MANCHESTER, NH — Manchester School District officials unveiled a preliminary 2020 Manchester School District budget of $172,226,978, which is a 2.3 percent hike over this year’s budget, and meets the city’s tax cap.
Manchester Board of School Committee Vice Chairman Arthur Beaudry of Ward 9, however, said the budget does not cover $42 million in needed maintenance and repair projects. Those funds would go toward replacing school roofs and windows; 10 new school buses at a cost of $1 million, $1 million in technology upgrades including replacing Chromebooks; and many more projects that have been deferred over the years.
It also does not include the cost of redistricting or for pay raises for teachers, whose contract is being negotiated.
Superintendent Bolgen Vargas presented the budget overview for members of BOSC finance committee Thursday night at school district offices.
Vargas noted that over the past 10 years, the number of students districtwide has decreased by 2,636 or 16.8 percent, after Bedford opted to build its own high school and Auburn and Hooksett pulled their students.
Since the 2008-09 school year, the district has reduced overall staff — certified teachers, librarians, social workers, counselors and instructional coaches — by 11.6 percent.
Since 2012, the charter school/homeschool population has increased six times with 727 students now in those programs, accounting for nine percent of the city’s total student population. Six of the state’s 31 charter schools are in Manchester.
Vargas said the increase in those numbers and the state shifting costs down to the local level has resulted in declining revenue for the school district. For 2019-20, the district is predicting it will lose $500,000 in state aid in its Stabilization Grant and another $250,000 because of declining enrollment. On the bright side, the district expects interest income will increase by $100,000 and Medicaid revenue will be up by $100,000 as well.
On the expense side, salaries will drop by $1 million with an expected 30 retirements. However, health insurance is expected to go up nearly $1 million. Special education will cost an extra $1.6 million to pay for more professional and technical staff, tuition and transportation.
In the 2019-20 budget, Vargas said the district wants to invest in its priorities which includes redistricting and reallocation of positions. It would mean the addition of 7.5 positions at the elementary level: 5.5 on the West Side, reallocation of staff on the East Side and adding two classrooms to reduce class size.
At the middle school level, 17.5 positions would be added: Parkside would gain 13.5 positions, 12.5 for redistricting; McLaughlin would gain one position; Southside would add 2, and Hillside, 1. The 17.5 positions would be mainly teachers but also a Special Education Facilitator.The high schools would lose 12.5 positions through attrition.
