Archived Information

DOE Budget

Board of Education FY2007 Budget Request

November 2, 2005

Mr. Thomas Trimarco, Secretary
Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Room 373, State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Secretary Trimarco:

Enclosed is the Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Request adopted by the Board of Education on October 25, 2005. I am transmitting this budget request to you in accordance with Chapter 69, Section 1A, which states "upon approval by the board, the Commissioner shall submit the department's budgetary proposals simultaneously to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Education, Arts and Humanities, and the Secretary of Administration and Finance.

The Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Request of $3.992 billion represents an increase of $219.3 million or 5.8% above the Department's Fiscal Year 2006 total funding of $3.772 billion. The $219.3 million budget increase includes increased funding to existing programs to maintain the level of services, the consolidation of a number of programs to increase the Department's ability to provide targeted technical assistance and support to the Commonwealth's educators, schools and districts, and a number of new program initiatives of the Board of Education. The Board of Education's Budget also includes the $143.0 million for the new programs in the Governor's recently filed "Comprehensive Education Reform" legislation.

The attached two-page chart includes the Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Request, the Department's appropriated budgets for Fiscal Years 2005 and 2006, and the Fiscal Year 2007 requested increase for each line-item compared to the Fiscal Year 2006 appropriated levels. The Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Request is grouped into six categories. The funding requests by category and corresponding increases are as follows:

• Non-Discretionary State Aid totaling $3.75 billion is increased by $132.4 million;

• Assessment and Accountability totaling $102.5 million is increased by $62.2 million;

• Educator Quality Enhancement category is eliminated. Current and newly requested programs are consolidated into the Assessment and Accountability category above;

• Transfers to Other Agencies - increased by $4.0 million;

• Categorical Grant Programs - increased by $12.6 million;

• Department of Education Administration and Technology- increased by $9.3 million.

The major highlights of the Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget listed by category in order of the attached two-page chart are as follows:

Non-Discretionary State Aid

• The Chapter 70, Foundation Aid is increased by $113.4 million to $3.4 Billion. Included in this $113.4 million increase are the Governor's Comprehensive Educational Reform Initiatives that will be funded through Chapter 70. The Governor's Initiatives represents $103.0 million of this increase which includes: Differential and Performance Pay ($65.0M); Applied Academics ($11.0M); and Laptops for every middle and high school student, phased-in over three years ($27.0M). The balance of $10.4 million is a placeholder for an inflation amount that needs to be added to Chapter 70 to maintain foundation funding. The three major factors necessary in the development of a FY2007 Chapter 70 funding request are incomplete at this time. The FY2005 student data will be completed by mid-December, the 2005 third quarter United States inflation factor will be available later this month, and the municipal revenue growth factor is calculated by the Department of Revenue in the first week of January. The Department will secure the necessary data and work with the Governor and the Legislature to develop an equitable Chapter 70 foundation formula for Fiscal Year 2007.

• Charter Schools Facilities Aid is increased by $7.2 million to $22.0 million to maintain the per pupil aid at the statewide average expenditure for the purchase of land and buildings.

• Education Services in Institutional Settings is increased by $1.4 million to provide mandated Special Education services to students in the custody of the Commonwealth.

• Transportation of Non Resident Students is increased by $900 thousand to $2.5 million.

• The Circuit Breaker Program is increased by $6.4 million to fully fund the 75% reimbursement rate for special needs students.

• The Charter School Reimbursement Program is increased by $9.9 million to fully fund the 100%/60%/40% reimbursements.

Assessment and Accountability

• The Certificate of Occupational Proficiency Program is increased by $200 thousand.

• The Student Assessment Program is increased by $5.5 million to $28.8 million. This increase includes funds for on-line tests in selective subject areas, the rollout of four new tests at various grade levels and additional staff to monitor and administer the MCAS Program.

• The Quality Assistance to Schools and Districts (new consolidated program) is funded at $72.4 million. This new program combines three existing programs totaling $20.7 million and seven new programs at $51.7 million. The three existing programs are: MCAS Low-Scoring Support ($13.4M); Targeted Assistance to Schools & Districts ($6.5M); and Teacher Retention and Recruitment ($800K). The seven new programs: Web Portal ($250K); Turnaround Partners ($25.0M); Extended Learning Time Grants ($15.0M); Math Teacher Testing and Improvement ($5.0M); Mentoring for New Teachers ($3.0M); School Leadership Development for Principals ($2.0M); and English Language Acquisition Professional Development ($1.5M).

Transfers to Other Agencies

• Parental Preparation and Guidebook is funded at $4.0 million.

Categorical Grant Programs

• The METCO Program is increased by $881 thousand to $18.5 million.

• School-to-Work Connecting Activities is increased by $1.0 million to $ 5.1 million.

• The Adult Learning Program is increased by $7.0 million to $36.3 million. This $7.0 million increase will serve an additional 3,700 adults from the current backlog of 25,000 on the waiting lists.

• Mathematics and Science Higher Education Partnerships (new consolidated program) is funded at $4.5 million. This new program combines the existing W.P.I. School of Excellence funded at $1.3 million and two new programs at $3.2 million. The two new programs are: Math and Science Academies ($1.2M); and Dual Enrollment Programs ($2.0M).

• The Gifted and Talented Program is increased by $500 thousand to $1.0 million.

Department of Education Administration and Technology

• The Department's Administrative Account is increased by $1.0 million to cover fixed lease, collective bargaining costs, and funds for existing Charter School staff that are currently funded from Federal Title V funds. Title V funds will be significantly cut or more likely eliminated by congress next fiscal year.

• The Department's Information Technology Account is increased by $2.0 million to adequately support the Department's technology infrastructure that has been continually under-funded by the State.

• DOE and District Data Reporting Tools is a new program with requested finding of $6.0 million. This will allow the Department to contract for the development of a comprehensive educational data warehouse including statewide licenses for all school and district users.

• Educator Certification Program is increased by $312 thousand to fully address educator license revocations.

If you need additional information or would like to meet to review any specific items of the Board of Education's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Request, please call me at (781) 338-3102. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Sincerely,

David P. Driscoll
Commissioner of Education

cc: Board of Education

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