2024-02-01-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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2/1/2024 AC Minutes 3 net decrease of 8.61 FTEs (full-time equivalents). This is the result of a reduction of 28.53 FTEs for baseline educational needs, combined with the addition of 8.20 FTEs due to enrollment, the addition of 10.73 FTEs from mandates (legal requirements or contractual obligations), and the addition of 1.00 FTE for PE/Health. In the enrollment category, eight of the FTEs are system-wide unallocated slots held open for unpredictable shifts in enrollment. Mr. Bartenstein asked for the current total FTEs in the school system. The following slides showed 1,232 FTEs for teachers, part of a total of roughly 2,260 FTEs for FY2025. Mr. Bartenstein com- mented that the trend over the past ten years has been a steady increase in FTEs, and he asked what was driving that trend. Dr. Hackett stated that special education was the primary driver, combined with in-migration, meaning families moving into the system. Some children arrived with little or no formal schooling or they have significant disabilities, and thus require intensive support. There are also 30 new immigrant families with children who are being sheltered in Lexington, again with lim- ited exposure to formal schooling. Mr. Bartenstein asked if the growth in the number of FTEs would start to level off at some point. Dr. Hackett responded that she is concerned because, for example, one existing special education program has grown so much that it had to be split into two different sites. The program is now full, but more children who require special education services continue to arrive. Mr. Bartenstein asked if special education is outpacing the overall growth of the school operating budget. Dr. Hackett agreed and asked Mr. Coelho to confirm it. He stated that roughly one third of the operating budget goes to special education programs now, and that it is growing, but he would need to examine the budget history to properly capture the trend. Dr. Hackett stated that the school system has reduced funding in areas where it made sense, such as the middle school team sizes, which were smaller during the pandemic and have now been enlarged, resulting in a reduction of 7 or 8 FTEs at Clarke and Diamond Middle Schools. She also noted that the system attempts to place existing staff whose positions are eliminated into newly created posi- tions. Mr. Padaki asked if the school system still published a more detailed enrollment projection chart. Mr. Coelho responded that the budget document contains a detailed “cohort survival” chart. Mr. Levine asked about the projected reduction in special education FTEs for FY2025. Mr. Coelho responded that the reductions were the result of transitions, e.g., to higher grade levels, or students exiting the school system. Mr. Levine asked if it was fair to say that the quality of special education services has not been reduced, but the number of staff required to provide those services in the com- ing year is lower. Mr. Coelho agreed. Mr. Levine noted that this was a reversal from the overall growth trend over the 5 or so years. Mr. Coelho agreed, adding that the school system had added a lot of special education staff in FY2023 and FY2024, and that it was possible to reduce some staff while maintaining service levels. Dr. Hackett added that she fully expected those staffing levels to change due to new arrivals. Mr. Coelho presented a chart giving a breakdown of staffing changes by bargaining unit. Mr. Bar- tenstein commented that different FTEs will have different costs in the budget. Mr. Coelho agreed, saying that each employee’s salary depends on classification, years of service, and experience. Mr. Bartenstein suggest that special education aides are probably at the low end of the salary scale, so adding more of them has a lower impact than adding senior teachers. Mr. Coelho agreed but noted that benefits were not affected by pay level, and benefits impact the Town’s Shared Expenses budget.