Donate Your Tax Rebate

Jackson Street School Spearheads Initiative

The Jackson Street School PTO has appealed to all of us to consider donating our tax rebate to the Northampton School Committee to support ALL Northampton public schools.

Click here to read the appeal.

Thanks to the Jackson Street PTO and others who are working on this initiative, providing yet another sign of the deep commitment in our community to do all we can for our schools. Any contribution, large or small, is all part of making a big difference!

Progress on Corporate Tax Loophole

Northampton Phone Calls Make a Difference

State Rep. Peter Kocot reported recently that the House has just agreed to take up a vote to close corporate tax loopholes that would include only a minor cut to the corporate tax rate (to 8.7%, down from the current 9.2% but higher than the governor's proposed cut and FAR higher than the 7% tax rate initially proposed by House Leader DeMasi). He said the bill would bring in roughly $248 million this year and $500 million the following year. He said the prospects for this bill making it through the Senate were also very promising.

We are on our way to a MAJOR victory!! And it's thanks to our calls joining with the hundreds of others from around the state, and of course, the excellent work of our state representative, Peter Kocot. Those messages of "thanks" in your calls to him were well warranted (and if you haven't called yet, still call!). He pushed very hard for this better version of the bill and he called right away to report his success because he clearly appreciates the power in our numbers and our ability to make things happen. And that's because of EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.

We can feel proud and hopeful. More state revenues are the first step to more local revenues. And we can see how we matter in the process.

So don't stop now: if you haven't called Peter to thank him, please do so (617-722-2210). And it's exactly the time to call Senator Stan Rosenberg if you haven't had a chance (584-1649). Give him the thankful and encouraging push, too. Let's seal this deal!

Governor Patrick's Speech on the Economy

Delivered April 9, 2008

Click here to read or download a copy of the Governor's recent speech in which he addressed the current economic crisis in Massachusetts.

School Closing Off the Table!

Budget and Property Committee Accepts New Proposals from Superintendent

At the School Committee's Budget and Property Subcommittee meeting on Thursday, April 3, Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock recommended the option to close an elementary school be deferred for a year. The community's voice was heard and acknowledged -- thanks to everyone who signed the petition!

NEAT's "Preliminary School Closure Assessment" was distributed to committee members the same day. The document points out the faulty premises on which the option to close an elementary school have been based.

Feasibility Committee Proposed

The superintendent proposed the creation of a committee to develop longer-term strategies for Northampton schools. Titled "Northampton Public Schools Fiscal and Programmatic Strategic Plan on Student Assignment and Service Delivery, June 2008 - June 2009," the ultimate goal is to "have a new proposal in place for September 2009 that will sustain the Northampton Public Schools financially and yet continue to provide the quality of education to ALL students in the city of Northampton."

New Budget Proposal for FY09

The Superintendent also presented the Budget and Property committee with a new proposal for closing the budget gap. The proposal has two options. The crux of the debate surrounding the options is whether to cut transportation or elementary school teachers. A detailed analysis was presented around elementary school enrollment and class sizes that would result from each scenario. Kathy Foote Newman raised the issue of reviewing middle and high school enrollment as well, and this request was echoed by the other committee members. Isabelina said she would bring this information to the full committee meeting next Thursday, April 10. The superintendent proposed the establishment of a large committee to study solutions to the budget crisis during the next year. NEAT expects to be very active with that study. Finally, everyone stressed that the budget gap was also closed by using up the reserve funds. There is no cushion for this year; no savings.

School Closure Editorial

Ryan Road parent Michael Holroyde's Editorial
Also published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Thursday April 4, 2008

I am writing this as a response to the Gazette editorial of March 27, 2008 about the City of Northampton school budget. I am a parent of a girl in 3rd grade at the RK Finn Ryan Road Elementary School in Florence and a member of the School Council there. I am strongly in favor of maintaining all our neighborhood elementary schools and I commend the Superintendent and the School Committee for doing this while maintaining reasonable class sizes and a quality education we can be proud of. I believe we can continue to do this.

Recently we have heard of our declining school enrollment and perhaps the need to close an elementary school. The actual numbers suggest a different story. According to the Massachusetts Department of Education, Northampton had 3269 students in all of its schools in 1988. 20 years later in 2007 we had 2849 – a decline of 420. However 93% of that decline (392 of 420) occurred before 2001. In the last 6 years Northampton has a net loss of 28 students and rather than a year by year decrease; some years up, some years down.

