NEWTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING – DECEMBER 3, 2001

EDUCATION CENTER, FRAZIER ROOM, 7:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Chairperson Verne Vance, Vice-Chairperson Anne Borg, Susan Albright, Rodney Barker, Susan Heyman, Anne Larner, Nancy Levine, Andris Vizulis

ALSO PRESENT: School Committee elect: Gail Glick, Patricia Kellogg, Marc Laredo, Leslie Schneider, Dori Zaleznik

ABSENT: Mayor David Cohen, student representatives

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Verne Vance called the meeting to order at 7:o0 p.m. and noted that the purpose of this meeting is to discuss the budget guidelines and provide input for the subcommittee to prepare the document for a vote at next week's meeting. He congratulated the new School Committee members who are now official given the outcome of the recount and invited them to join in tonight's discussion.

Susan Albright, Chairperson of the Budget Guidelines Subcommittee, presented a draft of the guidelines. The report is based upon the previous discussions they have held around six categories that they have identified as germane to the development of the FY03 budget and the standards associated with each of these areas. After each topic they have proposed some questions that can be used for discussion purposes.

They began with a discussion of the first paragraph, which outlines the areas of obligation that they believe must be met, i.e., contractual agreements, state and federal mandates, and continued commitment to the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunities (METCO) program.

Superintendent Jeffrey Young suggested adding a category entitled "other expenses," which would include items such as utilities, transportation costs, etc.

The Committee then discussed whether or not to include an item regarding maintaining current program, as they have done in the past. It was decided that there is an assumption of maintenance with respect to retaining many of the programs that were not specifically discussed under the six topics, but that they are not referring to maintenance of effort in terms of doing exactly the same thing as last year.

Class Size

High School

Susie Heyman feels very strongly about the notion of allowing principals to maintain control over the decision-making process at their schools because they know best the needs of the students. She proposes they talk about guidelines vs. absolute caps on class size. She does not believe that all low enrollment classes should necessarily be eliminated because there needs to be a balance between class size and breadth of program.

Marc Laredo agrees that principals should have the discretion to make scheduling decisions. However, the Committee needs to provide strong guidance. Given the tight fiscal situation they will be facing this year, it appears that they do not have the luxury of offering as extensive a breadth of program that they might otherwise wish to provide. They need to articulate priorities to the Superintendent.

Anne Larner would like to focus on class size in the core subjects and target them in a certain range, while providing flexibility to principals on balancing breadth of program in the other areas.

Anne Borg mentioned that at the elementary level there is a direct correlation between class size and teacher workload, which is not as clear at the high school level.

Andy Vizulis would like to target some goals for class size in the core subjects and leave principals with the flexibility to continue to offer small class sizes where appropriate. Schools must be dynamic and continue to change their course offerings.

Dori Zaleznik asked if science classes could be split so that the lecture portions involve larger numbers, with smaller numbers in the lab component.

James Marini, Associate Superintendent for Secondary Education, stated that in some cases this already occurs. However, the different learning styles of students make it more difficult to run a course in this manner.

Nancy Levine added that often the labs are the major piece of the science class, rather than an add-on. Clearly there has to be some safety parameters set in these areas.

Susan Albright asked about the possibility of experimenting with distance learning.

Jim Marini replied that the department heads recently discussed this topic and the resources necessary to support the concept. Gordon Duckel currently runs a couple of virtual high school courses, which meet the needs of a certain population of students who can interact through the computer. Some of the other topics discussed by the department heads were compatible schedules, offering courses in alternate years, and sharing of faculty.

Anne Borg believes that before they focus solely on the core subjects, they need to look at how students meet the Time & Learning requirements, as well as how graduation requirements fit into the picture.

Jeff Young mentioned that at some point the Committee might wish to have some discussion about the definition of core subjects.

Marc Laredo asked how the high schools develop their budgets.

Jim Marini explained that at one point staffing was determined by using a 16:1 ratio and dividing the enrollment by that figure. This provided for a great deal of flexibility and supported both large and smaller classes. However, because of budget constraints, they have moved to staffing by the number of sections available, resulting in larger class sizes.

