FY16 Initial Draft Budget

Presentation to
School Committee
February 12, 2015

Oxford Public Schools

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Initial Draft Budget

Please be advised that the presentation that follows is
an overview of an initial draft budget of need
This presentation is being shared with the full
understanding that district and the School Committee
will be continuing the work of prioritizing needs,
identifying any proposed expenditures which could be
funded either as capital expenses, through grants or by
other means
The district and the Committee will be conducting
numerous public work sessions over the coming weeks
and we invite all questions and input
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Oxford Public Schools

Oxford Public Schools

Strengthening Core Instruction & the Systems and Supports that Ensure
College and Career Readiness for ALL Oxford Students

Ensuring that ALL Students have access to challenging, engaging and

relevant courses and content
Ensuring that ALL students and their teachers have quality, standardsaligned curricular materials
Providing an array of research-based interventions for students who
struggle and enriching accelerated learning opportunities for those
who excel
Infusing technology and current research-based and data-driven
instructional approaches so as to prepare ALL students for success in
post-secondary life regardless of the path(s) they choose after
graduation

Oxford Public Schools

Improving Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Capacity

Recruiting, hiring, training and retaining teachers and leaders of the

highest quality
Implementing a comprehensive educator induction model and a
program of professional development that supports educators at all
levels of experience and expertise
Establishing clearly articulated expectations for the quality of effort,
work and commitment to the students of Oxford. Supporting
educators, while insisting on, the meeting of those expectations
Leveraging educator evaluation to facilitate continuous improvement
of teaching and leadership practice via reflection on practice and
impact on learning, goal setting and active engagement in the work of
moving our district forward

Oxford Public Schools

Maximizing Organizational and Fiscal Efficiencies

Examining all policies, practices and procedures to ensure that they

make sense and can be clearly seen as supporting the priorities
described above
Ensuring that all available resources are used to maximum effect and
that their effectiveness is frequently and closely monitored
Carefully considering all staffing and resource needs through the lens
of how decisions made will impact student learning
Where necessary, redesigning, restructuring, re-imagining our school
schedules and organizational charts in order better meet the needs of
ALL students and to provide the access to rigorous content and the
supports they need to be truly college and career ready
Identifying, eliminating any factors that create drag on our
improvement efforts (i.e. anything that does not further the agenda of
ensuring the success of ALL Oxford Public Schools Students)

Oxford Public Schools

Overview
Context
A Budget of Need
Budget Drivers
How the Proposed Budget Supports Improvement

Oxford Public Schools

Context

The Oxford Public Schools service just under 1900 students in grades
preK -12

The OXPS provide free bus transportation (including late buses to

support after school activities at the secondary level) to all students
every day

As the largest of the Town of Oxfords departments, the OXPS employ

a total staff of 329; including Classroom Teachers, Teaching and
Instructional Aides, Bus Drivers and Monitors, Food Service Workers,
Clerical Staff, Special Education Service Providers, Before and After
Day Care Staff, Custodians and Administrators

Oxford Public Schools

Context

The OXPS operate in and maintains five school buildings and houses
its Central Administration Offices in leased space in the Oxford
Community Center.

A.M. Chaffee Elementary

Clara Barton Elementary
Oxford Middle School
Oxford High School
COFFEE

(Opened 1954, Renov. 2003)

(Opened 1955, Renov. 2003)
(Opened 1968, Renov. 2014 )
(Opened 2002)
(Opened 1979)

Additionally, the OXPS maintain multiple athletic fields and facilities for
use by our students and provides access to these facilities to local
community agencies such as Oxford Youth Soccer, Youth Football,
Little League/ Babe Ruth Baseball, and Senior Babe Ruth Baseball

Oxford Public Schools

Context
Recent facilities improvements/renovations include:

OHS New Construction (circa. 2001)

Barton and Chaffee Major Renovations (circa. 2003)

Middle School Envelope Roof, Windows, Doors and HVAC

System (circa. 2012-14)

