Thornton’s FY21 School Budget Adds $11.5M

WARWICK, RI — The School Committee plans a vote on Superintendent Phil Thornton’s recommended $181,438,668 Fy21 school budget on April 28, a 6.5 percent increase the Finance Director said the district shouldn’t attempt.

Last year, budget hearings concluded with a $169,885,903 budget for the Warwick School District. Thornton’s request would add $11,552,765 to that.

“The district does not take this number lightly at all,” Ferrucci said during Tuesday’s virtual meeting.

“We are all in agreement that this is an extremely high ask from the community. This level of request cannot be sent to the city. With the current crisis that we face, I believe at best that we would be looking at three to three and a half million dollars of potential new funding coming to us.”

The School Committee commissioned an independent outside audit to offer an opinion on the fiscal efficiencies within the school department and to offer potential cost saving strategies, Ferrucci noted.

“As of April 10, 2020, the program audit has been in progress for over seven months. According to the November 2019, Phase I report, page 67, the conclusion is, ‘Lastly, though the District may encounter savings opportunities over time, at present, it should expect the need to request approximately $8,000,000 more funds from the City in order to operate the District in Fy21. Regardless of the outcome of Phase II of this project, the District must explore contractual concessions from its collective bargaining units,’ Ferrucci quoted.

Ferrucci noted the Fy21 budget preparation was disrupted due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent implementation of distance learning.

Also, he said, an updated Warwick Teachers Union teacher contract, which expires on Aug. 31, has not been ratified.

“The Superintendent’s Budget does not include either a proposed cost savings or a proposed cost increase other than contract continuation costs,” Ferrucci explained. “When negotiations are concluded and an economic impact statement is prepared, those identified cost savings or cost increases will need to be dealt with as a budget adjustment or revision.”

For Fy21, health insurance premiums are budgeted to rise by seven percent, he said. This premium cost increase contributes $1.3 million to the total increase.

Unlike either of the other three employee groups, the WTU has a fixed cost co-share within their labor contract.

Any annual premium increase is paid for by Warwick Public Schools. For Fy21, the WTU co-share cost being absorbed by the district for this year’s premium increase is $320,000. Total medical cost increase is $1,627,157.

The school administration and the School Committee secured new grant funds that may relieve pressure on the school operating budget. The funds will be used to supplement new required programs and purchase newly required services and materials for programs that will be required in the near future.

Grant One was awarded to strengthen educators understanding of reading development to support instructional planning.

Grant Two was awarded to increase computer science instruction as well as work-based learning opportunities. This grant provides $20,550 of funding for materials to meet required upgrades of the computer lab at Toll Gate. It also provides another $24,000 of funding to support professional learning for teachers as well as the cost of the Advanced Placement Assessments for students participating in the Computer Science Pathway at Toll Gate.

Grant Three was awarded to improve literacy at all four of the district’s Secondary Schools. Warwick Schools will be able to meet the legal requirement of ensuring that all students, K-12, are being instructed with materials that are aligned to the Common Core Standards. This grant will provide $1,000,000 of funding that otherwise would have had to come from the school department’s operating budget.