May 10, 2006
Daily Hampshire Gazette
NORTHAMPTON - Cuts to the school budget will once again be up for discussion at Thursday's School Committee meeting, as board members seek ways to cover an estimated $800,000 shortfall.
Ideas already on the table from administrators include increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 per student to $210 and doubling the athletic fee for high school students, currently $75.
Those plans are estimated to generate about $70,000, far less than the budget gap, so eliminating staff positions remains likely.
School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock plans to give an update on the budget situation Thursday and possibly offer proposals for other areas to cut.
The total school budget for the current year is $24.5 million.
School officials have requested $1.6 million more from the city to maintain the same level of services, due to fixed costs such as raises guaranteed in the teachers' contract and special education costs.
Mayor Clare Higgins says the city should be able to increase spending on the schools by between $780,000 and $1.18 million, with cuts to make up the difference.
Also on Thursday, the district's Civil Rights Committee will give a presentation about the work over the past year on issues like the achievement gap between white and minority students. The calendar for the next school year should also be finalized by the board.
The meeting at JFK Middle School begins at 7:15 p.m. with a public comment session.
Daily Hampshire Gazette
NORTHAMPTON - Cuts to the school budget will once again be up for discussion at Thursday's School Committee meeting, as board members seek ways to cover an estimated $800,000 shortfall.
Ideas already on the table from administrators include increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 per student to $210 and doubling the athletic fee for high school students, currently $75.
Those plans are estimated to generate about $70,000, far less than the budget gap, so eliminating staff positions remains likely.
School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock plans to give an update on the budget situation Thursday and possibly offer proposals for other areas to cut.
The total school budget for the current year is $24.5 million.
School officials have requested $1.6 million more from the city to maintain the same level of services, due to fixed costs such as raises guaranteed in the teachers' contract and special education costs.
Mayor Clare Higgins says the city should be able to increase spending on the schools by between $780,000 and $1.18 million, with cuts to make up the difference.
Also on Thursday, the district's Civil Rights Committee will give a presentation about the work over the past year on issues like the achievement gap between white and minority students. The calendar for the next school year should also be finalized by the board.
The meeting at JFK Middle School begins at 7:15 p.m. with a public comment session.
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