May 13, 2024
Dear Worcester Public Schools Families,
As promised, I am writing to provide you with an update on the budgeting process for next school year. As you may recall, the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) is facing a $22 million shortfall for 2024-25. This amount represents 4.4% of the total budget.
Despite this financial setback, the district is on solid footing. The programming that has been a strength of WPS will remain and we will continue to improve access for all youth and families. Our budget decisions are rooted in the priorities of the deep work that culminated in the new five-year strategic plan, Our Promise to the Future to ensure the success of our scholars.
How did we get here?
The majority of WPS funding comes from the state. The state decides how much money to give a district based on two criteria: how many students we have in the district and an inflation rate. The state is using a lower inflation rate than actual inflation and our student enrollment numbers have not increased. Thus, the state is giving us less than what it would cost to maintain the level of operations we currently have.
What is the impact?
Unfortunately, as a result of the deficit, there will be reductions of employee positions in nearly all schools and departments; this includes administrative positions. About 85% of the district’s budget is employee salaries and benefits.
In order to make the reductions, we consolidated positions with overlapping responsibilities. We have made recommendations to reduce personnel categories including administrative, classroom and support positions.
While we have made every effort to avoid reductions in the classroom, the reality is that 67% of the budget is instructional or student support service positions and 1.3% of the budget is for administrative positions.
Despite these reductions, the K-12 student to teacher classroom ratio will be 21 students to one educator, not including support staff such as paraeducators.
As you know, special education services are designed to be responsive to fluctuating student needs. The budget deficit gave WPS an opportunity to deeply examine practices in special education and found considerable overlap in service delivery through many of these positions. Despite proposed staffing reductions in special education, WPS will have a reduced special education student caseload of 30 students to 1 Teacher of Moderate Special Needs and 2 paraeducators; which is a reduction from the current 45 to 1.
We have put much care and thought into ensuring the least amount of disruption to the classrooms through reviewing our attrition. Attrition includes retirements, terminations and resignations, which as of today will be 65% of the recommended reductions.
Where are we headed?
On Monday, May 20, 2024 6:00-7:30 pm at the Esther Howland Chamber at City Hall there is a public hearing where you may provide your input into the budget recommendations. For further detail, please review the WPS budget book at worcesterschools.org/budget.
The ongoing support and collaboration of our community are crucial as we navigate these challenges together, just as we would during any difficult time. Our primary focus remains – and will always be – positive outcomes for our children.
Sincerely,
Rachel H. Monárrez, PhD
Superintendent
Worcester Public Schools