Fields Maintenance - Ongoing

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
Pending/Looming work projects include:

OHS Track (originally installed 2002) Resurfacing

OHS Entranceway Overhangs (concerns w/ original construction)

CCTV Security Camera Systems to enhance School Safety

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
Level 3 Accountability Status

Based on DESE Accountability Formulae, the OXPS is currently

designated a Level 3 district due to OHS being designated a Level 3
school by The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (DESE)

The accountability formula factors Proficiency and Growth Rates on

MCAS, 4 & 5 year Graduation Rates & Drop-out/Re-engagement
Data. The formula also considers OXPS schools performance as
compared to like schools statewide and ranks all similar schools.

Both OMS and Clara Barton Schools are currently at Level 2 Status

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
In order to address and move out of Level 3 Status, the OXPS has
committed to a small number of specific, targeted improvement initiatives
and has already made significant progress recently in a number of areas.
These Include:
Transitioning to more challenging standards and expectations
English and Mathematics K-12

for

Committing to a small number of research-based best

instructional
practices for building literacy and numeracy
skills across all content
areas
Implementing Co-Teaching Models so as to guarantee access
rigorous content and high quality instruction for ALL Oxford

to
students

Doubling the number and expanding the variety of Advanced

Placement Courses offered at OHS
Facilitating the tripling of the number of OHS students sitting for
PSAT

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the

Oxford Public Schools

Implementing a new research-based and standards-aligned
literacy series (Wonders) for grades k-6
Adopting the technology-supported and standards-aligned
envisionMATH program in grades k-6
Developing aligned curriculum maps all for content areas in
grades k-12
Implementing the Massachusetts Tiered System of Supports
Committing to effective utilization of both district and
building-level data teams to inform instructional decisionmaking and strategic planning
Fully implementing the DESE Educator Evaluation and
Support System

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
As are districts throughout the Commonwealth, the OXPS is challenged to meet the
requirements of multiple unfunded mandates promulgated by the General Assembly and/or
the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Examples include:
Time on Learning Standards

Curriculum Frameworks

Transportation SIMS & EPIMS

Coordinated Program Reviews

Technology Planning

Massachusetts Tiered System of Supports

Reporting/Auditing

McKinney Vento Homeless Legislation

Inspections/Certifications

ELL associated training

Section 504 Services

Home Schooling Monitoring

Foster Care/State Wards

MCAS Tutoring/Retesting Chapter 222

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Oxford Public Schools

Context

The OXPS relies on the following sources for funding:

The State Chapter 70 Aid, Charter School Reimbursements

The Town of Oxford Required Minimum Contribution, Unrestricted General
Government State Aid (UGGA)
Federal Entitlement Grants Title 1, Title IIa, Special Education 94-142 (IDEA)
Tuitions: COFFEE, Special Education, School Choice In

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
State Allocation

Ch. 70 State Aid

$10,258,149 (FY15)

Charter School Reimbursement

$ 44,920 (FY15)

The State Aid formula (Chapter 70) is a function of the 1993 Education Reform Act and
specifies a statewide approach to funding public schools based on per pupil allocations plus
additional monies for up to 14 enrollment categories (e.g. grade level, special education, lowincome, ELL) of students
Charter School reimbursement is provided to sending school districts to offset increases in
Charter School tuitions year to year. First-year reimbursement is 100% of the increased tuition.
Subsequent years reimbursements reduce to 25% annually for each of the next five years (i.e.
225% reimbursed over 6 years)

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
Town of Oxford Allocation
Required Minimum Contribution

$ 9,144,757 (FY15)

Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA)

$1,780,343 (FY15)

Assessments (Schedule 19)

$5,747,825 (FY15)

Examples of Assessments (expenses incurred by the Town on the OXPS

behalf) include Employee Health Insurance, General Insurance,
Retirement Contributions (for non-MTRS employees), Shared Facilities
and Maintenance, Town Administrative Expenses, Plowing/Sanding, etc.
The town has historically budgeted the required minimum to fund
education, but in the recent years has also provided the schools with the
additional Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA)

