Derby Schools Propose $16.2 Million Budget

The $16.2 million proposed Derby school budget includes money to create and staff transitional classes for struggling students at the Irving School, the Bradley School, and Derby Middle School.

The three classes would be in between” grades for struggling students not quite ready to advance to the next grade level. The idea would be to focus intently on those students, with an emphasis on improving their reading and math skills. 

The goal is to help the students improve rather than just force them to repeat their grade level or hand them off unprepared for the next grade, according to Superintendent Stephen Tracy.

The tough question to ask is Why isn’t this child succeeding in the classroom?’” Tracy told the Valley Indy. Kids on both side of her can read. Why can’t she read? What are (educators) going to do differently and how are we going to pay the extra attention needed to help her be successful?”

The creation of the program would require three new teachers within the district, costing $50,000 apiece. 

It’s something that should have been done years ago,” said Ken Marcucio Sr., the school board president.

School Budget Unveiled

At a school board meeting Tuesday, Tracy detailed a $16.2 million proposed budget that carries a roughly $806,000 increase — or 5.2 percent — over the current school budget.

The spending increase breaks down as follows:

  • $100,000 for the transitional classes in the two elementary schools
  • $50,000 for a transitional class at Derby Middle School
  • $100,000 toward the creation of a regional alternative high school
  • $65,000 to create a special education learning center at Derby Middle School
  • $50,000 to provide half time” elementary lead teachers at the elementary schools — these are teachers who would also help principals improve learning within the schools
  • $30,000 to expand a primary reading initiative in the elementary schools
  • $50,000 to hire a reading teacher at Derby High School
  • $50,000 to hire a librarian at Derby High School
  • $10,000 to implement a state-mandated success planning process” for grades 6 – 12
  • $25,000 to begin implementing the district’s strategic plan, which was adopted by the school board earlier this month
  • $25,000 to outsource information technology (IT) services
  • $25,000 to expand speech and learning services in the district
  • $4,000 to create a ninth grade academy” at Derby High School

The items above comprise about $600,000 of the $800,000 spending increase proposed.

The items not listed above include pay raises for teachers and administrators, as outlined in previously approved union contracts. The percent increases were not available Tuesday night.

In addition, the district is seeing an increase in its annual transportation contract.

According to data from ConnCAN, an education reform group, Derby schools lag behind the rest of the state in math, reading, science and writing. The Irving School received a D’ in ConnCAN’s measure of overall performance. Bradley School and Derby Middle School both received a D+. The high school, according to the latest ConnCAN data, was given a F for overall student performance. 

In addition, each school has its own set of unique challenges. About 63 percent of students at the Irving School are classified as low income, according to the most recent ConnCAN data.

The school also has an extremely high turnover rate, a revolving door” of students enrolling and leaving the school, according to principal Fran Gallo.

The transition classes proposed at the elementary schools and the middle school, along with the ninth-grade academy planned for the high school, are aimed directly at improving student performance, school officials said Tuesday.

The ninth grade academy, for example, is being proposed because an unusually large number of students at Derby High School are repeating the ninth grade, Tracy said. High school data shows 50 percent of the ninth-grade students were failing at least one class during the second quarter of the current school year.

The high school academy would include four teachers assigned to help at-risk ninth graders. The $4,000 request represents money that would be used for materials and training teachers.

We have some youngsters who have gone around two or three times as ninth graders,” Tracy said. The ninth grade has really been a problem for us. In many ways, it is a step toward dropping out.”

The school board will be hearing from school principals and its special education coordinator about their budget requests on Wednesday (Feb. 22) and Thursday (Feb. 23).

The school board is scheduled to adopt the proposed budget Feb. 27.

School officials are expected to detail their funding request to the Derby tax board on March 6.

The Derby tax board has final say on how much money to give the school district.

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