Now let us look at the numbers of our Kindergarten through grade 5 in our elementary schools. In 1988 there were 1478 students in this category spread between 6 schools. 20 years later in 2007 there were 1231 – a decrease of 247. Again, by the year 2001 93% of the decline (229 of 247) had occurred. From 2001 to 2007 Northampton only lost 18 students in the K- 5 enrollment. Again a small oscillation – some years up and some years down. Further, the figures for this year 2008 and the Superintendent’s projections for 2009 confirm the pattern – that K-5 enrollment in the Northampton Public schools are currently in the 1200 – 1300 range. As the Superintendent said (the Gazette 4/28-9,2007) a year ago "I don't think we can, at this moment, house 1300 kids at three schools. If our enrollment continues to drop, that's a different story." I believe it is not the time for that story as the numbers above demonstrate.

However, some argue that it is the intense budgetary pressure that changes the equation and besides, the elementary schools used to have over 400 students --; or at least 3 of them did. True in the late 1980s and early 1990s the numbers at these schools were higher but, and this is an important difference, these schools then housed the 6th grade. One of the reasons that the 6th grade was moved out of the elementary schools was precisely because they were becoming over-crowded. Furthermore, we should not forget the huge loss of staff since then. For example at Ryan Road we have seen the loss of the assistant principal,full time secretary, 2 teacher aides, a full time speech therapist, 2 1stgrade teacher aides, reading specialist, math specialist, elementary librarian,extra library aide, a half time instrumental teacher and a half time bilingual teacher. Similar cutbacks have occurred at the other schools. Do we really want to return to such numbers without the necessary staff?

So what can we do about the budget situation? At last report Northampton was facing a school budget deficit of some $800,000 - $900,000. The Mayor and Superintendent to their credit have asked for a community conversation and have organized forums to listen to our thoughts and concerns. Here are some suggestions –

The Massachusetts House and Senate are working on their FY2009 budgets. We need to make contact with our Representative Peter Kocot and State Senator Stan Rosenberg to help them secure the funds we need. We should keep pushing for the Meals Tax and Corporate Loophole Bill which Senator Rosenberg has sponsored. Ultimately we need a more equitable system of resource allocation for the schools in the Commonwealth.

Work and support the Mayor in her efforts to move the health coverage for teachers to the state wide system. This could save the City and schools some significant money.

Transport – always a tough question - but if the PVTA worked with the City on adjusting the public bus schedule to accommodate the High School we could save money by limiting the school buses there.

Adjust the present 1 1/2hr block system at the High School so that we might better utilize the teachers and save a number of positions there.

Integrate the Florence Learning Center into the High School and rent out the space at the Community Center.

Work with the Northampton Education Action Team (NEAT) on looking into conducting an override. Or consider what a recent Gazette letter suggested – donating some or all of our unexpected tax rebate. If 10% of our city households – roughly 1000 – gave half a two wage earner household rebate - $600 – we could raise $600,000!

Redistrict – even the numbers of students between the 4 elementary schools and redistribute the pre-schoolers to their “home school”. According to the Principal of Jackson Street School this would save money and increase equity (Gazette 4/28/07)

Charter school funding. This entire system needs an overhaul. This is not an argument for or against them, but let’s bring them into the district or reduce the per pupil expenditure. According to our Superintendent this is costing the district some $1million.

A long term help may be Smith College. Our schools are one of our major assets in making Northampton a good place to live and this benefits Smith College. Other colleges – Amherst and Williamstown – are good examples of help coming to their local schools. Let us talk with them.

Finally there is us – the community. We can be relied upon to raise money for supplies, books and the like. By cutting supplies to the schools by 1/3 we could save approximately $100,000.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. In of itself it may not completely solve our current deficit but in my humble opinion it is a start. Ultimately it is not a question of money but values. An elementary school is a neighborhood resource. If we choose we could walk or ride a bike to it. It can also be used by community groups such as the Boy Scouts, the Recreation Department or After School Programs. It needs to be of a size that the Principal can come to know the students and families. It is part of being a truly Responsive Classroom school. Northampton has lost a great number of elementary schools over the years. It is profoundly not the time to lose another but as Mahatma Gandhi said – the situation is urgent and that is why we must proceed slowly. Thank you – Michael Holroyde