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Braintree public school review : executive order 393 : Education Management Accountability Board report PDF

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* UMASS/AMHERST * MassachusettsDepartmentofRevenue DivisionofLocalServices hredenckA.LasKey, Commissioner JosephJ.Chessey,Jr.,DeputyCommissioner GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS COLLECTION OCT 2^9 1999 University of Massachusetts Depository C.py Braintree Public Schools Review Executive Order 393 Education ManagementAccountability Board Report March 1999 EDUCATION MANAGEMENTACCOUNTABILITY BOARD Michael Sentance, Chairperson RobertAddelson PeterNessen Mark Roosevelt Hugh Scott Carmel Shields AlisonTaunton-Rigby SamuelTyler ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Administration & Finance Andrew Natsios, Secretary Kristen Keel, Undersecretary Jill Reynolds, SpecialAssistant Massachusetts DepartmentofRevenue FrederickA. Laskey, Commissioner Joseph J. Chessey, Jr., Deputy Commissioner Gerard D. Perry, Associate DeputyCommissioner TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 II. GENERALCONDITIONSAND FINDINGS 7 III. 1. BraintreeOverview 7 2. SchoolFinances 12 3. SchoolCommitteeBudgetTrend 13 4. TotalSchoolDistrictExpenditures 14 5. NetSchoolSpendingRequirements 15 6. SchoolCommitteeProgramBudget 17 7. FouNDAtionBudget 20 8. Staffing-Full TimeEquivalent(FTE) Trends 21 9. Payroll-SalaryLevels, UnionContracts 25 10. ProfessionalDevelopmentProgram 29 11. SchoolImprovementPlans 31 12. TimeandLearning 31 13. CoursesandClassSizes 32 14. TechnologyANDComputers 32 15. Suppliesand Textbooks 33 16. TestScores 34 17. ManagementandPersonnelPractices 40 18. AccountingandReporting 42 19. ReviewofExpenditures 43 20. HighSchoolAccreditation 43 21. Grade3 Transiency. 45 22. SpecialEducationand TransitionalBilingualEducation 46 23. DropoutAND Truancy 47 24. MaintenanceandCapitalImprovement. 48 25. CurriculumDevelopment 49 IV. EMPLOYEE SURVEY 50 V. SUPERINTENDENT'S STATEMENT-EDUCATION REFORM 51 VI. APPENDIX 52 , March 1999 Braintree Public Schools Review Introduction I. The Massachusetts Education ReformAct(MERA) of1993 hasthree majorgoals: to increase studentachievement; to achieve adequatefunding forall local and regional school districts overa seven-yearperiod; and to bring equityto localtaxation efforts based on a community'sabilityto pay. In February 1997, the Governorissued Executive Order 393to evaluatetheeducation reform programthatwas nearing theend ofitsfourthyear. In FY98, Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L.) Ch. 70 state aid foreducation reached $2.3 billion. With an investmentofthis magnitude inthe Commonwealth'sschools, itis criticalto "review, investigateand reportontheexpenditures offunds byschooldistricts, including regional school districts, consistentwiththegoalsofimproving student achievement." Tothatend. Executive Order393established the Education Management Accountability Board (EMAB). The SecretaryofAdministration and Finance, serving aschiefofstafftothe EMAB, selected a team ofauditorsfromthe DepartmentofRevenue's (DOR) Division ofLocal Services (DLS) to conductthe school district reviews. DOR's DirectorofAccounts isthe chiefinvestigatorwith authoritytoexamine municipal and school departmentaccountsand transactions pursuantto M.G.L. Ch. 44, §§45 and 46A. The reviewsare conducted in consultation with the StateAuditorand the CommissionerofEducation. The Braintree PublicSchools (BPS) isthe seventh school districtreviewed underExecutive Order393. The auditteam began the reviewofBPS in October 1998, and completed it in November 1998. As partofthis review, the auditteam conducted a confidential surveyof employees ofthe school districtand included the results in this report. School officials cooperated fullywiththe auditteam. The Executive Summary includes some ofthe more significantobservations andfindings of the reviewofBPS's operations. When possible, the auditteam has identified and presented bestpracticeswhich may be adapted byotherschool districts. The report discusses all results, bestpractices and deficiencies, ifany, in greaterdetail in the "General Conditions and Findings" section. II. Executive Summary Findings Thefindings are grouped intoseveral broad categories addressed inthe Education Reform Act: the Foundation Budget, StudentAchievement, Governance and Management Powers, Student/FullTime Equivalent(FTE)TeacherStaffing, TeacherCompensation, Professional Development, Timeand Learning, District Issues and Best Practices. Executive Order393 - Education ManagementAccountability Board 2 March 1999 Braintree Public Schools Review SUMMARY BPS increased its combined municipal and school committeeschool districtspending by $4.9 million from FY93through FY97, from $24.8 millionto $29.7 million. Increased funding has been utilized forthe hiring ofteachers and rising special needs program costs. This has enabled BPSto achieve an overall low 14:1 studenttoteacherratio. However, foundation budgetspending in fourkeyareas is significantly belowfoundationtargets and professional developmentspending