School Budget for the Fiscal Year
July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005
Executive Summary
February 5, 2004
To: North Andover Community
From: Daniel J. Murphy, Chairman, North Andover School Committee
Topic: Adopted FY05 Budget
This level-service budget provides for the continuation of existing programs in the North Andover Public Schools. In approving this budget, we have been careful to make sure that this budget addresses:
- Goals and objectives of the North Andover Public Schools;
- Federally mandated No Child Left Behind;
- State mandated Education Reform Act of 1993;
- Information that the Superintendent received through his entry plan (fall of 2003);
- Increases in utilities and salaries;
- Realistic funding for students with special needs;
- Increases in transportation;
- Budget adjustments that reflect enrollment increases at the High School.
Our approved level-service budget for 2004-2005 totals $33,117,300, which represents an increase of $3,194,247 or 10.67% over the FY04 budget. A level-service budget is defined as a budget of the same amount as the previous year plus cost increases for known contracts or obligations (salaries, special education, transportation and utilities/heat). The FY04 requested budget was an 8.3% increase over the budget for FY03. The large difference between FY04 and FY05 is an attempt to, first, eliminate annual deficits in the special education department and then budget for more realistic expenses and projected costs. The FY05 budget reflects adjustments for student population movement and realistic funding for special education to prevent a deficit in this account. The School Department projects that the North Andover Public Schools will see a Preschool-Grade 12 enrollment for 2004-2005 of approximately 4,403 students, as projected by NESDEC (April 2003), an increase of 44 students since the fall of 2003.
Guidelines
After receiving input from the community at large, the following guidelines were used in developing this budget:
- Whenever possible, maintain reasonable pupil-teacher ratios in accordance with historical practices and educational research as it applies to the North Andover Public Schools;
- Relocate full-day and half-day kindergarten students (swap buildings) to accommodate more parents who desire full-day kindergarten and to more fully utilize space in our schools;
- Provide equal educational opportunities for all students Preschool-Grade 12;
- Maintain the Preschool, K, 1-5; 6-8; 9-12 grade configuration, philosophy and structure;
- Maintain a reasonable level of support services in all programs;
- Fund curriculum initiatives whenever possible;
- Provide a clean, safe and healthy educational learning environment in all schools.
Taken as a whole, the effect of these guidelines is to provide a level-service budget for the North Andover Public School Department. There is little room for unanticipated expenses such as those associated with unexpected enrollment increases, additional special education placements, or overruns in utility costs.
Minimal Budget Increases
The $3,194,247 increase represents the amount of money that the North Andover School Department will need to cover increased expenses in salaries (which includes columns, steps, stipends and a percentage increase); special education (which includes tuition and transportation costs for four unanticipated out-of-district students), and costs for regular education transportation and utilities.
Page Last Modified Mon 07-16-2007 22:04