2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative - South St. Paul Public Schools
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3/7/19
2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
BACKGROUND
South St. Paul Public Schools (SSPPS) is on a journey of better alignment of our budget to learning needs, using our
strategic and operational plans to guide our efforts. As such, district leaders have reviewed options for redesigning our
operations so that we are better positioned to meet our five percent growth goals for reading and math, and to enhance
our commitment to IB throughout our system. In aligning our resources to learning, we better able to advance our vision of
preparing each and every student for their next step.
Four years ago we launched a new S trategic Plan that put us on a path to becoming not just the first, but also the finest, IB
World Schools District. With the passage of the o perating levy in 2017 and continued advocacy for referendum
equalization at the state level, we are making strides in securing, sustaining and allocating resources in ways that align
with our strategic efforts.
Last year, we presented a budget that identified a need to direct our resources into supporting both academic and
behavior challenges in SSPPS. We started on a path to addressing some of these challenges with the addition of a
counselor and student support specialist at the Secondary, and lower class sizes at both Kaposia and Lincoln Center. This
attention to more individualized instruction for students at all levels in SSPPS has resulted in some of the lowest class
sizes in the metro. In fact, in a recently released M
etro ECSU Class Size report, South St. Paul class sizes are below
average at all levels (i.e., elementary junior high/middle school and high school). Of the 28 districts surveyed, SSP Schools
are in the top third of districts with the lowest class sizes.
In addition, through a framework called Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), for which a phased implementation of
began in Fall 2018, SSPPS will better ensure that each student receives the support they need to be prepared for that next
step. Specifically, South St. Paul’s MTSS framework includes:
● High-quality instruction along with preventative interventions;;
● Assessment practices that are applied across all levels of the system for a deeper understanding of each
student's needs; and
● The alignment of resources and supports necessary for each student's academic and social-emotional success.
We know that redesigning our system to better meet the needs of our today’s and tomorrow’s learners requires us to look
at both short-term and long-term operational shifts. To that end, we offer not only a plan for 2019-20 but also a framework
of longer-term strategies, providing both a budget based on what we can afford right now, and a five- to six-year roadmap
for fully-funding our schools and achieving our strategic goals.
LONG-TERM FINANCIAL PLAN
As we look out five to six years, we know that there is a need for increased funding for SSP Schools. We are hopeful that
the 2019 Legislative Session will bring more adequate funding for public schools, to include referendum equalization and
special education funding. As such, we are looking at long-term financial plans that would allow for fully-funded schools in
SSP, including:
● a COMPREHENSIVE MTSS LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE that allows for its successful implementation;
● an EQUITABLE STAFFING APPROACH for all positions to provide consistent services and programs at all levels;
and
● a NEW DAILY SCHEDULE that provides additional learning time for students and additional collaboration time for
teachers.
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
SHORT-TERM FINANCIAL PLAN (2019-20)
As 2019-20 district budget parameters require us to maintain a balanced budget (i.e., any changes need to be done in a
cost-neutral manner), we present the following redesigns that have been vetted by district leadership and affirms some of
what we learned from our staff engagement in February.
Comprehensive Financial Review
As articulated in the district’s Strategic Plan, we are committed to securing, sustaining and allocating resources to best
serve each and every student. To that end, administration conducted a comprehensive financial review to assess and
maximize all available resources to redesign and advance the district’s mission and vision. In addition to reviewing the
General Fund, the district also sought opportunities within the budgets of Special Education, ADSIS, Achievement and
Integration, Title, and Compensatory Revenue. Additionally, the district will see financial savings as a result of its Early
Retirement Incentive Program, providing additional funds that can be used to help meet strategic goals.
The resulting budget adjustment proposal makes use of all available resources while aligning with the approved b
udget
parameters and adhering to the district’s fund balance policy.
Staff Input / Community Input
Throughout the development of the budget adjustment proposal, district leaders have reviewed a variety of inputs and
data, to include previous budget adjustment recommendations, learning from the recently conducted parent surveys of
current, future and outbound families, community conversations, and results from an all-staff online exhange that
engaged 20 percent of our staff and produced 135 suggestions.
