DERBY — Superintendent Matthew Conway said special education costs — specifically as it relates to kids whose educational needs can’t be met locally — makes up about 50 percent of a roughly $555,000 increase in a newly unveiled budget.
Conway presented the Derby Board of Education’s budget Tuesday to the Board of Apportionment and Taxation, also known as the tax board.
The tax board has ultimate say over how much the city spends each year. Its members are currently drafting a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Costs for “outplaced” special education students can average $80,000 per child, Conway said.
It’s a big ticket item because the child needs specialized or advanced services that are not offered in Derby. For decades, federal law has mandated a student’s home district pay for those costs.
Derby started this school year with 30 outplaced students in special education programs.
Today the number is 37 students — and the school district did not have the money needed to absorb the new students, causing the district to run a $300,000 deficit, Conway said.
So the extra money for special education is to pay for the students who unexpectedly entered the system.
To help with the issue moving forward, Conway is asking the tax board to put aside $240,000 for the next school year. That money could be used as a safety net for unexpected students who move to Derby but can’t be educated in Derby.
Conway said the city would control the money, and keep it in the unlikely result the money is not needed.
“It’s to cover what I know is coming,” Conway said.
Conway estimated the outplaced special education programs are $264,000 of the $555,000 budget increase.
Tax board member Jerry Borrelli said the special education funding system is broken.
“Somewhere, someone has to draw the line,” Borrelli said “We can’t hide behind mandates. We have to fight them, because this is impossible.”
The other increases are basic contractual obligations, Conway said. That’s money for things such as certified staff, electricity, heat and transportation.
Conway also pointed out that last year the tax board flat-funded the school district — that created a gap this year, resulting in a requested budget-to-budget increase of about 2.9 percent.Had the tax board allocated last year’s initial request for more money, the school district would have been asking for a 1 percent increase this year.
Derby Board of Education Chairman Jim Gildea pointed out the school board is keeping an eye on the bottom line. The school district relies heavily on grants, and the number of teachers at the Bradley School has been reduced by five as the school’s population shrank.
Gildea also pointed out that Derby schools are seeing academic growth. High school graduation rates are up. SAT scores are up.
The Bradley School was recently named a school of distinction by the state.
An advanced manufacturing program, a partnership with Housatonic Valley Community College, is scheduled to have a ribbon cutting at Derby High School May 6.
“We’re a school system that is making progress. We’re on the right track,” Gildea said.
And the school district is still exploring whether money can be saved — and academic performance improved — by consolidating or sharing services with Ansonia Public Schools.
A consulting group is currently collecting demographic and local education data to present to a school regionalization committee.
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