The Standard Times - March 21, 2013
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130321/NEWS/303210361/
By Natalie Sherman, Writer for The Standard Times
nsherman@s-t.com
Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)
Innovation school advocates made their case before the School Committee Wednesday night, facing questions about budget, enrollment and how their schools would fit into the district's current buildings.
"There are inequities everywhere in the district. ... Just because it's not sharing a space doesn't mean it's not there," said Jennifer Clune, one of the members of the Renaissance design team, who said there were many examples elsewhere of different schools successfully sharing space.
The School Committee is considering two proposals for innovation schools, which are part of the district but have autonomy in areas such as budget, personnel and curriculum. The committee will vote on the plans in April.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Tonight's Special Meeting of the School Committee
At tonight's meeting, the design teams for both proposed innovation schools presented information about their schools and answered questions from members of the School Committee.
The Esperanza School design team's presentation included the following topics:
We would like to thank the members of the audience who congratulated us on a quality presentation and engaged in conversation with us about the issues discussed tonight.
The Public Hearing will be held next Wednesday, March 27th at 6 pm in the Keith Middle School Auditorium. This is an opportunity for members of the community to share their thoughts regarding the Esperanza School of Language and Culture with the members of the New Bedford School Committee.
The Esperanza School design team's presentation included the following topics:
- challenges within New Bedford Public Schools
- how dual language instruction can address those challenges
- an explanation of the benefits of dual language, specifically two-way immersion
- research on the educational impact of dual language instruction on various subgroups (ELLs, African American, low-income, special education, etc)
- the effect of dual language instruction on the graduation rate
- an explanation of innovation schools and how they maintain local control
- the requested autonomies
We would like to thank the members of the audience who congratulated us on a quality presentation and engaged in conversation with us about the issues discussed tonight.
The Public Hearing will be held next Wednesday, March 27th at 6 pm in the Keith Middle School Auditorium. This is an opportunity for members of the community to share their thoughts regarding the Esperanza School of Language and Culture with the members of the New Bedford School Committee.
School Committee meets tonight to question New Bedford innovation schools
The Standard Times - March 20, 2013
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130320/NEWS/303200336/
By Natalie Sherman, Writer for The Standard Times
nsherman@s-t.com
Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)
The city's two proposed innovation schools would receive about $4,200 per student to spend toward salaries, teaching materials, copying supplies, additional school supervision and field trips under the terms of a plan between the innovation schools and the district.
The figure is based on the average cost per student at six comparable elementary schools in the district, minus the cost of oil, gas, electricity and custodial services.
The figure also takes into account the cost to the district of teacher benefits and other services, including administration, transportation, special education and the school nurse.
"As we prepared this, we tried to be as fair as we could because we recognize as an administrative team that those are our kids," Haskell said.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130320/NEWS/303200336/
By Natalie Sherman, Writer for The Standard Times
nsherman@s-t.com
Relevant Quotes: (Please follow the link above to read the complete article.)
The city's two proposed innovation schools would receive about $4,200 per student to spend toward salaries, teaching materials, copying supplies, additional school supervision and field trips under the terms of a plan between the innovation schools and the district.
The figure is based on the average cost per student at six comparable elementary schools in the district, minus the cost of oil, gas, electricity and custodial services.
The figure also takes into account the cost to the district of teacher benefits and other services, including administration, transportation, special education and the school nurse.
"As we prepared this, we tried to be as fair as we could because we recognize as an administrative team that those are our kids," Haskell said.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Impact Statement Submitted on March 15th
The following is directly from Subsection h in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 92 (this text is also included in New Bedford Public School's RFP):
The screening committee shall review the prospectus for the purpose of determining whether the prospectus: (i) presents a sound and coherent plan for improving school performance and student achievement; (ii) supports or enhances existing educational efforts in the district; and (iii) reasonably can be expanded into a comprehensive innovation plan. In the case of a new school, the committee will prepare an impact statement describing how the new school will affect the children and faculty in the district. Within 30 days of receiving a prospectus, the screening committee shall decide, on the basis of a two-thirds vote, to accept or reject the prospectus, or return the prospectus to the eligible applicant for revisions.