Sandra Guryan, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Finance & Planning, added that the staffing budget is based on the actual number of people working in the system and their salary level for next year. Another component in building the budget has to do with supplies and materials, much of which comes from the per pupil allocation. The principals take this dollar amount and decide how to spend it in each department. There is also a centralized fund under Curriculum & Instruction, which covers professional development and assists in the purchase of supplies above what the individual schools spend. Finally, at the high school level there is also an athletic budget. While the maintenance budget for the buildings is held in the central Operations Department, they have the ability to break it down by utilities, maintenance, repairs, etc.

Susan Albright wondered if they want to make any policy statement with regard to the large number of classes over 25.

Jeff Young reminded the Committee that they made some conscious decisions during the last budget deliberations that focused positively on the area of class size at the elementary level, but which came at an expense of loss of programs and increased class size at the secondary level. If the Committee wants to minimize the number of classes over 25 he would suggest they present it as a guideline vs. a cap and with the realization that they will have to decide at some point whether they can afford that approach.

Susie Heyman stated that the new School Committee is going to need to discuss and make decisions regarding graduation requirements, as that will be an important piece to this issue. She also would like to keep the class size numbers down in science labs for safety purposes. Finally, she mentioned the notion of expanding contract gym and having a in-depth discussion around the entire physical education program, because the numbers in those classes are too large.

Rodney Barker commented that graduation requirements are going to mean more classes in the core subjects, so they should focus on keeping those numbers down. While breadth of program sounds wonderful, these small, esoteric classes should not be maintained at the expense of increasing numbers in the basic curriculum. The new Committee is going to have to set priorities.

Leslie Schneider asked about trends in courses with large class sizes.

Rodney Barker replied that the trends indicate that many of the major subject areas are experiencing larger class sizes, which is something he has been concerned about for several years.

Susie Heyman noted that the reason for the large increase in class sizes this past year is due to the shift away from staffing by ratio. Also, the principals were successful in their efforts to consolidate some second, third, and fourth year foreign language classes.

Jeff Young stated that the number of very small classes is minimal and those that remain have good reasons for existing or are a result of the idiosyncrasies of scheduling.

Anne Borg believes that art and music should be considered part of the core subjects and this needs to be discussed as part of the whole topic regarding graduation requirements.

Gail Glick does not see the issues of core courses and breadth of program as being mutually exclusive and believes with some creativity both can be provided.

Jeff Young agreed that there needs to be a balance and these type of decisions need to be entrusted to the principals. This is what makes the schools dynamic.

Marc Laredo asked if the Superintendent would provide comparisons between Newton and other communities as he presents his budget proposals.

Jeff Young replied that he would do so, to the extent possible.

Dori Zaleznik wondered if they might give the principals some direction with regard to certain courses that have gotten too large in terms of trying to bring them back to the 16:1 ratio. Perhaps there are certain subject areas that for safety purposes should not be so flexible or left to the discretion of the principals.

Jeff Young replied that it is perfectly reasonable to analyze the areas where enrollments are too high or low and to try to balance out those anomalies. However, he did wish to mention that it was not the flexibility given principals that increased the class sizes, rather the limited staffing allocation.

Patty Kellogg asked if they have reviewed previous year's budget guidelines and how they played out in the schools, to help in developing next year's plans.

Susan Albright stated that it is the cuts to the guidelines that they traditionally end up having to take that cause the problems.

Patty Kellogg commented that next year's budget is not going to be more expansive and, therefore, it might be time to consider cuts in breadth of program in order to concentrate on keeping class sizes down.

Anne Borg stated that they have already done this and that there are courses that have been cut this year as a result of budget constraints.

Middle Schools

Marc Laredo would like to direct the Superintendent to use his judgement in targeting optimal team size in working on the budget for this level.

Anne Larner noted that similar to the situation at the high schools, the numbers have creeped up at the middle schools and she would like to see them get back to a reasonable level.

Rodney Barker commented that this can only be done at the expense of something else.

Elementary Schools

Jeff Young explained that they have moved away from the staffing ratio model at this level and now attempt to create the number of classrooms needed by using enrollments. They attempt to keep class sizes around 20 in grades K-1 and in the range of 25 or below in grades 2-5. Currently there are two classes above, so overall they are doing quite well in their attempt to keep class sizes lower at this level.

Anne Borg is concerned about the large range of class sizes at this level, which are between 14 and 26 and would like to investigate some ways to reduce that range.