does notmeet minimum perstudentspending requirements established by law. School improvementplans appearto be used as a managementtool and include systemwidegoalsgeared toward studentachievement. From an employee survey itis evidentthat teachers aregenerallyclearabouteducation reform related goals and objectives set bythe administration. Principals are all underthreeyear individual contracts. Performance evaluations are used butsalary increases do notappearto betied to performance. BPS appearsto be making a reasonable effortto align its curriculumto the state curriculumframeworks. BPStestscores generallyexceed the state averages. In 1996, grades4, 8 and 10 MEAP scores exceeded the state averages significantly in reading and social studies. The recently released MCAS scores showthatthe districtscored abovethe state average scaled scoresforall grades in all areas. THE FOUNDATION BUDGET • BPS has exceeded the netschool spending requirements as determined bythe DepartmentofEducation (DOE) forFY94through FY98. In FY98, the district's local and state percentages ofactual netschool spending were 89.5 percentand 10.5 percent respectively. FY97 salaries accounted for75.2 percentoftheschool operating budget. [See Section 5 and AppendixA-1] • FY97 SPED costs on a program basis accounted for$4 million or 15.6 percentofthe school budgetexcluding transportation and increased to $4.7 million or 17.5 percent in FY98. [See Section 6] • Thefoundation budgetdoes not mandate spending in anyspecificcategory. However, to encourage appropriate levels ofspending, M.G.L. Ch. 70, §9 requiresthata school district reporttothe CommissionerofEducation when it hasfailed to meetfoundation budgetspending levelsforprofessional development, books, instructional equipment, extended/expanded programs and extraordinary maintenance. Although BPS did not meetthese levelsfrom FY94to FY97, itdid notfile a reportas required by law nordid DOE direct ittodo so. Total spending exceeded thetotalfoundation budgetforFY94 to FY97. [See Section 7 and Appendix B1] Executive Order393 - Education ManagementAccountability Board 3 March 1999 Braintree PublicSchools Review STUDENTACHIEVEMENT • BPStestscores are generallyabovethestate average. Recently released MCAS scoresshowthat BPS scored abovethe state average scaled scoresforall grades in all areas. SATscoresfor 1997 exceeded the state average by 10 points. MEAP scoresfor 1996exceeded state averages by morethan 50 points in reading and social studies. The 1997 statewide Iowatests indicated that86 percentofBPSgrade 3 studentsscored atthe higherreading skill levelsof"proficient"and "advanced"versus thestate average of75 percent. BPSgrade 10 students scored atthe68th percentile inthe Iowa achievementtestwhen compared to a representative national sampleof students. [See Section 16 and AppendicesC and D] GOVERNANCEAND MANAGEMENT POWERS • The Superintendentconducts monthly meetingswith administrators, principals, curriculum directors and departmentheads. Issuesdiscussed inthese meetings includetestscores, school safety, professional development, school improvements and systemwide objectives. Principals and curriculum directorsfollow-upwith teachersto continuetheflowofinformation encouraging feedbackand newideas. [See Section 17] • Administratorsand principalswork underindividualthreeyearcontracts. Contracts are similarin structureand content. They include general languageforperformancegoals and annual evaluations. Specificgoals and evaluation criteria are notpartofcontracts butare agreed to bythe principals and the Superintendentannually. Evaluation proceduresare utilized bythe Superintendent. Principals have had individualthree yearcontractssince 1995with stated annual increases usuallytied to union contract percentage increasesforteachers and otherstaff. The Superintendent is nottaking advantage ofthe managementtoolsgranted to him bythe Education ReformActsince salary increases are nottied to performance. [See Section 17] STUDENT/FTETEACHER STAFFING • Between FY93 and FY97, thetotal numberofFTEteachers increased by36.1, or 12.2 percent, from 296.9to 333.0. As a result, the all students/all FTEteachers ratio declined from 15.3:1 in FY93to 14.3:1 in FY97, a positivetrend foreducational achievement. This ratio issignificantly lowerthan the state averageof18.1:1. [See Section 8] TEACHERCOMPENSATION • Between FY93 and FY97, expendituresforsalaries rose $4.6 million or26.6 percent. Total teaching salaries rose $3.1 million or24.8 percent, reflecting additional spending fornewstaffaswell as pay raises inteachers' contracts. Union contractannual increases plus step increasesforteachers have increased by44.5 percentforthefive yearperiod Executive Order393- Education ManagementAccountability Board 4 March 1999 Braintree Public Schools Review • 1993to 1997. Thedistrict FY97 averageteachersalary reported to DOE of$45,694 was $2,820 or6.6 percenthigherthan the state average of$42,874. [See Section 9] PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • BPS has notmetthe professional development legal minimum spending requirements forFY95to FY97 northefoundation