Bridgewater raritan regional school district

Development of the Budget
September 26 Requests submitted by staff
October 22 Budget Information Sessions for the public
November Meetings with principals
December 1, 10 Board Finance Committee Meetings
December 15 Introduction to the Budget, presented to Board and public
January 12, 26 Public input sessions at Board meetings
January, February Continued review by Finance Committee
Feb – April Staff and Community presentations
March 16 Governor’s Budget Address
March 18 State Aid Notices
March 22 (?) Tentative Budget approved by Board
March 23 Tentative Budget to County Exec Supt
March 26 – April 3 Public hearing and Board adoption of budget
April 20 Election/Budget Vote

Thursday, February 18, 7:00 p.m. @ Hamilton
Wednesday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. @ Adamsville
Thursday, March 4, 9:30 a.m.@ Van Holten
Wednesday, March 10, 7:00 p.m. @ Milltown
Thursday, March 11, 10:00 a.m. @ Eisenhower
Thursday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. @ Hillside
Tuesday, March 16, 7:00 p.m. @ J.F.K.
Tuesday, March 16, 8:30 p.m. @ High School
Wednesday, March 17, 7:00 p.m. @ Bradley Gardens
Tuesday, March 23, 7:00 p.m. @ Middle School
Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. @ High School (Athletic Boosters)
Thursday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. @ Crim
TBD: Bridgewater and Raritan Town Councils
Community Presentations

Board Budgetary Goals
Involve the public in the budget process as early as possible
Minimize tax increases
Minimize budget increases
Maintain reasonable class size, K-12
Maintain and stabilize services that meet the needs of all students, including …
Special education
Gifted/talented
Academic support
English Language Learners
Implement Strategic Planning recommendations
Continue improving the K-12 Language Arts Literacy program

Effects of Tax Levy & State Aid on School Budget

Tax Levy Increase &
Budget Increase Comparison
09-10 Budget 10-11 Budget % Difference
Tax Levy $113,403,359 $117,939,493 4.0%
State Aid $12,696,218 $12,258,823 -3.4%
Other $7,054,985 $6,662,843 -5.56%
(fund balance, investment
income, facility rentals, etc)
Total $133,154,562 $136,861,159 2.78%
Assumption: federal stimulus monies ($432,000) used to boost state aid in FY0910 reduced to $0

General Fund
Operating Budget History
Year Expenditures Increase
10-11 $136,861,159 2.78%
09-10 $133,154,562 3.35%
08-09 $128,832,572 3.95%
07-08 $123,935,134 4.28%
06-07 $118,730,840 7.76%
05-06 $110,178,038 7.21%
04-05 $102,771,060 6.68%
03-04 $96,335,960 6.09%

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING
(Total Savings - $240,000 for 4 teaching positions)
Goal: To address academic areas of concern (language arts and mathematics), to address new core curriculum content standards, to offer specialized E-classes in science and social studies to qualified 6th graders, and to reduce duplication/overlap of services in 6th grade
Part I:
Replace School Wide Enrichment program with redesigned cycle program
World Cultures replaced with Writing Applications/Grammar Cycle
Technology replaced with Math Applications/Financial Literacy Cycle
Environmental Science Cycle remains
Health Cycle remains
School Wide Enrichment Cycle is eliminated
Provision of math and language arts enrichment and/or intervention by highly qualified teachers (homogeneous grouping)
Targeted instruction based on academic need in math and language arts literacy
(homogeneous grouping)
Cost Savings: 2 School Wide Enrichment Teachers @ $120,000
PROPOSED REDUCTIONS

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING
(Total Savings - $240,000 for 4 teaching positions)
Goal: To address academic areas of concern (language arts and mathematics), to address new core curriculum content standards, to offer specialized E-classes in science and social studies to qualified 6th graders, and to reduce duplication/overlap of services in 6th grade
Part 2:
Replace Academically Independent classes in Grade 6 with additional E-classes (homogeneous grouping)
Science
Social Studies
Cost Savings: 2, 6th Grade AI Teachers @ $120,000
Note: E-science and E-social studies classes to be implemented in grades 7 and 8 by September 2011
PROPOSED REDUCTIONS (continued)

DECREASING ENROLLMENTS
(Savings - $540,000 for 9 teaching positions)
Goal: To make logical reductions to K-5 staffing based on declining enrollments, while still adhering to Board Policy and keeping class size as low as financially feasible
Reduce 9 teaching positions, K-5, based on enrollment predictions (6 positions, K-4, 3 posiitons, Grade 5)
PROPOSED REDUCTIONS (continued)

