Some thoughts on why the school budget has increased over the past six years

At the recent Mayoral debate, one (or maybe more) of the candidates spoke at length aabout the factors "driving" school budget costs higher every year. I should say factor; there are several, but with the upcoming teacher's contract yet to be negotiated, the driver de jour seems to be teacher salaries. According to the analysis offered by the candidate, "the real raise" received by the teachers ranges from 3-11% annually, given the matrix that has been the staple of salary negotiations for thirty-odd years- an annual raise that occurs and accrues for each year served, and also a step system that provides additional compensation as teachers acquire graduate credits towards their professional status.

That is one "driver." Yes. I agree. Just one of several. Several.

The candidate noted (his analysis came from the work of Bill Dean, City Council candidate, which I have been discussing over the past week or so) that teachers even receive special compensation over the summer for working on curriculum. Absolutely true.

Now, why would any School Committee in its right mind agree to that? Simple. Most teachers are paid over the School year. One of the findings in DOR Report of compliance with Ed Reform was that our Curriculum was not currently aligned with the state frameworks. Personally, just speaking for me, I think there is a lot of sense to having the people who will be teaching the curriculum write the curriculum. You see, first off, the $1,500 to $3,000 stipends they receive for spending their summers doing this work is far less expensive than buying curriculum and then spending time and money adapting it. And you have the added benefit of the people who have written the curriculum teaching it to kids, and training their teacher peers at no additional cost to the city.

So, if you really think about it, the City saves money by doing it this way. Apparently, neither Mr. Dean nor the candidate understood the context for this educationally sound practice. I will fight like hell before I see these stipends for curriculum work disappear. It makes no sense for the kids and our efforts to bring the schools into compliance with Ed Reform.