Moorestown’s Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, March 8 saw the approval of the 2016–2017 school year budget on first reading with a 6–1 vote. It is predicted the general fund expenditures for the 2016–2017 school year will total around $68 million, with school taxes for the average assessed home of $446,500 increasing $208.62 per year.
For 2016–2017, expenditures for the general fund total around $68 million, which is a 3.67 percent increase over the 2015–2016 school year. Including debt service and special expenses, the complete total is $74.6 million
The total tax levy is $65.2 million, which is a 2.93 percent increase over 2015–2016. This includes the use of a 2 percent tax levy at $1.17 million; the Spending Growth Limitation Adjustment, which allows for the expansion of the 2 percent cap for health-care costs, at $536,177; banked cap at $266,578 from the 2013–2014 school year; and a reduction of $116,875 from the Debt Service Fund.
The 2013–2014 school year has a banked cap totaling $742,894. There is $476,316 that will not be used, as it is expiring this year. After that, there is no banked cap available for MTPS’ use.
Employee salaries make up a majority of the expenditures, totaling $41.5 million. The rest of the budget is made up of employee benefits and other expenses, with benefits for the 2016–2017 year predicted at a 6.5 percent increase.
According to interim superintendent Carole Butler, the proposed budget supports the maintenance of current programs and extracurricular offerings. Additions include enhanced academic course offerings at the high school and middle school, requiring no new staff; completion of the 1:1 technology plan for grades six to 12; implementation of Next Generation Science Standards for grades six to 12; initial implementation of strategic plan goals; and an upgrade of the robotic program. Staffing additions include requests for two full-time and one part-time special education teachers, two technology specialists, a special projects manager and a development manager.
Reductions to staff include a part-time pre-K teacher, two sixth-grade teachers and two seventh-grade teachers. The reason for these reductions is declining enrollment.
At the previous BOE meeting, business administrator Lynn Shugars said in 2012 regular student enrollment was 3,592, and in 2015 it went down to 3,343. However, the special education student enrollment has had an increase from 477 in 2012 to 567 in 2015.
Revenues outside of the tax levy include budgeted fund balance, state aid and miscellaneous revenues. The budgeted fund balance is $1.5 million. State aid for MTPS in 2016–2017 is $3.78 million, which is $81,345 more than last year.
To help gain more revenue for the school district, revenue generation ideas were created for the 2016–2017 budget. Those ideas included in the budget are extended day programs, accepting tuition students, expansion of the Academy of Excellence and Summer Enrichment programs, and development projects. Projections of those revenues are $661,639.
The presentation of the budget can be found at the MTPS website, www.mtps.com.
Board vice president Brandon Pugh voted “no” and board members Albert Panzarella and Ann Marie Reyher were not in attendance. Pugh said his reasoning to vote against the budget was the use of banked cap and not acting on savings for future budgets now, such as alternatives to the technology plan.
“We were presented with several options for potential changes for reductions and cost efficiencies, and they were never elaborated on. I felt we were backed into a corner to approve the budget without knowing the impact,” Pugh said.
The initial submission for the budget was March 22. A public hearing will be held between April 25 and May 9. Changes can be made between the initial submission and the public hearing. The final approval is set for May 2 at the William Allen Middle School media center beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The next regular BOE meeting is April 19 at WAMS at 7:30 p.m.
In other news:
• Kahra Buss of Live Civilly gave a presentation to the BOE asking it be an official off-board organization to the district. It has organized food drives and educational outreach programs within the schools since its beginning in 2011, focusing on getting youth involved with volunteerism. If the board is in favor of Live Civilly becoming an off-board member, it will be on the next BOE agenda for approval.
• The High School Talent Show is on April 21 at 7 p.m. All proceeds will be donated to charity.
• Moorestown sixth graders raised more than $6,000 to help underdeveloped communities in India get clean water.
• A policy on first reading was introduced and passed, addressing transgender students. Following the state and federal law, transgender students were added as a protected class to the equity in educational programs and services policy. Those who identify as transgender, and parents of children who identify as transgender, are asked to speak to WAMS Principal Matthew Keith to learn how that individual will be accommodated.
• A policy was passed on second reading, adding student representatives to the board.