TEACHER ASSISTANT STATE MANDATE
(Savings - $33,000)
Goal: To be in accordance with NJ Regulations and Executive County Superintendent directive to eliminate non-instructional teaching assistants
Replace 1.5 teacher assistants with 1.0 Secretary D position per building
PROPOSED REDUCTIONS (continued)

New Items Proposed for
Inclusion in Budget
PERSONNEL
2.0 Special Education teachers (existing students – IEP driven) $ 130,000
FACILITIES
Implementation of quick payback Energy Audit recommendations $ 100,000
PROGRAM
5-8 Language Arts Literacy adoption to add solid foundation to program $ 389,000
Improvements to concussion screening process at Basilone field house $ 15,000
Athletic trainer at middle school and high school; shared service $ 19,900
with Somerset Medical Center paying $40,000 of salary/benefits
Additional assistant football coach to accommodate 130 athletes $ 7,006

Requested Items Excluded
from Budget
REQUESTS NOT FUNDED $2,500,000+
Personnel, benefits, new teams, program enhancements, new texts, equipment, supplies, services, etc from across the district
Examples:
Expansion of school-wide enrichment program (3) $165,000
Additional Intervention Specialists (2) $130,000
Additional Special Ed personnel $243,000
Kindergarten teacher (.5) $ 25,000
New text adoptions and instructional supplies $240,041
Additional police officer at High School $ 80,000
High school asst coaches (3) $ 28,000
New high school athletic teams $ 34,700
High school replacement lockers (Basilone Field House) $ 59,000

If Budget Needs to be Further Reduced….
PERSONNEL
Increase class size, K-12
PROGRAMS/CURRICULUM
Eliminate 5-8 Language Arts adoption
Eliminate K-4 School Wide Enrichment
Eliminate Reading Recovery program
Suspend all summer curriculum writing
Suspend all staff development
Decrease elective offerings at High School by going to an 8 period day
Eliminate cycle courses, grades 5-8
Eliminate band/orchestra programs, grades 5-8
Eliminate K-4 World Language program
Eliminate environmental field trips at middle school
FACILITIES and EQUIPMENT
Suspend all energy audit facilities improvements
Suspend all technology purchases
ATHLETIC/ CO-CURRICULAR
Eliminate all sports, grades 7-9
Eliminate all after school programs, grades 5-8
SERVICES
Outsource custodial and maintenance services
Eliminate all courtesy bussing

Budget Expenditures
Personnel 81.3%
Transportation 6.1%
Utilities 2.9%
Supplies/Texts 2.8%
Out of District Placements 2.7%
Communication/Leases/Rentals 1.2%
Purchased Professional Services 1.2%
Capital/Maintenance 1.1%
Other .7%

Comparative Costs
(taken from the NJ DOE 2009 Comparative Spending Guide)
BRRSD Somerset Avg.
Total cost per pupil $12,704 (6th lowest) $13,146
Administrator per pupil cost $1,112 (3rd lowest) $1,395
Student to administrator ratio 214 to 1 (leanest) 169 to 1
Faculty to administrator ratio 22 to 1 (2nd leanest) 17 to 1
Total Somerset districts compared: 17

Total Tax Rate
per $100 of assessed value
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Bridgewater $1.04 $1.09 $1.12 $1.16 *$1.22
Raritan $.99 $1.11 $1.15 $1.23 **$1.27
*4.95% increase = $244 increase on a $424,237 home
**3.45 % increase = $136 increase on a $320,306 home

Voting History
Over 27,000 registered voters:
2009 passed by 1279 votes, 5923 total votes
2008 passed by 211 votes, 4587 total votes
2007 defeated by 242 votes, 3968 total votes
2006 passed by 158 votes, 4250 total votes
2005 passed by 119 votes, 4863 total votes
2004 defeated by 146 votes, 3580 total votes
2003 defeated by 281 votes, 2495 total votes
2002 defeated by 288 votes, 3490 total votes

2.78% BUDGET GROWTH WHICH STILL INCLUDES…
Program improvements based on need
Personnel reductions due to decreasing enrollments
Increased class sizes not exceeding Board Policy
Stabilization of programs & services
FFF
BUDGET SUMMARY

How to Help
Become informed - Ask questions
Join a campaign: BREA “Kids First”, CSA and PTO “Get Out the Vote”
Reach out to the unregistered voter
Registration link on www.brrsd.k12.nj.us
Remember the “4-year law”
Reach out to the “inactive” voter
Provide an absentee ballot request form
Make a call
Give a ride
Get to the polls
Spread the Good News about BRRSD!