Newton Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Anna Nolin asked for more NPS funding at a Programs and Services Committee meeting on Wednesday.
Representatives and staff from NPS conveyed their doubts and worries that programs or initiatives needed to assist students are far from reach financially.
“That’s money we don’t have,” Hurley said.
Nolin spoke about how state funding for NPS was supposed to cover certain costs in the district, but that money is not sufficient.
“Under the Student Opportunities Act, which came about a few years ago, we were promised and expected 75 percent reimbursement on those transportation and special education costs, but indeed, we have only received 44 percent from the state,” Nolin said.
Nolin requested funding for programs like the revision of academic curriculum, mental health support, supply of technological advancements in schools, as well as the transition to electric school buses.
The expanded mental health support staff was a result of the teachers strike that took place last January.
City Council members maintained that the mayor has increased funding for the schools every year, so that money should be enough to pay for school programs.
“Since Major [Ruthanne] Fuller has been mayor since the 2018 budget, we have increased the school department budget by $59 million and that’s not including that $4 million of the stabilization fund that we utilize this year,” Newton Committee Clerk Jaclyn Norton said. “That’s an average annual increase of 2.85 percent per year for the school department budget.”
Nolin countered that the rate of funding hasn’t kept up with the needs of the schools, even though funding has technically increased over time.
“In the two years prior to my arrival, there was a significant reduction in personnel, upwards of 45 individual positions, and we can say that the budget has increased 3.85 percent and indeed it has, but expenses have consistently outpaced that,” Nolin said. “But in order to address just our contractual obligations each year is a 4.2 percent increase, so a 3.5 percent increase constitutes cuts.”
Nolin said the schools need more money to expand and improve on their programs.
“In order for students to thrive, we are going to have to continue to revise our curriculum programs, reduce student learning gaps and expand mental health supports and in the future, we hope to grow hearts, minds, and bonds for students,” Nolin said.
