$1.015 Million is the tax liability to change to Full-Day K in Bedford

At Bedford's February 4th School Deliberative Session there was considerable confusion about the taxpayer cost to extend a Half-Day of Kindergarten to a Full-Day Kindergarten(FDK) in the Bedford School District.

Confusion arose, in part, due to how to treat the loss of the K-Plus program revenue line-item of the proposed operating budget.

If FDK is approved K-Plus ends; the parent-paid (not taxes) revenue of $650k included on the proposed operating budget goes to zero.

That $650k of revenue funds seven full-time paraprofessional positions on the proposed operating budget which will be allocated to FDK, should FDK be approved by voters.

The loss of that $650k leaves the paraprofessional positions and anything else the K-Plus revenue was funding on the operating budget to be paid for by taxes and the state grant.

Here is how the tax bill math, for changing to FDK, ultimately works out;

+ $885k ( seven new teachers and some misc expenses on FDK warrant )
+ $389k ( seven paraprofessionals on proposed operating budget )
+ $261k ( remaining k-plus lost revenue on the operating budget )
Note: $389k + $261k = $650k K-Plus revenue
- $520k ( state adequacy funding grant on FDK warrant )

= $1.015M estimated cost to Bedford taxpayers for 2025-2026, if FDK is approved at the ballots.

Here is a look at year two of FDK, if approved, which may clarify the ongoing cost of adding FDK without the year-one impact of losing K-Plus revenue;

+ $800k ( seven teachers without misc start-up expenses )
+ $389k ( seven paraprofessionals )
- $520k ( state adequacy funding grant )

= $669k cost to Bedford taxpayers for FDK in 2026-2027

As many have pointed out, the salaried positions and miscellaneous expenses are estimates based on a planned enrollment of 244 FDK students in the Fall (the real costs can change, but what voters are being asked to approve is fixed to the budget estimates).

The $650k of K-Plus revenue loss would not change, it goes to zero, because the program would end.

If FDK is approved by voters, the final tax bill will be calculated based on real enrollments.

If the enrollments are less than anticipated, the tax bill could be less.

If the enrollments are higher, the Superintendent and the School Board would likely have to make funding decisions using surplus funds until a new budget is proposed next year.

Bottom line: With the help of the state adequacy grant, the estimated cost to Bedford taxpayers for approving Full Day Kindergarten is $1.015M for 2025-2026, and $669k for 2026-2027.

As with anything in public education, there are many considerations for voters when casting ballots and money is just one.

But, hopefully, this review can be used to clarify some of the palpable confusion around the estimated costs of the Bedford School District changing to Full-Day Kindergarten.

Jay Nash