2009-2010 Budget
Budget Review: Special education, health & guidance services
March 11, 2009
At the March 9 Mohonasen budget review session, Assistant Superintendent for Business Denise Swezey presented the budget numbers for the areas of special education, health and guidance services. See powerpoint presentation (PDF)
But before doing that, she briefly discussed the federal stimulus package and what it means for the district. The funding, authorized by President Obama in February, will most likely come in two forms – grand funding and stabilization funding.
The grant funding will most likely come in two forms – $138,052 in Title I monies and $706,000 for IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act). Swezey said this funding will be on top of the Title I and IDEA grand money the district already receives. Additionally, she said, district officials are hearing that half of the new money can be used for current programs, while the other half must be used for new programs.
As for the stabilization funding, Swezey said that Governor Paterson has indicated that it will be used to make up for proposed cuts in state aid. However, it is still unclear if that means it will eliminate the deficit reduction assessment the governor has proposed. Learn more about the stimulus money and what it could mean for Mohonasen.
Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Spring also noted that school officials have been warned that this additional federal funding will only be available for the next two school years and that districts should be careful not to "fall off the cliff in two years." She also said that state and federal officials have suggested that districts use the stimulus money to fund positions that "aren't necessary," because they may have to be eliminated in two years. See press release from the United States Department of Education.
Special Education
As with other areas of the budget, Swezey said that when it comes to special education, Mohonasen continues to try and be as efficient as possible. Officials review each student's needs and all in-house, public and private services on an annual basis. Sometimes in-house programs are created to better serve a student and save the district some money.
District officials make sure that each special education student is tracked to ensure the district is receiving the maximum state aid possible. Swezey added that the district also coordinates the transportation of special education students will other districts, which results in an additional savings to the district.
Swezey presented the following information relating to special education.
Note: Please keep in mind that these are only preliminary budget numbers, which could change between now and when the board of education adopts the final budget in April.
| Students with disabilities | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
| Total students with disabilities | 431 | 415 |
| Students with disabilities in BOCES | 17 | 19 |
| Students with disabilities in private placements | 12 | 14 |
| Bradt (related & consultant services/resource room/language concepts/behavioral skills/developmental skills) |
101 | 82 |
| Pinewood (related & consultant services/resource room/academic skills or special class/developmental & behavioral skills) |
105 | 94 |
| Draper (Related & consultant services/resource room/academic skills or special class/developmental & behavioral skills) |
97 | 84 |
| High School (related & consultant services/resource room/academic skills or special class/developmental skills |
99 | 122 |
Special Education Director Karla Empie said that the district has seen an increase in special education students in the last few months. Overall, she said, about 13 percent of Mohonasen students have special needs. This percentage, she said, is slightly lower than that of many area districts.
| Expenditures | Acct. | 2008-09 Budget | 2009-10 Budget | Incr./Decr. |
| Students with disabilities | A2250 | |||
| Other Expense | .400 | $185,902 | $161,035 | $(24,867) |
| Supplies | .450 | $1,500 | $1,500 | - |
| Tuition Private Placement | .470 | $626,845 | $774,092 | $147,247 |
| BOCES | .490 | $1,352,050 | $1,187,000 | $(165,050) |
| A2255 | ||||
| Salaries - Professional | .150 | $1569,786 | $1,464,621 | $(105,165) |
| Salaries - Support Staff | .160 | $190,793 | $214,903 | $24,110 |
| Net Increase/Decrease | $($123,725) | |||
Swezey pointed out that some of the fluctuations in the special education budget are due to grants that have either been added or those that have ended. She added that the district does receive state aid on some special education expenses.
In the line for tuition private placement, she pointed out that there is $120,000 for preschool special education costs. In his executive budget, Governor Paterson proposed that public school districts pay for 15 percent of total preschool special education costs, which previously had been paid for by the county and the state.
| Expenditures | Acct. | 2008-09 Budget | 2009-10 Budget | Incr./Decr. |
| Diagnostic Screening | A2816 | |||
| Salaries | .150 | $37,117 | $40,542 | $3,425 |
| Supplies | .450 | $2,500 | $2,500 | - |
| Psychological Services | A2820 | |||
| Salaries | .150 | $148,449 | $162,168 | $13,719 |
| Social Work | A2825 | |||
| Salaries | .150 | $150,899 | $189,548 | $38,649 |
| Other Expense | .400 | $10,391 | $12,000 | $1,609 |
| Pupil Personnel Services | A2830 | |||
| Salaries | .150 | $107,148 | - | $(107,148) |
| Salaries | .160 | $15,288 | $14,961 | $(327) |
| Net Increase/Decrease | $(50,073) | |||
The $107,148 decrease in salaries under pupil personnel services is due to attrition. Swezey pointed out that this year, Dr. Lin Severance, the district's pupil personnel administrator, left the district and that position will not be filled in the coming year.
Attendance, Guidance & Health Services
The following numbers were presented from the attendance and guidance budgets.
| Expenditures | Acct. | 2008-09 Budget | 2009-10 Budget | Incr./Decr. |
| Attendance | A2805 | |||
| Salaries | .160 | $42,882 | $43,991 | $1,109 |
| Guidance | A2810 | |||
| Salaries Professional | .150 | $481,649 | $540,794 | $59,145 |
| Salaries Support Staff | .160 | $97,451 | $102,220 | $4,769 |
| Contractual & Other | .400 | $500 | $250 | $(250) |
| Travel | .406 | $500 | $250 | $(250) |
| Supplies | .450 | $2,600 | $2,600 | - |
| Net Increase/Decrease | $64,523 | |||
| Expenditures | Acct. | 2008-09 Budget | 2009-10 Budget | Incr./Decr. |
| Health Services | A2815 | |||
| Salaries - FT | .151 | $31,982 | $34,421 | $2,439 |
| Salaries - PT | .160 | $198,246 | $206,876 | $8,630 |
| Travel & Conference | .406 | $560 | $560 | - |
| Equipment Repair | .408 | $850 | $850 | - |
| Private & Parochial Exp. | .411 | $55,000 | $65,000 | $10,000 |
| Supplies | .450 | $8,550 | $8,550 | - |
| Net Increase/Decrease | $21,069 | |||
Swezey noted that the health services part of the budget includes the district physician, nurses and health office assistants. In addition, the salaries for the nurses are included in the teachers contract, which has not yet been settled, meaning that the 2009-10 salary numbers are only estimates at this point.
Questions & Discussion
At the end of the budget review session, one member of the audience asked about the general support part of the budget – specifically the salary for the assistant superintendent for business. The 2008-09 projected expense for this line item is $106,835 and the proposed budget number for 2009-10 is $116,020. It was asked if this more than $10,000 increase is just in the salary of the assistant superintendent for business.
Swezey, who happens to be the the assistant superintendent for business, responded that the simple answer to this question is no. The proposed budget number includes contractual items like life insurance, a tax sheltered annuity, vacation payout and other items that may not result in an actual expense for the district, but that have to be budgeted for just the same. The actual salary increase, Swezey said, is projected to be less than 3.5 percent.
The next budget review session, scheduled for March 23 at 6 p.m. in the Farnsworth Technology Center, will cover instruction, staffing and employee benefits. At this time, district officials are hoping to have more information on the federal stimulus money and what it means for the district.
Two weeks after that, on April 6 at 6 p.m., revenues and a budget recap will be presented. The board of education is expected to adopt the proposed budget on April 20.