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
Federal Entitlement Grants

Title I

- $ 281,906 (FY15)

Title IIA

- $ 62,974 (FY15)

94-142 (IDEA) - $ 482,973 (FY15)

Tuitions
COFFEE

- $ 700,000 (projected for FY16)

Sp. Ed Tuition-in

- $ 140,000 (projected for FY16)

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Oxford Public Schools

Context
In recent years, limited resources available to the OXPS have necessitated:
Scaling Back/Eliminating Programs (e.g. Middle School Art,
Middle School Foreign Language)
Increased class size numbers (e.g. Grade 2)
Reductions in both Teaching Staff and Aide positions
Delaying/Foregoing Text Book Purchases
Delaying/Foregoing Investment in 21st Century Instructional
Technology
Limiting Professional Development for Teachers and School Leaders
Curtailing investment in school and district improvement
initiatives

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Oxford Public Schools

A Budget of Need

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Oxford Public Schools

The budget is presented with certain assumptions and priorities established by the School
Committee. For example, the budget reflects the assumption that the School District will meet all
federal, state, and local mandated programs and requirements.
Thus, the budget must include sufficient resources and funding to meet contractual obligations and
mandated programs, including:
Chapter 766: Special Education (Special Education)
a. Meet the federal requirement to provide a free and appropriate public education to
students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. This often means
creating programs to retain students in-District, whenever possible;
b. Priority is given, whenever possible, to providing in-District Sp.Ed. programs to
students;
c. Where Out-of District programming is required,
i. Provide for Sp.Ed. out-of-District tuition costs;
ii. Provide for Sp.Ed. transportation; and
iii. Implement and maintain systems for complying with monitoring, procedural
review and paperwork requirements.
d. Developing in-District programs for special education will include a cost benefit analysis

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Oxford Public Schools

Massachusetts School and District Accountability System (2012)
a. All districts, schools, and subgroups will be expected to demonstrate growth in
student performance at or near the state median, or show high growth, each year
between 2011 and 2017. A group is considered to be on target for growth if the Median
Student Growth Percentile (SGP) for the group is between 51 and 59 or if the group
improves by 10-14 SGP points from the previous year. In addition, a group will be
considered on target for growth/improvement if the percentage of students not
proficient in the group decreases by 10 percent or more from the previous year
(NCLBs Safe Harbor provision).
Reducing proficiency gaps is a cornerstone of the Massachusetts School and District
Accountability System. All districts, schools, and subgroups will be expected to halve
the gap between their level of performance in the year 2011 and 100% percent
proficiency by the 2016-17 school year in English language arts (ELA), mathematics,
and science.

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Oxford Public Schools

English Language Learners (ELL)
a. Meet the federal (Title VI, Civil Rights Act) and state (M.G.L. c71-A) bilingual statutes that require districts to
provide limited English Proficient (LEP) students with support services until they are proficient enough to participate
meaningfully in the regular educational program;
b. Provide academic support and English language instruction for all LEP students;
c. Implement, coordinate and maintain systems for student identification, assessment, support and student data
reporting; and provide training in sheltered English immersion practices to teachers with LEP students in their
classrooms.

Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act

a. Meet the federal requirement to provide reasonable accommodations so that all people (students, faculty and
community) can participate in activities in our schools, regardless of disability. These accommodations can include
building modifications, specialized equipment, instructional or testing changes, or care from a nurse or other
staff member.

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Oxford Public Schools

Education Reform Act
a. Provide MCAS support; and continue to close the achievement gap for minority and special
education students, and
b. Comply with state financial, pupil and student reporting requirements.

Educator Evaluation
a. Promote the growth and development of District administrators and teachers, using multiple
measures of student learning.
b. Meet Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regulations (603 CMR
35) related to educator evaluation.

