Stoughton Schools Proposed FY13 Budget

While the dollar amounts proposed throughout the budgeting process fluctuated, the for the is for the same amount that was approved by the school committee back in December.

The proposed FY13 budget for the Stoughton Public Schools is just north of $37.7 million ($37,701,774), an increase of $1,766,120 or 4.91% from the that was approved at last year's Town Meeting.

The budget has been termed a “level service budget,” striving to maintain the services currently offered by the school department.

The main goals of the budget, according to a document released by the schools include:

• Maintenance of current services programs and class sizes.
• No elimination of Extra-Curricular activities or increase in fees.
• Address concerns (adding a library/media center specialist at ).
• Return teachers to budget from expiring government grants.

For three years, federal stimulus grants helped to maintain 14.2 teaching positions (which equates to 13 full-time and 2 part-time positions), but since these grants have expired, the School Department has decided to add these positions back into their operating budget.

The budget proposes eliminating a library aide at Stoughton High School and replacing that position with a full-time librarian. The lack of a full-time librarian was a concern of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in its accreditation evaluation of the school.

Another change proposed in the budget is the creation of two administrative positions - a curriculum design specialist for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and a curriculum design specialist for the humanities.

These administrative additions are part of a proposed reorganization, which includes eliminating the position of department heads/directors at the high school in place of "head teachers." A social studies teaching position at SHS is also eliminated as part of this reorganization.

The school budget document states that the reorganization will provide "better vertical articulation of curriculum" for grades 6-12.

According to the budget document:

"The proposed reorganization achieves several goals at the same time.  The NEASC report advised the administration to provide leadership for each subject area in the high school.  The model of Head Teacher, used at the middle school, gives each department a leader, while at the same time putting experienced teachers back in the classroom...the two new staff members will be responsible for providing leadership in their curricular areas of expertise from Pre-k through 12th grade, providing better vertical articulation in the curriculum, better communication across the district about curriculum, and a unified approach to the switch to the new Common Core curriculum standards." 

According to the budget document, the average per student expenditure statewide is $13,055. Stoughton spends $11,605 per student.

The school’s complete budget document is posted in the media gallery above. It is also available by clicking here.