Jeff Young commented that one way of providing some flexibility for class size systemwide that has basically been lost is an allocation of reserve teaching positions in the budget. Restoring this cushion would be a tremendous help.

Nancy Levine added that space is sometimes also an issue. Even if there were an additional teacher, there may not be an available classroom. In those cases, aides can be quite helpful.

The Committee agreed that the Superintendent should be given the flexibility to include reserve teaching staff in producing the budget.

Technology

Anne Larner would like the Superintendent to use his best judgement in developing the timeline for the technology plan.

Dori Zaleznik would like to see not only the movement toward the state mandates, but how that is part of a larger vision of where the Newton Public Schools wants to go in the area of technology.

Jeff Young stated that technology is not just a buying plan, but an educational program, to serve the purpose of improving teaching and learning.

Andy Vizulis noted that they have a large deficit in this area and the pace at which technology changes is incredible. Wireless technology and not having to have equipment physically residing on desks appears to be the wave of the future. Therefore, he would prefer a conservative plan, as far as purchasing of equipment. However, what is urgent is the need to develop the capacity to handle and service whatever equipment is purchased, as well as proper training of staff. He is particularly concerned about the administrative technology needs, as there is a great deal of untapped knowledge in this area. People need to be able to explore the potential of the equipment.

Susan Albright noted that the vision piece is of utmost importance. Technology needs to be used to build a community of learners and only once this vision is articulated can they move forward with decisions around purchasing equipment.

Nancy Levine stressed the importance of the curriculum integration piece. The state mandates, while important, basically only deal with equipment and staffing.

Susie Heyman stated that in order to make this a consistent program, they need to infuse a certain amount of funding annually in the operating budget that is sustainable, rather than trying to get the technology needs met with Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds. In addition, citywide private fundraising could complement this plan because they will never have enough to properly fund technology solely from the operating budget.

Rodney Barker believes that as they continue to increase spending in this area, they need to be sure that their purchases are directly tied to curriculum outcomes. A recent Boston Globe article highlighted the lack of concrete curriculum improvements or improved teaching as a direct result of technology.

Jeff Young commented that if the Boston Globe had interviewed Newton they would have had plenty to report.

Verne Vance talked about wonderful projects he saw firsthand this year in his visits to each school. There were a number of examples in which technology was being used as part of the curriculum and the enthusiasm of both teachers and students was evident. Even at the modest levels one could see the potential for its future use, given an appropriate plan and supported by adequate funding.

Support Staff

Anne Larner found this category to be frustrating. Because school systems have different structures and organizations, it is difficult to make comparisons and, therefore, to develop standards. She would suggest the Superintendent focus on what is adequate to support the programs.

Marc Laredo questioned why special education (SPED) ratios are higher in other communities.

Carol Daynard, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services, explained that the information is inaccurate and the 29:1 ratio includes all aides and not only SPED. However, Newton has a higher number of aides than most districts because they utilize full inclusion.

Marc Laredo asked if the Superintendent would study this area, to see if there are ways of providing the services more efficiently without sacrificing quality.

Dori Zaleznik suggested they review the organization of the lunch program since the food services contract is up for review. They may be able to realize some costs savings in this year.

Anne Larner stated that professional development for support staff has been shortchanged for a long time and they should put some focus on this topic.

Marc Laredo suggested they look at training of support staff in a similar fashion to technology in terms of a vision and then how to support the goals.

Rodney Barker mentioned the need to carefully review the adequacy of the number of custodial staff and the relationship to overtime.

Instructional Materials

Marc Laredo would like the Superintendent to budget instructional materials as close as possible to other systems. Newton lags far behind in this area and teachers cannot do a proper job without appropriate supplies.

Anne Larner agreed in principle with Mr. Laredo's comments but is troubled by the focus on dollars spent vs. outcomes. She wants to be sure instruction is supported and if that means more creative ways of using technology that would suffice. Perhaps merging both increased funding with creative solutions is what is needed.

Susan Albright commented that while technology may be more efficient, it is not necessarily cheaper.

Verne Vance stated that Ms. Larner's point is well taken, but they have to be careful that a directive to be creative is not used as an excuse to continue to underfund this area. A combination of the two is a responsible approach.

