If we're expecting our teachers to do more with less, we need to be comfortable asking our building leaders, as well as our district administrators, to do more with less.

A Student-First Budget

I want to level with you. The financial situation is tough right now, and it's going to be tough for the next couple of years.

Seekonk has benefited for a number of years from COVID relief funds, as have school districts across Massachusetts and the entire country. But we used the last of those dollars this year, and that money is now completely spent up. In addition, Chapter 70 funding from the Commonwealth came in low last year. It's again expected to come in low this year as well as for the near future.

I've been a business reporter for more than a decade. I routinely work with balance sheets and financial statements as part of my job, looking through them and asking tough questions of Fortune 500 CEOs on camera.

Obviously, nobody wants cuts. But if we're cutting personnel, I want to ensure that it's a shared sacrifice. We cannot have a situation which takes an austerity approach to certain parts of the budget and an abundance approach to others.

Specifically, if we're laying off dedicated teachers and staff, I'm not inclined to offer raises that aren't contractually mandated, especially for our most generously-compensated employees.

Whenever the number of sections in a grade gets reduced - which we've done - we increase our teachers' class sizes. It means additional classroom management is needed, and teachers have additional tests and papers to grade. If we're expecting our teachers to do more with less, we need to be comfortable asking our building leaders, as well as our district administrators, to do more with less.

Let's also not forget non-personnel areas for potential cost savings, including transportation. Do we need to be running as many buses as we do, especially at the high school, where not that many students take the bus?

Costs associated with software licenses are projected to increase $21,000 next year. Can we fulfill state requirements without spending as much money?

Every dollar in non-personnel savings we identify is more money that we have for our hard-working teachers and staff.