SOUTH DEERFIELD — Frontier Regional’s 11-member School Committee has approved an $11,754,404 total budget for the upcoming cycle, which represents a $331,509 increase over last year and a $643,368 rise over the past two combined.
Driving increases is $168,055 more for salaries and related expenses; $109,364 more in health insurance costs; $65,622 in a change of School Choice funding; and $45,128 in retirement pay. Offsetting increases are operational decreases of $70,694, the largest being special education tuition costs and summer services.
The lions share of funding for the budget, a 4.61 percent increased assessment equaling $7,931,457, would be paid by taxpayers from the Union 38 district’s four participating towns. Deerfield residents would shoulder $3,842,082; those in Sunderland paying $1,796,889; Conway taking on $1,368,253; and Whately funding $924,234.
Another $2,832,345 is expected to come from Chapter 70 funds; $146,284 from excess and deficiency; $132,368 from regional transportation; and the remaining $705,950 will be contributed from various other sources. Constituents from all four towns will have a final say on the budget at prospective town meetings.
Over the years, as state funding has declined, educational costs have simultaneously risen. Thus, with no other options, the financial burden of schools has exponentially been placed onto local constituents. That, in turn, has squeezed municipal budgets because local taxes can only be increased by 2.5 percent each year per state law.
“Every year, our Title 1 (state funding) keeps decreasing and decreasing, and I don’t see that changing,” said Union 38 Office Manager Patti A. Cavanaugh, noting that repayment for special education expenses has also been cut.
As such, rural schools like Frontier Regional are in a way held hostage by state requirements. If constituents don’t agree to fund certain programs up front than parents must send their children elsewhere, ultimately costing taxpayers more in the long run.
That conundrum was taken up during public discussion at Tuesday’s School Committee meeting by representatives from all four towns preceding the committee’s formal approval vote on the budget proposition at hand.
“It’s not sustainable. It’s a broken record. People want good schools — that’s not the question — the question is where do we get the money?” asked Deerfield’s Select Board Chairwoman Carolyn Shores Ness. When she first came into public office, Ness said the state covered 40 percent of student costs, compared to about 20 percent today.
“We’ll make it for the next few years, but what’s going to happen in five or 10 years? I don’t know the answer because I’m not an educator, but we need to band together. Instead of fighting over every dollar, we need to fight for more dollars,” Ness said.
Next school year, 663 students are expected to enroll at Frontier Regional School, with 125 requiring some sort of special education. Supporting those students will be about 107 teachers, instructional assistants, and other school employees.
The Union 38 district is expected to send out 42 students through School Choice costing taxpayers $311,714, and receive 160 students from surrounding towns for $1,215,085 in incoming revenue.
52 local students are expected to attend charter schools this year, costing taxpayers $974,625 at $18,742 per student.
A more thorough breakdown of remaining budgetary item increases, excluding those listed above, is as follows: $10,500 more for longevity payments; $16,135 more for non-union salaries; $3,156 for coaching stipends; $3,550 for mentor stipends; $5,114 more in regional transportation costs; $11,095 in Medicare tax; $15,391 in central office expenses; $18,850 in sewer charges; $25,000 to purchase technology devices for students.
Leveling off increases, the district expects to spend $23,590 less in special education tuition costs; $15,688 less in summer special education expenses; $11,555 less for professional services; $11,037 less for insurance costs; $3,481 for technology; and $3,000 less in mentor stipends.
Of the total budget, the school’s expected operational budget is expected to be $11,048,454. Because the state hasn’t yet finalized its budget, school officials noted that it’s not yet possible to calculate exactly how much the district will receive in revenue.