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Oxford Public Schools

Budget Timeline

May 2014 - established a Finance Committee/School Committee liaison to assist in facilitation

of open and frank budget discussions

July - joint School Committee/Finance Committee sub-committees established

August - began joint meetings of School Committee Finance Sub-Committee and Finance
Committee Sub-Committee (ongoing)

September - OXPS began internal discussions about FY16 budget

October through December - continue and finalize discussions on FY16 requests

December 23 - Deliver budget books to School Committee

January 5 & 7 - Scheduled budget workshops with School Committee

January 12th - Budget delivered to Oxford Town Accountant

January and ongoing - Building/program specific public budget workshops

February 12th- Presentation to School Committee

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Oxford Public Schools

Budget Summary
Account Description

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

Difference
$

Administration

819,732

903,952

989,600

1,011,313

1,346,417

335,104

33.14%

High School

3,931,022

4,120,700

4,302,922

4,294,902

4,686,949

392,047

9.13%

Middle School

3,761,954

3,812,786

3,934,760

3,953,548

4,074,633

121,085

3.06%

Clara Barton

2,164,088

2,328,974

2,148,714

2,177,259

2,439,467

262,208

12.04%

Chaffee

2,578,789

2,619,868

2,619,158

2,576,802

2,820,535

243,733

9.46%

Student Services

1,076,372

1,287,830

1,391,600

1,536,865

2,092,157

555,292

36.13%

212,640

112,400

(100,240)

-47.14%

15,763,329

17,572,558

Project COFFEE
Operating Budget

14,331,957

15,074,110

15,386,754

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1,809,229

11.48%

Oxford Public Schools

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Oxford Public Schools

FY16 Budget Drivers
Human Capital/Staffing
Teaching and Learning
Investment in Instructional Technology

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Oxford Public Schools

Human Capital/Staffing
Staffing Conversions
So as to function as efficiently as possible and maximize all available
resources, the district carefully scrutinizes all positions and where
possible converts positions from one role or function to another.
Conversions are most often cost neutral. They often result in savings.
Examples in the FY16 Budget include:
Proposed Conversion of OHS ELA position to Literacy Coach
Proposed Conversion of OHS Science position to STEM Coach
Proposed Conversion of OHS Guidance Counselor to School
Adjustment Counselor
Proposed Conversion of OMS TA to Technology Teaching
Position

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Oxford Public Schools

Human Capital/Staffing
Full Time Equivalents (FTEs)
Districts often employ part-time staff. A full time employee is captured in
the FY16 as budget as a 1.0 FTE (i.e. full time, typically 5 days per week).
A halftime employee (i.e. 2.5 days per week), as .5 FTE, a .8 FTE works
the equivalent of 4 days per week, etc.
Staffing requests within the FY16 Budget include increasing some parttime positions in order to meet student needs and Special Education
regulations. Examples in the FY16 Budget include:
Increasing Districtwide Social Worker (.6 to 1.0 FTE)
Increasing
Districtwide Behavior Specialist (.8 to 1.0 FTE)
Increasing Districtwide SLP (.7 to 1.0 FTE)

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Oxford Public Schools

Human Capital/Staffing
New Positions
While all possible conversations are considered and staff retirements
provide the district with a small degree of flexibility when seeking to
strengthen or add supports to OXPS students, Federal and State
regulations, Oxfords Accountability Status, the need to adequately
staff our buildings and programs, Oxfords changing demographic
profile and other factors all necessitate requests for additional staff.
New Position Requests in the FY16 Budget include:
Districtwide Speech Language Pathologist
Elementary Instructional Coach
HS Special Education DH
Secondary Counseling Services DH
Kindergarten Classroom Aides

1.0 FTE
1.0 FTE
Stipend Position
Stipend Position
5.0 FTE

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Oxford Public Schools

Teaching and Learning
So as to prepare ALL Oxford youth for success in college and career,
the FY16 Budget includes appropriations for instructional materials,
many of which (e.g. textbooks) have not been updated in many years
and which are not aligned to the States increasingly rigorous
educational standards.
Examples in the FY Budget include:
Textbooks (193.2k)
Student Assessments/Interventions (36.3k)
Consumables and Lab Materials (87k)
Classroom and Office Supplies (108k)

