed Data Services which has Infinite Campus costs. Also, there will be a substantial project concerning Wi-Fi infrastructure. Much of these costs will be offset by E-rate funds once received. Dr. Spaulding and Dr. Conners both spoke to the continued acquisition of hard copy novels that come yearly with curriculum adoptions, which carry a five-year cycle. Dr. LaBillois spoke to the directive that non-essential staff needed to be minimized in SY25. His office will work with the mentors currently on staff and the restorative mentors. Ideally, he would like eight, making the Community Mentor line item $350k. Ms. Boyer will look into the EDI resource allocation. Dr. Cobbs, using PowerPoint, presented on the FY 2025 Budget Process, Context, and Drivers. Adjustments to this budget can be worked, as necessary, anywhere during the school year. Process involves analyzing prior years and trends, review of departmental and school needs, and meet Department of Elementary and Secondary Education mandates. Márcia Andrade Serpa spoke on trending enrollment and enrollment increases during the school year, which are not funded by the state. The need is for more classrooms, teachers and real estate. Ms. Kellie Jones spoke about more than 1/3 of the student population being multi-lingual learners (MLL). The district is averaging 112 new MLLs per month. Speakers of Haitian, Spanish, Cape Verdean. Dr. LaBillois reported that 19.6% of the student population was eligible for services in SY24. Ms. Jami Langley reported that SpEd enrollment increased by 487 students from 10/1/23-6/1/24. Ms. Perez-Siciliano, reporting on the SpEd transportation needs, told the SC that in SY24 there were 97 out-of-district students and 1,505 in-district students requiring service. Currently there are 1,188 McKinney-Vento eligible students in BPS, 156 of them attending school outside of Brockton. Mr. Vigeant, in addition to the information provided earlier, reported that 47% of the $1.2m software budge is used to support the Cybersecurity/Data Backup/Disaster Recovery and the department has a one tech per every 800-1,000 devices. He would prefer to staff one tech for every 800 devices. Dr. de Barros-Monteiro, when reporting on the Community Schools Program budget SY25, spoke about the need for the city to pay 30% of the 21st Century After School Match of $363,313 and also the need to provide one-way transportation for students participating in the program, which will run $302k+. Her budget request also contains $420k to enable the smooth start of the Summer 2026 programing. Dr. Cobbs presented a listing of 97 strictly necessary positions, as mandated, which amount to just under $6m.
Mr. Sullivan made a motion to recess, properly seconded by Mr. Gomes. (6:59p) A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion.
The motion passes. Committee returns. (7:07p) Mr. Rodrigues addresses the audience, asking that anyone using a recording device come up to the podium and identify themselves as “this violates our policy.” (No response) Ms. Asack made a motion to return into our subcommittee meeting that was started earlier, properly seconded by Mayor Sullivan. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion.
The motion passes. Points Shared · Need for more teachers is out-weighing available space/building schematics, · Special populations are increasing disproportionately to regular education increases, · MLL class sizes are currently at 39-70 in Middle and High School, · The ask is for the 150 positions not filled from last year, plus the 97 for SY25, · Cybersecurity efficiency isn’t limited by the number of devices, · By not filling the positions and delivering the service demands of our students we run the risk of loss of federal funding, as well as, spending money contracting services rather than delivering in-house.
Attorney Bresnahan instructed the SC on the procedure for bringing forward a recommendation from a subcommittee to be formally decided at a Regular or Special SC meeting.
Mr. Gomes made a motion to request $240m as the school budget for FY25 school year properly seconded by Mrs. Oliver. Discussion on the motion: Statutory obligation is $226,787,808. · Mr. Gomes acknowledged that his monetary request was in excess of the figures presented by the Financial Team but felt, following the various departments requests, that more money was needed to properly fund our schools. · The Mayor countered with, you can’t get blood from a stone, there was a fiduciary obligation to the state and he couldn’t say where the money would come from to meet Mr. Gomes’s figure. · Mr. Gomes would like to try for the additional $14m, rather than go look for funds later as the need presents itself. · CFO Clarkson spoke against asking for a number in excess of that which was arrived at by the Finance Team. City Council could amend the amount, should additional Chapter 70 money come in. Mr. Gomes made a motion to amend his motion to request $232,705,931, which is the Superintendent requested FY25 budget. Ms. Oliver made a motion to take (back) the second on the motion he did. Mr. Gomes made a motion to amend the $240m request to the new amount of $232,705,931 which was properly seconded by Mrs. Oliver. Discussion on the motion: Discussion for more funding can be entered into if/when money comes in from the state. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion. #1
The chair declares a tie. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion. #2
The chair declares a tie again. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion. #3
The chair declares deadlock.
Attorney Bresnahan advised the SC to come to a number that they can agree upon taking to a regular SC meeting for a final vote before taking it to the City Council and the public. Mr. Vega asked for another vote on the motion. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion. #4
The motion passes. The Subcommittee has agreed to bring the figure of $232,705,931 for NSS to the full Committee.
Mr. Vega made a motion to approve Non-Net spending at the allocation rate of $18m which was properly seconded by Mr. T. Sullivan. Discussion on the Motion: The figure that was recommended by the Acting Superintendent was $19.5m. The $18m was what was submitted to City Council.
A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion.
The motion passes.
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Item 6 Adjournment
3:25
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Mr. Gomes made a motion to adjourn, properly seconded by Ms. Asack. A Roll Call Vote was taken on the motion.
The motion passes. School Committee adjourned to at 8:38p.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. James F. Cobbs Acting Superintendent/Clerk |
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