Andy Vizulis asked if ordering is done individually by schools or if it is centralized.

Sandy Guryan explained that a vendor is chosen centrally through a bidding process and then schools do individual purchasing through that vendor. Textbooks and some other materials are exempt from the bidding process so that all districts pay the same rates.

Anne Borg expressed concern about the libraries remaining open after school, particularly at the high schools.

Gail Glick suggested they develop a plan for cycling supplies and materials based on their lifespan.

Jeff Young stated that this is currently being worked on in the 3-5 year budget forecast.

Nancy Levine commented that unfortunately the program they developed for funding textbooks occurred prior to the changing of the State Frameworks, which is still a moving target, particularly in the area of social studies. Therefore, after spending all that money on identified needs, there were then changes to the curriculum. She recommends they move slowly and carefully in this area.

Building Maintenance

Susie Heyman stated that this is an area in dire need of funding. At the same time, the community has made a commitment to the high school project. They have to balance the needs of both areas, as they are equally important.

Anne Larner added that capital money has been unpredictable and charter maintenance has been used as a backup. She hopes they can work collaboratively with the City in assessing the needs of the facilities, in order to develop a predictable revenue stream. In the meantime, she would ask the Superintendent to use his best judgement to work towards the 2% standard that was mentioned in the report.

Program

Anne Larner commented that what was most important to her in the discussions they have held around this topic, was the notion of cohesiveness and the fact that there are some areas that are lacking or missing from the overall program, such as fine arts and comprehensive health. She would like the Superintendent to develop plans that build the program to a whole in a sequential manner, but not necessarily in one year's time.

Anne Borg commented on the fact that younger students face different issues today than in the past. They need to review the services and program at this level.

Anne Larner has some ambivalence about world language in terms of the program being sustainable. She would like the Superintendent to review this area and determine whether or not they can produce a valuable program that they can afford to support. The last thing she would want to do would be to reinstate something that they are then forced to cut when faced with difficult fiscal realities.

Dori Zaleznik does not believe they are going to be able to afford this program next year and that perhaps they should be focusing on a longer-range goal for reinstating world language.

Verne Vance commented that key to a language program is to provide opportunities for the use of that language outside of the one hour a week in the classroom. Otherwise it becomes simply an interesting subject to study, but not a real linguistic use of the language.

Rodney Barker is troubled by the percentage of Newton students who are not literate.

Carolyn Wyatt, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, noted that this is why they are requesting assistance to support these students and why they have developed the literacy pilot programs. This is not something solely related to Newton, but is a national issue. The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam has helped them to identify the deficiencies and the students at risk.

Susie Heyman stated that this points to one of the reasons they need to address graduation requirements, because students are being under-served when they are not choosing to take academic courses beyond the requirements.

Susan Albright mentioned that they have not had sufficient time to realize the fruits of many of the new initiatives that are still in their infancy stages, such as the academic challenge coordinator's position, literacy pilot programs, small classes, etc.

Nancy Levine and Verne Vance both commented on the large number of students entering community colleges who require remedial reading courses.

Jeff Young stated that they will docket a discussion for a future meeting regarding this issue so that they can discuss the topic in more depth.

Anne Borg expressed concerns about the elimination of the Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (DARE) program.

Carolyn Wyatt replied that they are working on a K-12 health and wellness sequence, which hopefully will include many of the good pieces of the DARE program. Unfortunately, research indicated that while DARE was effective in making connections between police officers and students, it did not result in the outcomes that were hoped for in its goals in terms of prevention.

Susan Albright turned the discussion to the linkages between the various topics and the need to make sure that each supports the other. For example, increases in the area of technology must be accompanied by sufficient support staff.

Dori Zaleznik would like to see the budget begin with improvements in areas that have consistently been underfunded. They need a long-range plan that addresses the topics in a multi-year phase because they cannot accomplish everything in one year.

Anne Larner agrees and noted that she is most comfortable with developing a plan and then fitting the budget within those goals. The upcoming economic situation is going to be difficult. She would like to see a realistic budget that takes this into account, and yet one that lays out a plan to address the needs of the school system for the future.

Verne Vance agreed that a vision of the program is appropriate and then the Superintendent can decide what is feasible within the available revenues in the first year, as a step toward realizing the overall plan.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.