Derby Middle School will lose its security guard. Derby’s two elementary schools will each lose a para professional and part of a technology teacher. And the high school will lose a part-time gym teacher and money for athletics.
Those were among the cuts approved by the Derby Board of Education Tuesday, as it finalized its $15.4 million 2011 – 2012 budget.
The board was trying to cut $485,000 from its original budget proposal, after it received less than it had requested from the city.
The spending plan is about 3 percent more than the district has this year. The district had requested a 7.2 percent increase.
The city gives the Board of Education a bottom line, and the schools decide where to allocate that money.
Superintendent Stephen Tracy had proposed a series of cuts at a meeting last week.
The plan meant 8.5 positions would be eliminated — including 3.5 teaching positions.
The 3.5 teacher positions will be eliminated through early retirements, not layoffs.
“There well could be layoffs in this budget, but they will not be teacher layoffs,” Tracy said.
The board tweaked Tracy’s proposal and rearranged the money, keeping the bottom line the same.
Board chairman Ken Marcucio Sr. urged the board to reallocate money for tutors at the elementary schools.
“If our goal is to get our kids up to a proper reading level, a proper math level, then I think we need to look tonight to bring back some of these tutors.
The board approved the measure, taking about $20,000 from “contingency” funds at the elementary schools, which were set aside in case enrollment was higher than expected.
Details
The plan approved Tuesday includes changes to the follow accounts:
Districtwide
- $100,000 reduced from the special education budget
- $25,000 less budgeted for electricity costs
- Eliminate a maintenance position, at a $30,000 cost savings
- $10,000 reduction to the professional development budget
- $15,000 reduction in system-wide tutors
- $20,000 reduction to central office staff
- other IT and miscellaneous services reductions totaling $64,000
Derby High School
- Eliminate professional development, to save $5,000
- Eliminate $50,000 to implement NEASC recommendations
- Reduce sports funds by $30,000
- Make a full-time gym teacher a part-time position, saving $23,000
- Cut other supplies, and textbook funds
- The high school was able to allocate $50,000 more to add back into its budget a wood technology teacher
Derby Middle School
- Eliminate professional development, to save $5,000
- Reduce student handbook account by $1,000
- reduce library and office equipment by $2,894
- Eliminate a security guard position, to save $22,000
Irving and Bradley Elementary Schools
- Eliminate two paraprofessionals to save $30,000
- Eliminate professional development at each building, to save $10,000
- Reduce supplies accounts by $8,200 at each school
- Make each school’s technology teacher part-time positions, instead of full-time, saving $50,000
