Override is An Issue for the Whole Town
To the Editor,
I would like to add to your article covering the NEEDS assessment for the Groton Dunstable School District most recently released to the community. I feel that it is important for the taxpayers/voters to understand that our possible need for an override is not a school related issue it is a town issue.
Our past decisions have brought us to this precarious situation. As reported in the Groton Herald, "Over the past few years a relative handful of voters at Town Meeting have legally approved about $12 million in capital spending committing Groton taxpayers to the cost of substantial debt service for many years to come."
From 2005 to 2010, municipal spending (ex education, debt, and public works) increased roughly in line with inflation on a per capita basis and trended with education expenditures. However, since 2010, municipal spending has increased over 30% on a per capita basis - with a CAGR of 7.2%. During that time education expenses increased at a CAGR of 0.6%, lagging inflation by 4x and municipal spending by 12x.
With annual contractually obligations with increased costs that substantially outweighed the insufficient increases in education funding, the schools were forced to cut staff, cut support, cut programs, defer maintenance, increase fees, and use "excess and deficiency" (E&D) funds to keep the doors open.
This happened repeatedly over the course of the past 6 years and we now are acknowledging the fact that it has negatively impacted our District. Our student achievement scores are dropping, our achievement gaps are widening and our "rainy day" funds are nowhere near the state-recommended guidelines.
Overall student performance has declined based on the loss of essential staffing and resources. Staffing cuts have resulted in large class sizes in many core classes, classroom curriculum content is not fully aligned with the current state standards, instructional programs not being fully coordinated or monitored, and professional development is not sustained enough to enable teachers to move beyond the basic methods of curriculum implementation.
Based on past staffing cuts, school staff do not have ongoing consistent and enough support structures in place to assist students with social emotional needs
Lack of adequate staffing makes it impossible to meet the needs of all students in the arts, library, technology, and foreign language offerings. As a result of past staffing cuts, class sizes in integrated arts classes are large and programs that were offered in the past are no longer offered.
Due to staffing cuts and growing needs, vital services are not being provided (nursing, administrative support, maintenance, technology)
Our schools should not be perceived as the "smoking gun", an override should not be hung on the shoulders of the schools. The schools are an asset to our town not a liability. The quality of our school district has a distinctive impact on our property value and our children's future.
This is not a school budget issue, this is a town issue for both Groton & Dunstable.
Respectfully
Marlena Gilbert
Tax Payer & Groton Resident
45 Arbor Way
