BOE Details District Salaries, Special Services for 2012-2013

The announced last night that the proposed district budget for the 2012-2013 school year includes an estimated $497,996 increase in salaries and benefits, less than a one percent increase from the funds allotted for the same purpose in the budget for this school year.

A total of $70,576,193 is allotted for salaries and benefits in the proposed budget, which will be voted on at the Board’s meeting Tuesday night. It will then be submitted to the county for approval. The total represents 74 percent of the entire district budget.

The 2011-2012 budget allotted $70,078,197 for salaries and benefits, according to a presentation given by Business Administrator Vincent Yaniro. An estimated $868,000 is contributed by teachers toward health benefits, Yaniro said. This is the second year teachers are required to contribute 1.5 percent of their salary to the cost of health coverage, though some are required to contribute more. Yaniro said that, in addition to the mandatory teacher contributions, contract negotiations have also allowed the district to lower the amount it spends on benefits.

Superintendent Margaret Dolan discussed planned additions to the district staff, including two high school teachers, one high school guidance counselor and a part-time computer and technology education assistant at the intermediate level. Dolan said a counseling support position is also being added at the elementary level, though the position will not be full-time. She also said technology support staff will be added in some capacity, though the district has not yet specifically identified how.

Yaniro also said the proposed budget includes $21,617,248 allotted for special services, an increase of $760,881 from this year. The special services funding – which covers resource room programs, specialized programs and about 33 related services personnel – represents about 22.7 percent of the total district budget.

About 22 percent of the special services funding comes from sources other than the district’s operating budget. Federal grants, state aid and tuition received from out-of-district students using the services totals $5,158,325. Yaniro said the majority of the state aid the district receives is for special services.

The district includes 1,191 students classified to receive special services, which represents 18.8 percent of the total student population. Yaniro said that was about equal to the state average for districts of comparable socio-economic status.