All constituencies articulated a need to enhance personalized learning and improve the overall learner experience,
including academics, social-emotional learning, mental health and behavior. Specifically, many stakeholders noted the
need for:
● more academic and behavioral supports;
● more counselors;
● more focus on a comprehensive IB experience rather than other programs;
● an addition cultural liaison at the Secondary; and
● media and technology instruction at the Elementary.
Budget Proposal Summary
Budget recommendations are focused on the following overarching areas:
● ADVANCING MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT (MTSS) to include addressing:
○ Academic needs - achieving a five percent growth in reading and math
○ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) needs - addressing the needs of the whole child (e.g. mental health,
behavior, etc.)
● STRENGTHENING IB EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE for all learners
● PERSONALIZING THE LEARNING for each and every student
Additionally, we are recommending NO CHANGES TO CLASS SIZE NORMS, for which efforts made in last year’s budget
helped to bring SSP class sizes among the lowest in the Twin Cities Metro (as cited in above 2
019 Metro ECSU Class Size
Report). Classroom staffing will remain consistent with current staffing norms.
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
2019-20 Proposed Enhancements & Adjustments
Through a combination of reallocations, retirements, right-sizing and additional outside resources, the following staffing
changes are proposed and are cost-neutral to the general fund. These redesigns and additions provide a balanced
approach of reacting to current needs and proactively planning for the future to create a better learning environment for
all students:
● ADDITIONAL TEACHERS to address special education student needs
○ 1.0 FTE A
utism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) teacher (Kaposia)
○ 1.0 FTE B ehavioral Education teacher (Secondary)
○ 0.4 FTE W ork-Based Special Education teacher (Secondary)
● ADDITIONAL CULTURAL LIAISON to address growing student and family needs
○ 1.0 FTE C
ultural Liaison (Secondary)
● ADDITIONAL STAFF t o provide more social-emotional learning, mental health and student behavior support
○ 3.0 FTE S
chool Counselors to provide more support of mental health and student support needs (Kaposia,
Lincoln Center, Secondary)
○ 1.0 FTE S tudent Support Assistant (Secondary)
● STAFFING R
EDESIGN of intervention services to help advance MTSS implementation:
○ 3.0 FTE M
TSS Specialists to focus on academic and SEL coordination and coaching (district-wide)
● PROGRAM REDESIGN & RIGHT-SIZING to align with comprehensive IB learner experience and student enrollment:
○ Redesign of Elementary Specialist Offerings to include M edia Technology (1.8 FTE) - Through a redesign of
elementary specialist instruction, students will continue to receive regular instruction in music, world language
(Spanish), art and physical education, as well as additional instruction in technology, digital citizenship and
media. This addition contributes to a more comprehensive IB experience and returns to the elementary a key
learning component that was removed several years ago due to budget constraints.
○ Redesign of Instrumental Music Program (-1.0 FTE) - To provide more access and opportunity for students to
experience instrumental music, we propose a redesign of the current introductory instrumental music program.
■ Current Program Challenges
● Students new to SSP Secondary have limited access to the instrumental music program.
● Students are required to make a decision at 5th grade about the instrument they are committing to
for the rest of their secondary education.
● Current 5th grade band structure takes away from core content instruction time.
■ Proposed Program Opportunities
● Students will have an opportunity for more exploration of instrumental music in middle and high
school.
● Students new to SSP Secondary will have more on-ramps to participate in instrumental music during
their secondary experience.
● The district will have time to work in partnership with instrumental music teachers to develop a
stronger introductory instrumental program for the 2020-21 school year that allows for more
students to participate, which in turn will help grow the overall instrumental music program.
○ Right-sizing of Secondary course and program offerings - A nnually the Secondary School administration reviews
student interests and course registrations, which thus results in modest adjustments and right-sizing of staffing
levels in the building. Such adjustments, particularly in secondary elective courses, help SSPPS to uphold its
commitment to being good fiscal stewards of taxpayer money while continuing to offer a robust, comprehensive
IB learner experience for all students.