budgettargetsforFY94to FY97. Expenditures in FY94 represented only4.7 percentofthefoundation budgetforprofessional developmentand 27.1 percent in FY97. [See Sections 7 and 10] TIMEAND LEARNING • BPS met DOE'S high schooltime requirementof990 hours peryearforthe 1997/98 school yearwith a schedule of994 hours. The middle school standard of900 hours was exceeded by between 23 hoursand 99 hours and theelementaryschool standard of900 hourswasexceeded by between 15 hours and 60 hours. [See Section 12] DISTRICT ISSUES • In verifying the accuracyoftheenrollment numbers, the auditteam noted a variance betweenthe numbers maintained by BPSenrollmentsystem and those reported to DOE on the October 1st foundation enrollment report. Specifically, the reviewofthe data revealed that reportsfor FY95, FY96 and FY97were understated bya combined total of215 studentsdue mostlyto a failureto includetuitioned-outstudents. This reduced BPS state aid byan estimated $13,825totalforthesethreefiscal years. • In verifying the accuracyofbudget recordstoexpenditure reports submitted to DOE, the auditteam noted thatschool related capital budgetexpenditures appropriated inthe town budgetwere not reported correctly in theend-of-year reportfrom FY89through FY98. The auditteam determined thatcertain unreported expenditures should have been reported as netschool spending and suggested thatthetown accountantand school directorofcomputerservices conveneto correctthe FY98 submission using DOE'S reporting requirements. The BPSdirectorofcomputerservices has been completing this report in lieu ofthe business manager. BPS has recently hired a business managerand preparation offuture reportswill be his responsibility. BEST PRACTICES • Communication and coordination efforts playa key role in developing and implementing BPS instructional programs. The Superintendentmeetsthreetimes peryearwith all school administrators as a groupto addressthefollowing criteria: firstto develop, next to reviewand finallyto recommend newsystemwide objectives. The school committee reviews and approvesthese objectives. Both principals and curriculum directors must submita plantothe Superintendentto achievetheirgoals. Administrators encourage feedbackfrom staffduring the implementation process. The Superintendentfollows-up Executive Order393 - Education ManagementAccountability Board 5 March 1999 Braintree PublicSchools Review on implementation byconducting monthly meetingswith administrators in smaller groups. [See Section 17] • BPS hasdeveloped programsforstudentswith substantial learning difficultiesthatoffer toeducate students intheirhome community ratherthan tuitioning them outto a collaborative orprivateschool setting. These programs providestudentswith a less restrictiveenvironment, aswell as, accountforconsiderablecost-containment. [See Section 22] • BPS hasa homework policywhich includesobjectives and timeframesforexpected homeworkattheelementary, middle and high school levels. Italso includesguidelines forparents, teachers and administrators. The policy has been in useforovera decade and has been revised periodically. Administrators meetduring the school yearto reviewstudentadherencetothe policy. Parents are senta copyofthe policyatthe beginning oftheschoolyearand it is discussed on parents nightand in monthly newsletters. Parentalfeedback isencouraged bytheSuperintendentand is usedto reinforcethe policy. • InApril 1998, BPS instituted a strictstudentpolicyconcerning use orpossession of tobacco products. According tothe policy, studentsfound smoking orin possession of tobacco products on school grounds aresuspended and fined forthefirstoffense. The fineforthefirstoffense maybewaived ifthestudentparticipates in asmoking cessation program run byan accredited school nurse. Thesuspensiontimeand mandatorydollarfine increaseswith successive offenses. This school year, there have been onlyfoursmoking related offenses reported ascompared toover70 inthe last two schoolyears. Itis noteworthythatthe BPS studentcouncil madethe requestfora strong anti-smoking policy. Auditee's Response The auditteam held an exitconferencewith the Superintendentand the assistant superintendenton December21 1998. Theteam invited BPSto suggestspecifictechnical , corrections and make aformalwritten response. Commentswere received, changeswere made as a resultofthese comments, and a revised reportwas provided tothe Superintendent. The Superintendentprovidedfurthercommentswhich are contained in Appendix H. Review Scope In preparationfortheschool district reviews, theauditteam held meetingswith officials from DOE, the StateAuditor's Office and otherstatewideorganizationssuch asthe MassachusettsTaxpayers Foundation, the Massachusetts MunicipalAssociation andthe MassachusettsAssociation ofSchool Superintendents. The auditteam also read published reports on educational and financial issuesto prepareforthe school district reviews. Executive Order393 - Education ManagementAccountability Board 6 March 1999 Braintree Public Schools Review Theauditteam metwiththe private auditfirm thatconductsfinancial audits ofBPS. In addition, DOE provided data including the