Misconceptions about public education
A two- part question and answer regarding an override

As part of an explanation about expenses and costs related to public education, Superintendent of School Michael Zapantis has submitted a two-part piece, the second part is published in this issue of The Community Journal and the first part was published in last week's issue of The Journal.

The following bulleted items represent a brief overview of questions and answers raised by community members with respect to the school committees request for an operating override. A ballot vote is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007.

If you have additional questions please contact the superintendent of schools at (978) 827-1434 or e-mail: mzapantis@ awrsd.org

What impact will 32 reduction notices have on the school district?

• 15 teachers; 9 paraprofessionals; 4 custodians and 4 secretaries. (32 staff) • Larger class sizes. • Fewer necessary course offerings • Decreased services to students and parents. • Evening school building availability will be decreased. • No health program Briggs, Meetinghouse and Westminster Elementary schools. • No computer technology at MH and WES.

• No computer technology at Overlook.

• Fewer English, business, foreign language, math and science teachers at Oakmont.

Explain unfunded (or under-funded) mandates?

• Requirements by law without any or without appropriate funds for implementation.

• Special education transportation and direct/support services for children. The federal government was supposed to fund 40 percent of the costs for Special Education. Next year's federal budget appropriation proposal will be approximately 12 percent. And neither the state nor the federal government has approved any reimbursement for Special Education transportation.

• Regional School Transportation (K-12) - The state continues to fail fully funding this legislation, but holds regional districts such as AWRSD accountable to provide transport for all students living more than 1.5 miles from school.

• Administrative time and AWRSD budget dollars consumed with state reports such as coordinated program review and educational quality assessment. There are currently 15 state audit reports, which we must submit to because state agencies choose not to share the data with each other.

• Educating children from ages 3-21.

• State testing and re-testing (MCAS)

• NCLB (No Child Left Behind) has been vastly under funded by the federal government since its inception. Several components of the law are in conflict with state requirements, meaning we can meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) by one group's measuring tool, but fail to make AYP by the other group's (costing administrative time and AWRSD budget dollars).

How has the second override request changed from the first override request?

• First override attempt: Ashburnham $498,603 and Westminster $729,309. • Second override attempt: Ashburnham $313,687 and Westminster $492,459.

• First override attempt was for a level services (same as FY07) budget.

• Second override attempt eliminates the curriculum renewal cycle and professional development.

• Strategic plan is seriously compromised as the curriculum renewal cycle and improved student achievement are tied together. Curriculum alignment will suffer.

• Recalls 32 staff positions which required June 15 layoff notification (See above bullet).

• Maintains 100 percent of co-curricular programming.