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Oxford Public Schools

Teaching and Learning
The FY16 Budget reflects the districts commitment to ensuring equity
of access to high quality instruction and post-secondary success
Examples include:
Increasing the number and variety of Advanced Placement
Courses (4 in 2013, 12 in 2016) at OHS (10k)
Ensuring that every OHS student is able to participate
exam process (3.15k)

in the PSAT

Supporting the alignment and implementation of fully

curriculum preK-12. (Atlas Rubicon @ 6.1k)

mapped

Ongoing Professional Development for Teachers

and Leaders ($21k)

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Oxford Public Schools

Instructional Technology
In order to prepare ALL OXPS students for 21st Century college and
career success, we need to provide them and their teachers 21st
Century tools. The FY16 Budget includes investments in instructional
technology; some of which address the need to catch up, others which
will support improved instruction and student outcomes and prepare
OXPS for the digitally administered State Assessments on the horizon.
Technology investments in the FY16 Budget include:
Rotational Replacement of OHS Desktop Computers (25@ 21k)
OHS Eno Interactive Whiteboards w/ SMARTProjectors (25@125k)
OHS 3D Printer
(4k)
Rotational Replacement of OMS Desktop Computers (70@ 48k)
OMS Eno Interactive Whiteboards
(5@ 22.5k)
CB Eno Interactive Whiteboards
(16@ 72)

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Oxford Public Schools

Known Unknowns
The state has yet to release its preliminary fiscal year 2016 budget information, including that
relating to Required School Spending
Additional retirees/resignations from the school system
Changes to Charter School and School Choice dollar outflows or possible reinstatement of
School Choice In to the district
Unforeseen Special Education costs due to IEP students moving into the district
Unforeseen Special Education costs due to eligibility/placement status between now and
June 2016
Transportation Contract (bid process to begin in February)
Utility cost unpredictability due to weather conditions and market fluctuations

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Oxford Public Schools

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Oxford Public Schools

Strengthening Core Instruction & the Systems and Supports that Ensure College and
Career Readiness for ALL Oxford Students

The proposed budget provides for the purchase of much-needed standards-aligned

textbooks and materials including those needed to support, U.S and World History,
Science and STEM, English Language Arts and Mathematics courses

The proposed budget provides for staff that will allow the OXPS to meet all
federal, state, and locally mandated programs and requirements and implement the
system of support (academics, behavioral, social emotional) needed for student
success

The proposed budget includes allocation for the procurement and enhancement of
instructional technology needed to prepare OXPS students for entry into a 21st century
workforce and participation in a competitive global economy

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Oxford Public Schools

Improving Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Capacity

The proposed budget provides for adequate staffing of our classrooms, school
buildings and programs in ways that position our students, teachers and leaders for
success

The budget provides for recruitment, hiring and training, through professional
development, of highly effective teachers and leaders

The budget funds tools of instructional leadership including educator evaluation,

student data systems and the teacher-led development of curriculum that will
strengthen core instruction, improve outcomes for students and build capacity for
ongoing improvement

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Oxford Public Schools

Maximizing Organizational and Fiscal Efficiencies

The proposed budget reflects close consideration of all allocations and the
identification of opportunities to reallocate funds where they are needed most

The staffing requests herein represent a measured approach that includes looking to
convert existing positions to meet current needs, to incrementally increase others as
needed and to only add staff where demonstrated by true need

The budget demonstrates marked improvement in terms of clarity, transparency and

the meeting of established budgetary timelines

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Oxford Public Schools

Next steps

February 3rd - OHS Budget Workshop

February 9th - Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting
February 10th - OMS Budget Workshop
February 23rd - Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting
TBD
- Elementary Schools Budget Workshop
March 3rd Student Services and COFFEE Workshop
March 16th Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting
March 30th Public Hearing on OXPS FY16 Budget
Additional workshops/hearings will be scheduled and posted as needed

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