The School Department is not proposing a wage freeze or furloughs for school personnel.
School officials touring and meeting with staff at Kiley Middle School at the start of the school year included Springfield Schools Superintendent Alan J. Ingram, left foreground. Behind him from left: Kenneth R. Luce, co-principal of Kiley, Maura O. Banta, chair of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester and and Alyson J. Lingsch, co-principal of Kiley.SPRINGFIELD – School Department officials have closed a projected $18.9 million budget gap for next fiscal year, saying they found cuts and efficiencies that can occur without harming classroom size and direct student services.
The budget update, which was presented to the School Budget and Finance Subcommittee on Wednesday, was far rosier than a projected $5.4 million city budget gap still facing city departments. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has asked city employees to accept a wage freeze and furloughs or said the city faces up to 120 layoffs and cuts in services.
The school budget, still being prepared, includes a reduction of about 85 teaching positions next fiscal year, and a reduction in non-teaching personnel not yet finalized, officials said.
However, teacher-student ratios are expected to remain the same due to factors including decreases in enrollment in some areas and program changes, according to Superintendent of Schools Alan J. Ingram and Assistant Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick.
The cuts in teaching positions can be accomplished primarily with retirements, unfilled vacancies, and not recalling teachers who have failed to meet their certification requirements or who have not performed well during their first three years of employment, Ingram said. There could be some layoffs, such as cases where a program is eliminated, officials said.
Proposals such as a wage freeze and furloughs are not on the table for school personnel, said Timothy J. Plante, chief financial officer.
The School Department will be sending out layoff notices to teachers before a May 15 deadline, which is contractually required if layoffs are possible. The goal would be to rescind those notices as soon as possible, officials said.
The budget, as currently projected, would accomplish the School Committee’s goal of keeping the cuts “as far away from the classroom as possible,” said committee member Christopher Collins.
Ingram expects to recommend a $311.9 million fiscal 2012 school budget next month, reflecting an increase of $17.4 million (5.9 percent) over the current budget. The budget does not include school transportation, funded in the city budget.
The school budget, which takes effect July 1, benefited from $275.4 million in state education aid (Chapter 70 funds), an increase of $12.7 million.
The state education aid increase for Springfield was based on factors including poverty rates, whereas many other communities received reductions in education aid.
Ingram, in preparing the budget with his advisory committee, faced challenges including:
• the loss of grant funds totaling $26 million that will expire on June 30
• a 3.5 percent increase in salaries
• budget increases for health insurance and pension costs.
The School Finance and Budget Subcommittee expects to meet again in mid-May to review the budget with more specifics available. The meeting would be followed by a School Committee budget hearing and a committee vote.
School Committee members Antonette Pepe and Peter Murphy attended Wednesday’s budget subcommittee meeting.
Pepe said she wants to see the specifics to determine if there are any cuts in the classroom and wants to ensure the classrooms, students and teachers receive their supplies and classroom size is maintained.
Murphy praised the elimination of the budget gap and the effort to keep the cuts away from the classroom.