Musings after the CAG Presentation 6-5-09
On Wednesday night, The Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) presented in more detail a method to evaluate our long-range financial situation here in Newton. The spreadsheet lays out some of the variables that we can consider when talking about tradeoffs–a starting point for discussion. Of course we can add variables to the model in the future.
As an example, one scenario involved reducing salary increases to 1.5% a year and reducing school staff by 3%, both changes each year for five years. A 3% reduction means about 30 teachers laid off each year, for a total of 150 teachers over five years, out of about 1000 teachers and 1700 overall staff.
As I wrote previously, the numbers can inform our decision-making but cannot be the sole criteria. We need to really delve into what these reductions would mean–what are the effects on class size? on how we recruit and retain teachers, etc.? How would education need to change with these reductions? Are we willing to accept the consequences of such actions?
These are certainly difficult questions to consider, but we must address them as a community. As the CAG presentation made clear, we as a community need to accept that there need to be changes–the current level of expectations and funding cannot continue. And we need to elect leaders who are willing to address this situation.