Schools Eliminate 12 Positions in Budget Crunch; Super Hopes to Restore Most

Ten elementary school teacher positions and two more at the secondary level have been eliminated to close a $800,000 Middletown school budget shortfall, however the superintendent hopes to restore a majority of them.

Teacher retirements and attrition of these positions throughout the district prevented extensive layoffs, according to Patricia Charles, superintendent of Middletown Public Schools. In all, 73 pink slips were sent to city teachers in April as a precaution, to meet their contract renewal deadline, Charles says.

Ten positions were removed at the elementary level, including three teachers at Bielefield, Charles says. Two to three more teaching cuts are expected to be cut at the middle and high schools.

"We're still working on the secondary level," Charles says. Through attrition, six teachers are being called back, she says. "We are working to restore additional positions through continued renegotiation of contracts," Charles says. 

When the common council passed the 2013-14 budget on May16, the education budget was funded at $1,955,914, and the board was asked to use 49 percent, or $962,714. of its state-granted money to meet the regular budget expenses, Charles says. That left an $800,000 deficit that made layoffs necessary.

Connecticut has 30 Alliance Districts, including Middletown — those with the lowest district performance index scores statewide — and allocates millions in increased Education Cost Sharing funds to help these schools meet their goals. For non-tenured positions, Charles says, determining who to lay off, "has to do with certification, which is critical for teachers. We also consider past performance and the needs of the district."

For tenured staff, she explains, cuts are made by seniority — the last hired is the first to go.

Bielefield, Charles says, "is a school with high need and was designated as a Focus School this year. They are a priority for restoring staff."

Along with Woodrow Wilson Middle, Bielefield is one of two city schools with a state-mandated governance council. Such councils are created by state education reform law to enable parents, school staff, students and community leaders to improve student achievement in the state’s lowest performing schools, according to the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.

"My hope is that we will be able to bring a teacher back within the next couple of weeks," Charles explains. "We continue to look for savings within our budget and in contracts with outside vendors in order to minimize the impact of this difficult budget."

To help make up the remainder of the budget shortfall, Charles says, "The city will also help us through the use of [Local Capital Improvement Program] money and bonding for some of our capital expenditures including technology, improvement projects, security upgrades."

According to the state, LoCIP distributes funds to municipalities to reimburse the cost of eligible local capital improvement projects such as road, bridge or public building construction activities.

Middletown's education board is still renegotiating additional contracts to achieve savings, Charles says, as well as working to reduce the board’s budget by $1,885,285.  "All areas of the budget are being scrutinized," Charles says. 

Non-tenured teachers received layoff notices in April. Most teachers are receiving letters today, however, letting them know that their contracts will be renewed for 2013-2014.   

"The teachers we stand to lose are all excellent educators and a terrific loss to the district," Charles says. "Particularly in our neediest schools, the loss of teaching and support staff is a significant impediment to making progress in closing the achievement gap. We will continue to look at all areas of our budget to find the means to hold on to these educators."  

The additional mandates of the state’s new educator evaluation plan and Common Core State Standards add additional stressors to this year’s budget, Charles says.