The screening committee met in August 2012 and voted 2-to-1 to approve the prospectus for Esperanza School without needing an impact statement at that time. The design team developed the innovation school plan and submitted it to Superintendent Shea in December 2012. In January and February 2013, representatives of the Esperanza School and the New Bedford Educators Association (NBEA) negotiated and signed a Memorandum of Agreement requiring an impact statement at this later stage in the process.
The Esperanza School team submitted the following impact statement to Superintendent Shea on Friday, March 15, 2013.
For the launch year, families may enroll children in grades K-2; students enrolling in grades 1-2 may enroll from other district schools. Enrollment will be voluntary; no student will be involuntarily enrolled in the school. In subsequent years, enrollment will continue annually at the kindergarten level, while students in the uppermost grade will graduate into the subsequent grade until eighth grade is reached. Students may voluntarily transfer into upper grades if there are open slots available, and they meet language proficiency requirements.
NBEA faculty in other schools may apply for open positions at the Esperanza School, but will not be guaranteed a position. No NBEA member may be laid off as a direct result of the creation of the Esperanza School.
The New Bedford Public Schools will provide the Esperanza School with a lump sum per pupil budget that includes all federal entitlement and other applicable funds, and that is equitable to the students served and the budgets that other NBPS schools in the same grade span receive. The school will be expected to not exceed its approved budget plus any external funds that are raised by and for the school. As specified by the New Bedford Public Schools RFP for Innovation Schools, the budget will be cost-neutral with respect to the impact on the District's finances.
The screening committee shall review the prospectus for the purpose of determining whether the prospectus: (i) presents a sound and coherent plan for improving school performance and student achievement; (ii) supports or enhances existing educational efforts in the district; and (iii) reasonably can be expanded into a comprehensive innovation plan. In the case of a new school, the committee will prepare an impact statement describing how the new school will affect the children and faculty in the district. Within 30 days of receiving a prospectus, the screening committee shall decide, on the basis of a two-thirds vote, to accept or reject the prospectus, or return the prospectus to the eligible applicant for revisions.
The screening committee met in August 2012 and voted 2-to-1 to approve the prospectus for Esperanza School without needing an impact statement at that time. The design team developed the innovation school plan and submitted it to Superintendent Shea in December 2012. In January and February 2013, representatives of the Esperanza School and the New Bedford Educators Association (NBEA) negotiated and signed a Memorandum of Agreement requiring an impact statement at this later stage in the process.
The Esperanza School team submitted the following impact statement to Superintendent Shea on Friday, March 15, 2013.
Esperanza School of Language and Culture - Impact Statement
NBEA faculty in other schools may apply for open positions at the Esperanza School, but will not be guaranteed a position. No NBEA member may be laid off as a direct result of the creation of the Esperanza School.
The New Bedford Public Schools will provide the Esperanza School with a lump sum per pupil budget that includes all federal entitlement and other applicable funds, and that is equitable to the students served and the budgets that other NBPS schools in the same grade span receive. The school will be expected to not exceed its approved budget plus any external funds that are raised by and for the school. As specified by the New Bedford Public Schools RFP for Innovation Schools, the budget will be cost-neutral with respect to the impact on the District's finances.
Budget Submitted on March 15th
The Esperanza School understands that as an Innovation School, the district intends for the school to be cost-neutral. The proposed use of budget autonomies is necessary to achieve the school’s mission, so that the leadership can make real-time decisions on critical matters that directly affect teaching and learning for its students. Esperanza School will seek budgetary autonomy and flexibility over its resources in order to fully implement the proposed dual language immersion mission and maximize services and support for its students. While the Esperanza School will receive a lump sum per pupil budget for FY 2014, the school looks forward to working with the District toward increased budget autonomy that examines central discretionary costs to best meet the needs of students.