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
- ADDENDUM -
PROGRAM REDESIGN & RIGHT-SIZING to align with comprehensive IB learner
experience and student enrollment (instrumental music)
BACKGROUND
At its Committee-of-the-Whole meeting on March 11, the South St. Paul (SSP) School Board heard and
discussed the administration’s recommendations for redesigning the 2019-20 school year budget to
better meet the academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs of SSP students.
Included in the recommendations was the inclusion of ongoing “right-sizing” of programs and staffing.
Such a process is taken on annually by building administrators as they work to align staffing with
student interest, course registrations and student enrollment. It is most often seen at the secondary
level with its breadth of course offering, especially in elective courses such as music, world language
and family and consumer science, but it is also done at the elementary level to balance staffing and
student need. It is part of the complex process SSP principals do every year to maximize all of the
dollars that are available to them.
One such right-sizing adjustment that was offered in the administration’s budget adjustment proposal
was the right-sizing and resulting redesign of the district’s instrumental music program. Currently, the
secondary is overstaffed in instrumental music given the number of students currently enrolled and the
number of classes taught. Additionally, every year the concern is raised about how students participate
in the current fifth grade band program are pulled out of class for lessons, regularly missing out on core
instructional time. As such, administration recommended reducing instrumental music staffing by 1.0
FTE (0.5 FTE at the secondary, 0.5 FTE from fifth grade band)
At its meeting on March 11, some board members expressed concern about the additional burden that
may be placed on the secondary band teacher should this right-sizing and redesign occur. There was
also concern that the change may have an adverse effect on the program and actually decrease
interest. In the end, the board asked administration to come back at the next meeting with a proposal to
only reduce the position by half, which would allow for an additional half-time band teacher to remain at
the secondary so that one person was not responsible for all band instruction for grades 6-12.
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
OPTION A: Administrative Recommendation (reduce 1.0 instrumental music instruction)
Per the Board discussion on March 11, administration is providing additional clarification and
information about its original recommendation for redesign of the instrumental music program resulting
in a 1.0 FTE reduction.
SECONDARY 0.5 FTE Reduction — Instrumental music is currently overstaffed at the secondary by
0.5 FTE.
Rationale -
● The standard required teaching load for other content areas at the secondary is to teach 5 out of
6 periods.
● Currently, the full-time band instructor at the secondary teaches 2 periods of band per day, plus
2 periods of general music per day, thus carrying a load for teaching 4 out of 6 periods.
● The half-time contracted band instructor at the secondary currently teaches band for one period
per day.
● Thus, the full-time band instructor currently teaches fewer periods during the day than
colleagues in other subjects, which in turn creates inequity and questions among secondary
teachers.
● Similar to teachers who coach sports or advise after-school activities, ensembles such as pep
band, marching band and jazz band, are not part of the contract teaching day and are instead
offered as extra-curricular activities (ECA). All ECA offerings are overseen by teachers, coaches
and advisors that receive additional compensation, over and above their contracted salary, to
oversee these programs.
SAMPLE Teaching Assignment (based on current staffing) -
● Currently, the teacher contract at the secondary requires teaching 5 out of 6 periods.
(Contract day = zero hour through 6th hour)
● ECAs are voluntary, extra opportunities for which additional compensation is provided per
contract.
● X = assigned course; __ = teacher prep
Zero 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Extra Curricular
Hour Hour Hour Hour Hour Hour Hour Activities
Full-time Band X X X X Jazz Band, Pep Band
Part-time Band X
Full-time Vocal X X X X X Show Choir
Full-time PE/Health X X X X X Football, Hockey, Golf
Full-time Science X X X X X Robotics, Math Team
Full-time Lang Arts X X X X X Soccer, Speech Team
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
Impact -
● STUDENTS - Band offerings will remain as they are, with no change in available courses for
band students or general music. Students would still be able to participate as they are currently.
○ Opportunity - Moving the introductory band (i.e. currently known as 5th grade band) to
the secondary could provide an opportunity for students to access band instruction at
any point in their secondary career should they so choose. For example, a student could
choose to take up an instrument in grade 9, provided that the program is redesigned
(see below) to be more on a continuum of standards and proficiency rather than solely
on age or grade.
