Stamford Ed. Budget Places Priorities on Staff, Benefits, World Language

The Stamford Board of Education is now prepared to let the public evaluate their 2012-2013 budget for local schools.

"This budget has everything," SPS interim superintendent Winifred Hamilton told Patch. "Our request is for a $237 million budget...I think the high point is that 95% of the budget costs are fixed costs; contracts, benefits, and we can't alter that. I think staff did a wonderful job in cutting $2.4 million in efficiencies, we didn't eliminate any staff members, which I'm very proud of."

BOE's proposed 2012-2013 budget may be to the advantage of SPS staff:

2011-2012 Ed. Budget Dispersal

Supplies, Materials, and Heating Fuels

Equipment

Dues and Fees

SPS employees will further benefit through a mandated 17% drop in pension costs for non-certified staff. Specifically, 32.5% of the SPS operating budget will go towards core instruction while 15.6% will go towards special education.

The BOE was able to reduce their 2012 budget increase projections, made in 2011, from 4.9% to 3.49% due to "aggressive analysis", according to BOE's proposal.

"Everything, you'll notice, is either status quo or slightly decreased," SPS Chief Academic Officer Mona Hanna said during a budget presentation to the BOE Fiscal Committee. "Some of the money is moved from the BOE budget to the General Electric grant...we moved some of the positions to the GE grant," Hanna said after the meeting.

As far as single programs, the BOE has decided to support to Elementary World Language, health education, and pre-K education as major new initiatives.

"With a $237 million budget, we should be able to do World Lanugage," Hamilton said.

According to BOE budget projections, they plan to save $100,000 by placing a cap on custodial overtime, and $381,000 through new "energy saving initiatives."

"This is the second-lowest budget in ten years, that we're coming in at. Keeping with our strategic plan, keeping with our increase of 1.9% increase for staffing, because of enrollment, of staffing...I think it's a very fiscally responsible budget," Hamilton said.

A public hearing for the proposed budget will be held on Feb. 2, 2012 at the Stamford Government Center, with a vote on the budget to take place on Feb. 16.