Superintendent's Budget: Zero Increase For Groton Schools

Superintendent Paul Kadri on Monday presented a budget of $72.64 million for the public schools for the coming fiscal year, the third year of a zero increase.

Kadri said level funding gives the town the chance to focus on long-range planning and revenue, rather than the day-to-day cost of running the schools.

 “We’re not going to be able to have a zero (increase) forever,” Kadri said.  “So we’re kind of waving our hands now and saying, ‘This is an opportunity. Let’s not miss it.’”

Enrollment flat

Enrollment is projected to be relatively flat or slightly down next year at about 4,900 to 5,000 students, according to the budget. Groton’s main source of revenue, the state education grant, will remain stable at about $25 million.

Groton saw some declines in funding, such as a $1.1 million job grant, but it also saw some savings.

Health benefit costs declined, from $10.2 million to $8.5 million, because the school department is self-insured and employees are healthy. Benefit costs are based on average spending by those insured, so when fewer people get sick, the district saves money.

Salary Costs Down

The largest area of spending is $46.8 million on salaries, slightly down from the current year due to consolidating staff. The budget includes no layoffs.

Much of the savings was also attained by consolidating from three to two middle schools. Groton will close Fitch Middle school at the end of this school year.

Kadri said schools will focus on strengthening existing programs, and will expand the early literacy program, which reaches third through fifth grade now. The program would be expanded into kindergarten, first and second grade.

The district will also begin creating enrichment activities for middle schools students that would be expanded later into elementary school.

Northeast Academy

In specific schools, the budget includes an additional teacher for the third grade at Northeast Academy Elementary, where second grade classes have been large this year.

A group of second grade parents wrote a letter to the school board which was read Monday, asking for the fourth teacher to deal with the large classes.

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