April 17, 2008
Bridgewater
Raynham
Easton
East Bridgewater
West Bridgewater
Massachusetts
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Bridgewater-Raynham Schools
Massachusetts
USA
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
You can do something!
The B-R School Committee met earlier this evening for a Public Forum. A presentation on the budget was made that included the evolution of the budget to its March 26th voted amount, comparisons of spending in many categories against Regional School averages and State averages, and information on the proposed budget reduction by joint Bridgewater Selectmen & Bridgewater Advisory Board budget allocation recommendation. After the presentation, there was about an hour of questions & answers from the community.
{Click here to download the PowerPoint presentation}
Bridgewater is proposing an allocation of about $19.9M, leaving a shortfall tothe requested amount of $275,000. Because of the Regional Agreement and the requirement that both communities provide proportional funding shares, Raynham would also reduce (from our requested amount) by $160,816. Combined, this means a reduction in the B-R Operating budget by $435,816 for FY2009. The following are the recommended budget adjustments should this lower assessment number be voted by the two towns:
(a) Eliminate seven full-day Educational Assistants for Kindergarten
(b) Eliminate nineteen part-time Educational Assistants for Grade 1
(c) Eliminate two proctor positions (provide variety of security and coverage functions)
(d) Eliminate funding for Middle School Graduation ceremonies; does not eliminate the event, only the funds
Comparisons to Regional Schools and State averages are useful not to say "see, we should spend more". Simply spending additional funds to reach a number does not accomplish anything. The main focus is, and should be, how should the B-R School District operate in order to continually improve the education of its 6000 students. Sometimes these improvements cost additional money, and sometimes it is just a change in the way things are done. What a comparison to Averages does demonstrate is that if an individual believes that B-R is providing a quality education, then doing so with less than 'average' funding means that the process is well-run. That realization leads to trust in the elected leaders and appointed administration team (Superintendent, etc...)
