Submitted by Matt DesChamps, Democratic BET Member and Candidate for Re-election
Matt DesChamps
As the days grow shorter and the crisp air of autumn approaches, a new school year is on the horizon. Soon, the 6:18 am sunrise will follow the 6:17 am school bus pickup time. This requires a wake up call for Greenwich families that rivals West Point cadets’. This year, our community faces significant changes, including a reduced budget and earlier start times and perhaps, most importantly, larger class sizes. These adjustments have many residents wondering how we arrived at this point and what the best way forward is.
A Look at the School Budget Process
The Board of Education (BOE) initially passed a budget with a 5% year-over-year increase after a thorough review. This was an overwhelmingly bipartisan decision, realized after careful consideration of the contractual and programmatic needs of our schools, as well as federal funding cuts.
The Board of Estimate and Taxation’s (BET) Republicans unilaterally voted to reduce the budget by $4 million without consulting the BOE or performing any analysis. With a budget constrained by existing labor contracts, reduced Title I Federal funding, and state-mandated programs, the Republican BET’s school budget was not enough to maintain essential services. The BOE and Greenwich Public Schools administration were then faced with the difficult task of finding on short notice $4 million in cost reductions. This meant making difficult choices and identifying the “least worst” options for cuts.
The Impact on Our Community
As a result of these cuts, numerous positions were eliminated, and recently-implemented later start times for high schoolers were reversed. The 2017 shift was intended to benefit student health and well being, but the new, earlier schedule forces students, parents, and teachers to adjust to earlier wake-up calls. In addition, sizes for certain classes are 24 students large which is challenging for teachers to manage let alone teach. Have you ever hosted a birthday party of 24 6-10 year olds? Now try and teach them math. How to spell. Fun times.
This situation highlights a core issue facing our town: how to balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of our public schools and community. And this year’s budget is a failure to find that balance. Everyone agrees that our public schools are a significant investment. The challenge is in finding a path forward that funds our schools effectively while also being mindful of the budget. That cannot be done without financial leaders who have real-world experience in budgeting and cost control and make decisions informed by facts, not politics. And the public school cut is a prime example of the failure of the current Republican BET leadership and why the party is desperately searching for replacements.
Moving forward, it’s important for residents to stay informed. Many different factors, including labor contracts and state mandates, play a role in shaping the school and town operating budget. The issues are complex and require BET members who are competent financial professionals not political ideologues.
In November, Greenwich residents will have a clear choice—vote for the 6 Democrats for the BET— proven financial leaders who listen, collaborate and represent you.
Matt DesChamps, BET Member and Candidate for Re-election