The Esperanza School expects a large portion of its budget will be allocated for staffing. One area of autonomy requested is to budget staff based on actual salaries rather than average salaries. As the amount for actual salaries will not be known until staff is hired, the budget being submitted for the purposes of this plan is based on average salaries. The team was instructed by the Business Manager to use the same $4174.79 per pupil amount to calculate the budget for years 1, 2 and 3. It is understood that there will be increases in salaries due to contractual agreements as well as increases in per pupil allotment once the District has a clearer understanding of its fiscal expenditures.
In year 1, Esperanza School will focus most of its per pupil expenditure on staff salaries. It will seek external funding through Innovation School Implementation grants awarded by the Executive Office of Education and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for instructional supplies, language proficiency assessments and professional development. Also, as enrollment increases, the school will gain greater budget flexibility to build in these costs into district fund expenditures.
Breakdown of Per Pupil Expenditure and Estimated Title 1 Funds
Year 1:
156 students x $4174.79 = $651,267.24
114 students (75%) x $111 = $12,654 (Title 1)
Total: $663,921.24
6 teachers
Year 2:
208 students x $4174.79= $868,356.32
156 students (75%) x $111 = $17,316 (Title 1)
Total: $885,672.32
8 teachers
Year 3:
252 students x $4174.79= $1,052,047.08
189 students (75%) x $111 = $20,979 (Title 1)
Total: $1,073,026.28
10 teachers
The Esperanza School expects a large portion of its budget will be allocated for staffing. One area of autonomy requested is to budget staff based on actual salaries rather than average salaries. As the amount for actual salaries will not be known until staff is hired, the budget being submitted for the purposes of this plan is based on average salaries. The team was instructed by the Business Manager to use the same $4174.79 per pupil amount to calculate the budget for years 1, 2 and 3. It is understood that there will be increases in salaries due to contractual agreements as well as increases in per pupil allotment once the District has a clearer understanding of its fiscal expenditures.
In year 1, Esperanza School will focus most of its per pupil expenditure on staff salaries. It will seek external funding through Innovation School Implementation grants awarded by the Executive Office of Education and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for instructional supplies, language proficiency assessments and professional development. Also, as enrollment increases, the school will gain greater budget flexibility to build in these costs into district fund expenditures.
Esperanza School of Language and Culture Budget for Salaries
FY ’14, FY’15, FY ‘16
| Line Items |
Total Salaries for FY ‘14 |
Total Salaries for FY ‘15 |
Total Salaries for FY ‘16 |
| Total Per Pupil Revenue | $663,921.24 (per pupil + Title 1) |
$885,672.32 (per pupil + Title 1) |
$1,073,026.28 (per pupil + Title 1) |
| Principal | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 |
| Classroom Teachers | 360,000 | 480,000 | 600,000 |
| English Language Development Teacher/ Literacy Coach (FTE .7 -Year 1 ) |
42,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Special Education Teacher | 55,000 | 55,000 | 55,000 |
| Paraprofessionals (1 per grade) |
75,000 | 100,000 | 125,000 |
| Clerk | 33,000 | 33,000 | 33,000 |
| Specialists (art, music, phys.ed) | 18,000 FTE .5 (1/2 of FTE .4 provided by district and 1/2 of FTE .4 plus FTE .1 provided by Esperanza) |
23,700 FTE .63 (1/2 of FTE .47 provided by district and 1/2 of FTE .47 plus FTE .16 provided by Esperanza) |
29,700 FTE .79 (1/2 of FTE .59 provided by district and 1/2 of FTE .59 plus FTE .2 provided by Esperanza) |
| Total Amount Allocated | $663,000.00 | $831,700.00 | $982,700.00 |
Breakdown of Per Pupil Expenditure and Estimated Title 1 Funds
Year 1:
156 students x $4174.79 = $651,267.24
114 students (75%) x $111 = $12,654 (Title 1)
Total: $663,921.24
6 teachers
Year 2:
208 students x $4174.79= $868,356.32
156 students (75%) x $111 = $17,316 (Title 1)
Total: $885,672.32
8 teachers
Year 3:
252 students x $4174.79= $1,052,047.08
189 students (75%) x $111 = $20,979 (Title 1)
Total: $1,073,026.28
10 teachers
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