Q. What was last year's budget increase?
A. The 2019-20 budget increase last year was 2.5%. The Board of Finance allowed for the additional funding of OPEB and pension and after the Board of Education approved a 2.2% budget, the Board of Finance raised it to 2.5%.
Q. What guideline has the Board of Finance (BOF) given for operating expenditures in 2020-21?
A. The BOF has given the BOE and the town a guideline of 2.5%.
Q. What is an FTE?
A. FTE is the abbreviation for full-time equivalent. An FTE represents the equivalent of one full-time staff position and can be one individual or various part-time assignments equaling one position.
Q. As student enrollment decreases are we reducing the number of teachers?
A. In the 2019-20 school year, student enrollment increased by 7 students, the majority at Latimer Lane School (19 students) and Squadron Line School (16 students). This is a total of 24 students above our projection. K-6 enrollment increased by 49 students, Grade 7-8 enrollment increased by 23 students, and Grade 9-12 decreased by 65 students.
Over the past 10 years, overall enrollment has declined from 4,908 to 4,025 a reduction of 883 students. During this same time period the decline in staffing was 53.31 FTE. Our projected enrollment for 2020-21 is 4,025 which demonstrate no change compared to the current year, with SHS enrollment continuing to decline and K-6 enrollment continuing to increase. We are recommending a corresponding reduction of 3.0 FTE at SHS.
Q. Have you considered reconfiguring the school buildings in light of the enrollment decline?
A. We continue to work with Tecton Architects as they develop the Facilities Master Plan and Reconfiguration Study. Alternative proposals will be reviewed by the Facilities & Enrollment Task Force during the winter and further community input will be collected. The Board of Education will make decisions in the spring as to the plan for school facilities going forward.
Q. Are the course offerings at SHS examined each year?
A. Yes. Each year, Department Supervisors and the Principal review the Program of Studies and the Learning Clusters booklet and make needed adjustments to course offerings. Over the last several years, many classes have been eliminated from the Program of Studies and replaced with more relevant offerings that emphasize 21st Century Skills, such as Engineering, Biomedical Science and Financial Literacy.
Q. With the BOE budget increases no more than 2% over the past 10 years, has the school district been able to enhance or add any programs?
A. During these lean budgets the school district introduced full day Kindergarten, the Simsbury Reading Intervention Program (SRIP), expansion of the World Language program at the elementary level and the move to an 8 period day at SHS and HJMS. In addition staffing has been added in the form of Math Instructional Coaches, special education teachers, special education paraeducators, elementary social workers, a high school social worker, preschool support and a Ready, Set, Go program facilitator. We have also increased access to the SHS Learning Clusters. We now have a 1:1 Chromebook program for students at SHS and HJMS.
Q. Have we done anything to reduce the cost of employee benefits?
A. Beginning in 2014-15, the BOE has offered a High Deductible Health Plan and those who choose to continue to participate in the HMO or PPO must pay the difference between what the BOE would have paid in premium plus the applicable BOE payment to offset the deductible amount for the HDHP in addition to the cost of participating in the HMO or PPO. All new employees hired only have the HDHP option available to them. For those employees who are pension eligible, beginning on July 1, 2013 all new employees will be enrolled in a Defined Contribution Retirement Plan rather than a Defined Benefit Retirement Plan.
Q. Why do we fund a Non-Public School budget?
A. CT General Statues, Section 10-217 requires each town which provides health and welfare services for children attending the public schools shall provide the same health and welfare services for children attending private schools therein, not conducted for profit, when a majority of the children attending the private schools are from the State of Connecticut. This results in the Simsbury Board of Education providing school nurse and psychological services to St. Mary’s School, The Masters School, and the Cobb School. CT General Statues, Section 10-281, concerning provisions for bus transportation for children attending qualifying private schools requires that the same kind of transportation services provided for public school children is provided for children attending private schools when the majority of children attending those schools are from the State of Connecticut. The Simsbury Board of Education buses Simsbury children attending St. Mary’s School and provides mileage reimbursement to parents of Simsbury children attending The Masters School, Cobb School, Westminster School and Ethel Walker School.
Q. Does the Nutrition Services Department generate revenue for the school district?
A. The Nutrition Services Department operates as a separate cost center with a separate budget and is a self-funded program. The Board of Education budget includes a contribution of 10% of the Director of Food Services salary.
Q. How does Simsbury’s per pupil expenditure compare to area towns and the state?
A. In 2018-19 Simsbury’s per pupil expenditure was $17,451. We ranked 13th out of 21 DRG B towns. The state average is $18,791. Simsbury ranks 94th out of 169 towns in the state.
Q. How much are the pay-to-participate and parking fees at the high school and how is this revenue utilized?
A. The fees collected from students for parking at Simsbury High School are utilized to pay for the student activity late buses from our secondary schools as well as the annual cost of maintenance / repairs to the high school parking lot which includes line striping, repair of winter damage, etc. The fees may also be used to support student activities at the high school. The student parking fee is $150.00 per year. The interscholastic athletic pay-for-play fees are utilized to support certain costs of the interscholastic athletic program at Simsbury High School which are not funded in the Board of Education operating budget including contest fees and officials, equipment and supplies. The pay-for-participation fee is $175 per student per sport with a family maximum of $700. Special assessments for ice hockey and swimming do not count toward the family maximum. These assessments are used toward the payment of the rental of practice facilities for these sports.
Q. What happens if the budget fails at the first referendum?
A. Simsbury Town Charter Section 910: The Board of Finance, in cooperation with the First Selectman, shall revise the annual budget, or portion thereof, which has been rejected at the referendum, as the case may be, and present it at a subsequent Town Meeting for discussion and an additional referendum for acceptance. Such subsequent Town Meeting and additional referendum shall be scheduled by the Board of Selectmen. If the budget remains unaccepted after such reconsideration meeting and referendum, the budget adopted for the then current fiscal year shall be deemed to be the temporary budget for the forthcoming fiscal year and expenditures may be made on a month-to-month basis in accordance therewith, until such time as the referendum finally adopts a new budget. Most often, if the budget does not pass it is lowered rather than increased.
