Labella: BOE Strongly Supports TAG

I would like to emphasize that ALL members of the BOE strongly support the TAG program and had placed it as a priority prior to our vote on May 4. The BOE changed that priority ONLY after hearing the UNANIMOUS urging of the six elementary building principals that restoring four second grade teachers was a higher priority to the success of the elementary school student body as a whole than the 2.0 TAG teachers. With reluctance, on May 4 we voted to support the principals.

What the First Selectman did not tell you in his statement was that while the BOE did not specifically reinstate TAG or Freshman Sports, we instead voted 5-2 to use the $223,000 to fund teachers. We gave the Superintendent the flexibility to consult with the building principals to identify the areas where teachers are most needed. You may not be aware that in addition to the two TAG teachers, on May 4 the BOE also eliminated four teachers at the high school, one teacher at the alternate school, 2.5 teachers at the middle school, and one speech/language (special ed) teacher. These reductions were made as part of a much larger effort to implement the $2.55 million reduction to the total operating budget. Last night the BOE directed the Superintendent to consider every option and to make a determination of the teachers that should be funded based on what he believes to be in the best interests of the over 7,000 students in the system. After doing so, the Superintendent will report back to the BOE with his proposed allocation of the positions that can be funded with the $223,000.

The decision to use the $223,000 to fund teachers precluded our ability to fund Freshman Sports. All of the BOE members highly value Freshman Sports and were disappointed that we did not have the funds to allocate to the program. However, Mr. Kelly stated publicly that he intends to make a motion at the BOE meeting in July to direct the Superintendent to approach the Board of Finance and Town Council for a special appropriation to fund Freshman sports, Sophomore Football, and Girls Club Ice Hockey. Others on the Board have stated their intention to support such a move, and I support it as well.

As to the First Selectman’s suggestion that we use any anticipated surplus to fund TAG and Freshman Sports, it is unlawful for the BOE to carry funds from one fiscal year to the next, so we cannot allocate them to 2011-2012 programs. Should there be a surplus, on June 30 the funds will revert to the town’s General Fund. I hope that any such return of funds will encourage both the Board of Finance and the Town Council to approve a request for supplemental funding for Freshman Sports.

Regarding the BOE’s inability to fund TAG and freshman Sports when we received a $2 million increase, that increase simply was not enough to fund all the programs and personnel that we currently have in place. Specifically, the increase in health insurance is approximately $874,000, and the cost to reinstate the so-called “funding cliff” items that we removed from the 10-11 budget by using federal and state funding is another $1.2 million (go to http://www.trumbullps.org/budgets/2011-2012.pdf, p. 8; see the items in yellow). These two items use the entire increase provided by the First Selectman, with no funding available for contractual salary increases for the non-teacher bargaining units; a 3.5 percent increase in the contract for transportation (buses); updates in curriculum based on changes in state standards; as well as a few small but important plant projects.

The budget increases requested by the BOE are available at http://www.trumbullps.org/budgets/2011-2012.pdf starting at p. 17. The reductions made by the BOE should not have come as a surprise to any elected officials involved in the process. On March 1 the BOE provided a list of potential reductions based on different funding levels. A copy is attached; please note its depth and the large number of programs and personnel that are impacted. Throughout the process, from February through April, several hundred people spoke in favor of adding some funding back to the request, and more sent emails. In spite of this huge show of support, majorities on both the Board of Finance and Town Council refused to restore any funding to the BOE.

You can learn more about the process and recent history of the BOE budget by reading the ABCs of the Education Budget, available at http://www.trumbullps.org/budgets/TCG10.pdf . In addition, as part of next year’s budget process, I hope you will attend the BOE presentation of the budget in December, as well as Board of Finance and Town Council hearings and let your voice be heard.

Thank you again for your attention to this difficult matter. I hope this has helped clarify the situation.

Lisa Labella

Board of Education