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Superintendent outlines budget reductions and school-choice slots; committee tables decision pending data
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Cushing presented a draft balanced budget that includes proposed staffing and program changes (elementary librarian reallocation, enrollment-driven reductions, technology leasing, and targeted special-education additions) and recommended maintaining current interdistrict school-choice slots; after committee requests for detailed class-size and enrollment-impact figures, a motion to table the school-choice decision passed 8–1.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Cushing presented a preliminary balanced budget and school-choice recommendation at the Beverly School Committee meeting on April 8, laying out proposed reductions and targeted restorations intended to address a multi‑hundred-thousand-dollar shortfall while preserving critical student supports.
In his presentation, Dr. Cushing said the draft budget assumes an available city contribution and totals roughly $500,676 in district-level changes achieved by shifting some roles and trimming non-essential expenditures. Specific proposals included moving the elementary librarian position out of the general fund, leasing rather than purchasing elementary staff computers, trimming advertising, reconsidering some fellowship funding, and proposed enrollment-related staff reductions in several elementary grades. The draft also seeks to add staff in targeted special-education areas and to restore an assistant-principal position at the middle school to address leadership strain.
On school choice, Dr. Cushing recommended continuing the district’s existing slot allotments (K–6: 10 per grade; grades 7–8: 15; high school: 20) and noted that tuition for a choice student is currently $5,000, with additional special-education increments where required. Committee members asked whether choice students affect transportation obligations and Chapter 70 funding; administration clarified choice tuition mechanics and said choice students are reported but not counted in Chapter 70 calculations for the district’s formula.
Why it matters: The budget proposals touch staffing and services that directly affect classroom support, counseling capacity and library services; committee members repeatedly asked for clearer, school-level projections showing how proposed enrollment reductions would affect classroom sizes and the distribution of special-education needs.
Board action and next steps: After extensive questioning and requests for updated class-size rosters and the impact of proposed enrollment reductions at specific schools (Cove, Centerville, Hannah), the committee voted to table the school-choice decision until the next meeting, 8–1, requesting that administrators distribute the requested data in advance so members can assess the tradeoffs properly. Separately, the committee approved an overnight DECA trip to Atlanta and the batch of warrants (both 9–0). The administration will return with the detailed enrollment-class-size materials, job descriptions for key positions (instructional coaches, curriculum directors), and more precise projections tied to the proposed staffing adjustments.
The committee adjourned at approximately 10:20 p.m.