end-of-yearreports, foundation budgets, evaluations oftest resultsforBPS students, aswell as statewide comparative data. The DOR'S Division ofLocal Services Municipal Data Bank provided demographic information, community profiles and overall state aid data. While on site, the auditteam interviewed officials including, butnot limited to, the school committee chair, the school Superintendent, the assistantsuperintendent, thedirectorofcomputerservices, curriculum directors and principals. Documents reviewed included both vendorand personnel contracts, invoices, payroll data, statistics on students and teachers aswell astest results and reports submitted to DOE. In keeping with thegoalssetout bythe EMAB, the school district reviewwas designed to determinewhetherornot basicfinancial goals related to education reform have been met. The auditteam gathered data related to performance such astestscores, studentto teacherratios and class sizesto show results and operationaltrends. However, this report does not intend to presenta definitive opinion regarding thequalityofeducation in BPS, or its successes orfailures in meeting particulareducation reform goals. Rather, it is intended to presenta relevantsummaryofdatatothe EMABforevaluation and comparison purposes. Thefocusofthis reviewwas on operational issues. Itdid notencompass all ofthetests thatare normally partofa year-end financial auditsuch as: reviewofinternal controls; cash reconciliation ofaccounts; testing compliancewith purchasing and expenditure laws and regulations; and generally accepted accounting practices. The auditteamtested financial transactions on a limited basis only. The auditteam also excluded federal grants, revolving accounts and studentactivity accounts. The auditteam did notteststatistical data relating to enrollment, testscores and othermeasures ofachievement. This report is intended forthe information and use ofEMAB and BPS. However, this report is a matterof public record and its distribution is not limited. III. General Conditions and Findings 1. Braintree Overview Thetown ofBraintree is classified as an economicallydeveloped suburb by DOE. Its 1996 population was 34,708, up 2.6 percentfrom 1990 butdown 4.5 percentfrom 1980. It is located approximately 12 miles south ofBoston and is governed by afive memberboard of selectmen, an executive secretaryand a representativetown meeting. Thetown owns and operates a selfsupporting watersupplyand distribution system and a selfsupporting electricgenerating and distribution facility. Health South/Braintree Hospital, Braintree's largestemployer, employs 1,400 people. Thetown's largesttaxpayerand ownerofthe South Shore Plaza, Braintree Properties, wasvalued in FY98 at$127.6 million, or5.5 percentofthetown'staxablevalue. Executive Order393 - Education ManagementAccountability Board 7 March 1999 Braintree PublicSchools Review Like many Massachusettsschool districts, Braintreefaced budgetary pressures intheearly 1990's as a resultofan economic recession and the associated decline in municipal state aid foreducation and infinancial contributionsto schools. Consequently, Braintree experienced a budgetreduction in FY93 and found itnecessaryto reducethe numberof total PTEs. Charts 1-1 and 1-2showsome keydemographicand economicstatisticsforBraintree. Chart 1-1 Town ofBraintree Demographic Data 1996 Population 34,708 FY98 Residential Tax Rate $12.87 FY98Average Single FamilyTax $2,055 FY98Avg. AssessedValue PerSingle Family $159,656 FY98Tax Levy $40,420,594 FY98 StateAid $10,601,788 FY98 StateAid as % ofRevenue 14.6% 1989 PerCapita Income $18,624 1996Average Unemployment Rate 3.9% Note: DataprovidedbyDLS BPS has participated inthe Metropolitan CouncilforEducation Opportunities, orMETCO program, since 1966. METCO, established in 1963, is avoluntaryprogramthatoffers minoritychildren from Boston an opportunityto attend suburban schools. Braintreewas reimbursed $237,000 in FY98 state aid forits participation in METCO. As ofourauditdate, the Superintendent has been in this positionfor8years, the assistant superintendent hasworked forBPSfor35yearsand the business managerwas hired this school year. BPS informed theauditteamthatthe assistantsuperintendent had been performing the duties ofbusiness managersincethatperson's retirement 14 yearsago. However, increased responsibilities uponthe assistantsuperintendentgeneratedthe need toseparatethis responsibilityand reappointa business manager. Theassistantsuperintendentreportsdirectlytothe Superintendentasdothe business managerand principals. Thedirectorofcomputerservicesand curriculum directors report directlytothe assistantsuperintendent. This line ofreporting is understood bythose involved eventhough theorganization chartdoes notclearly reflectthis structure. The auditteam recommended to BPSthatitsorganization chartbe reviewed and adjusted accordingly. As ofourauditdate, BPS consists of1 high school, 2 middle schools, 7 elementary schools and 1 kindergarten satellite school. Thetown belongstothe Blue Hills regional Executive Order393- Education ManagementAccountability Board 8

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