The Standard Times reports that the School Committee and Superintendent are unable to come to terms on a new contract in this article. The sticking point, according to the second hand information of which I am aware, is compensation.
Mr. Lenz is quoted in the article saying the school department is funded at the minimum required level. That is not correct. Dartmouth schools are funded above the minimum required. Also, Town Meeting has provided hundreds of thousands for texts and technology above the budget. The Select Board has included $91K and $47K in the budget in addition to get the School Committee not to charge fees for high school transportation and activities. There is no question that the schools are funded at above the minimum required.
This leadership change also may be an opportunity to make some changes in the way that the school and town interact. The school business administrator is retiring this year as well. I would like to see the school business functions integrated into the town and the town's personnel functions integrated with the schools. The schools and town run separate and redundant purchasing and accounting functions. The town's personnel functions are not good and the schools, who have many more employees, do a better job. Combining these functions could save expense and give better services. The Town of Barnstable has successfully gone to this arrangement.
Another area that might be ripe for integration is custodial services. The school department has a much larger and more capable staff than the town does. The school department has licensed plumbers and electricians on their staff while the town does not. Town departments frequently have one or two employees which provide these services but are paid out of each departments budget. There may be opportunities for savings and efficiency there,
Finally, this might be a good time to look at regionalizing our schools. The obvious candidate for a regional partner is Westport. Combining our districts would save administration and transportation costs.
What do you think? Are any of these worth pursuing?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Dr. Russell and School Committee at loggerheads
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My understanding is that contract length and increased compensation were the issues. Puzzling from my end, given the job market. Perhaps Mr. Russell already has something else lined up? I feel he did a good job overall. I also would like to see this as an impetus to further consolidate and save the town some money.
And yet Barnstable manages to spend over $3,000/pupil (+-30%) more than Dartmouth does. Administratively Barnstable also spends more than 50% more per pupil than Dartmouth does as well. Where is the savings Mr. Trimble?
Why is Barnstable the benchmark? I worked in that area for many years and I heard many complaints from parents whose children were in their system. Why is spending per pupil a benchmark? You assume all spending is equally productive? Because you have a lot more administrative staff and expense means it must be a better school system? Can you provide comparable MCAS and college matriculation rates? If you do your homework you might be very surprised.
Hmmm.." the fiscal realities of minimum net school spending that we face and the limited funds available through state and local aid with future cuts...." mr Lenz didnt say we were at MNSS just very close....and should the towns financial picture head south again they will be.
last check 327 of 351 in per pupil spending....
use the school employees to do the towns work? when do they do their own? not a good idea to slap the town employees as inferior with an election coming up.....
Mr. Trimble, Bill, town selectman, you struck the target. You hit the bulls-eye portion of the big money beast, “SCHOOL SPENDING.” Don't attempt to kill this beast, just make it become more town friendly, or as you have indicated, cost effective across all town departments. Dartmouth tax payers are supportive of schools and did submit additional funding in the 2010/2011 school budget.
I agree with your thoughts, as they relate to combining school department resources and all town departments working together so that we can become more cost effective. Tax dollar spending on schools, D.P.W, and police are coming from the same tax payers pockets. You already know by my writing skill, or the lack of, that I've posted several comments toward your postings and not all my comments have been in your support or understanding, but, your concern for our town wide government spending, not your position on national or state issues, makes me believe that our town needs YOU on the town select board.
This is where the schools union WALL of protection will come down and slam your thoughts as it relates to having all town departments to work together, in the interest of saving money. The school department has licensed electricians, plumbers, and building inspectors for the sole purpose of school related operations, and they will not cooperate with any other town department(s).
YOU...are on the right track. But like all good intentions, the town department unions will attach you to a logging brace and run your ideas through the first tree cut or shall we say the trimming process.
Your a good man Bill...Monday night selectmen meeting, you politely looked into the eye of the Dartmouth tiger, and asked if you could please continue with your meeting. Dartmouth needs you.
I am not denigrating the performance of any employee, however having a license to do plumbing and electrical work allows you to do more.
My ideas have to do with reducing the cost of running town departments. Consolidating functions may save money. It is worth looking at the possibility.
Dartmouth has traditionally gotten better results and spent less than many districts. There are many reasons for student performance that have nothing to do with the amount of money spent per student. I have found that arguing expenditure and results is a futile exercise. Despite a school spending formula which provides roughly equal spending per pupil across the state, some schools continue to underperform which to me is not surprising. Other factors are at play which money to schools don't address.
The fact of the matter is the state funding formula increases town costs for education faster than Prop 2-1/2 allows revenue to grow. The result is that the school spending consumes an ever larger portion of town expenditures. Regional schools get extra money from the state which helps to stave off the crunch for a few more years. It doesn't solve the problem which can only be corrected by reducing the rate of change of school spending to one which town revenues can sustain, or increasing the state contribution to cover the amount that the school requirement exceeds town revenue.
Otherwise occasional Prop 2-1/2 overrides are needed to balance revenue and expense.
Just so you are aware, the 'schools' do in fact share personnel across 'town' lines when asked and have the time. School licensed electricians and plumbers (there are no school building inspectors as mentioned a previous postre) do sasist when asked.
Mr. Manuel Cordiero, school business manager, has always been the school building inspector. On any given day he is seen walking through one of the school buildings, checking out the school structure, class rooms, toilets, and teachers lunch rooms. He is also involve in school supplies, including but not limited to, teacher needs. Proper heating, building windows, and roofing are also among items being inspected by the school business manager. He is also in charge of all school bus transportation. This includes school bus routing and drivers. Just ask anyone who has worked in the school system, Mr. Cordiero is a frequent visitor.
Personally, I believe the next business manager should be of one person for all town departments not only schools. The biggest problem will come from the Massachusetts teachers association. I agree will Bill Trimble that much monies can be saved by purchasing and managing for a town wide business manager.
hey Bill...heard on the radio Barnstable adding all those little fees like we did a few years ago....trash...etc...hmmmm
hey Bill....who's going to pay to put the westport schools back together....they wont..failed override...no capital spending...school condemned...merge with them...no thank you.
Manny Cordeiro is not a school building inspector. The Town Building inspector inspects all schools and is the only one licensed to do so.
Dr. Russell's heart is not in Dartmouth. He should step down now. His posistion should be assumed by Ray Oswald while a search is conducted.
Few people in town have the qualifications for this job. Clearly Ray Oswald does. As a life long educator, real estate professional and unpaid commitee member for the town Ray is head and shoulders our most sensible option. Another goog choice for a more permanet administrator would be Rep. Quinn. But Ray Oswald should be giving a chance.
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