● PROGRAM - The band program would remain as it is currently, with band offered for grades 6
through 12.
○ Opportunity - How students are placed into bands could be could look different
depending on how instruction is provided. For example, students could be placed in
ensembles that aligned with their proficiency level rather than solely based on
age/grade, following more of a standards-based approach to learning, which is part of
the district’s strategic and operational plans.
○ Opportunity - A new grade 6 exploratory wheel (as is currently offered in other content
areas) could be created for the fine arts in grade so that all students could be exposed to
band and other arts offerings, allowing for future course selections to be based on
passion and interest.
● BUDGET - the secondary budget would see a savings of 0.5 FTE ($35,000).
○ Opportunity - The dollars saved could be applied to other staffing needs at the
secondary
ELEMENTARY 0.5 FTE Reduction — Introductory band instruction at the elementary regularly pulls
students out of core instructional time (e.g. reading, math, science, social studies).
Rationale -
● On a weekly basis, students are pulled for band lessons that cause them to miss core
instruction.
● The district is faced with academic achievement scores in reading and math that are below state
average.
● The district’s strategic goals calls for improving reading and math achievement by 5%.
Impact -
● STUDENTS - Students would not begin formal band instruction until sixth grade.
○ Opportunity - Students would have more time to focus on core academic instruction,
while still receiving regular music instruction as part of the elementary specialist rotation.
● PROGRAM - The introductory band program would move to the secondary.
○ Opportunity - The district could provide after school or summer instrumental music
instruction through Community Education or other organizational partnership.
● BUDGET - As band instruction is not part of the regular elementary staffing allocation, the
district would see a savings of 0.5 FTE ($35,000) which could then be applied to other staffing
needs in the district.
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2019-20 Budget Adjustment Narrative
STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY — Through a redesign of the instrumental music program, in particular
the introductory program, the district would be able to provide more on-ramps for students to take up an
instrument during their secondary educational career. Currently, it is difficult for students to access
introductory band, especially as the student gets older, as a result of the program being structured by
age and grade rather than proficiency and experience.
In addition, as the district will have one year of grace to plan for a new instrumental music program (as
the current fifth graders move to the secondary), administration and teachers can work together to
create a more robust, personalized instrumental music program that allows for equitable access and
opportunity for all students.
The hope is that not only will the redesigned program provide more access for students to participate,
but could, in turn, increase the overall future participation in the SSP instrumental band program.
OPTION B: School Board Recommendation (reduce 0.5 instrumental music instruction)
Per the discussion on March 11 and per the Board’s direction, administration is providing an option for
how the district could preserving the 0.5 FTE instrumental music instruction at the secondary.
SECONDARY 0.5 FTE — Preserve the 0.5 FTE in instrumental music at the secondary by increasing
secondary class sizes throughout the building.
Rationale -
● Having only one band instructor for grades 6-12 would place an undue burden on the teacher
and would likely lead to burnout.
● The additional support could help in providing oversight of how students will transition into the
new introductory music program at the secondary.
Impact -
● STUDENTS - Band offerings will remain as they are, with no change in available courses for
band students or general music. Students would still be able to participate as they are currently.
However, throughout the building, students may experience larger class sizes to account for the
additional staffing allocation. Financially, this works out to an increase in staffing of 0.2 students,
which is equivalent to an average increase of 1 student for every 5 classes.
○ Opportunity - The additional 0.5 FTE could help provide introductory instruction for
students as well as oversee transitions between introductory opportunities (e.g. summer
band, exploratory nights, etc.) and Secondary School enrollment.
● PROGRAM - The introductory band program would be supported at the secondary level by two
instructors.
○ Opportunity - The additional 0.5 FTE could provide time during the 2019-20 school year
for redesigning the band program.
● BUDGET - The secondary would need to use 0.5 FTE ($35,000) to staff the instrumental
program using a staffing ratio that is different than other content areas and programs. The
resulting perception is that one content area is more important than another.
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