Transportation costs, security help boost school spending

LYNN – Rising transportation costs and security improvements are some of the biggest expenses in the $119 million School Department budget slated for public review Thursday night.Parents and anyone else interested in commenting on the spending plan for the 2013-2014 school year can attend the 6 p.m. hearing in the Tiger?s Den meeting room in the Lynn Vocational Technical Institute annex building, 90 Commercial St.School spending increased 2.6 percent from $116 million last year to $118.9 million in the budget prepared by Superintendent Catherine Latham and initially reviewed by committee members in June.Committee member Patricia Capano said major educational concerns, including dealing with overcrowded kindergarten classrooms, has been addressed in the budget. But, she warned, “The budget can be very fluid, there are some costs – special education among them – that can rise if students need change.”Capano said school administrators are on track to move administration offices in the annex to the city-owned building at 100 Bennett St. by Aug. 15 and outfit the annex? second floor for kindergarten classrooms.About 250 kindergartners will start school in the annex in September in order to relieve classroom overcrowding in Brickett, Tracy and Ford schools.?It?s a necessary evil, but Cathy (Latham) has pretty much addressed all the concerns of parents,” said Committee member John Ford.The increase in the public school budget adds roughly $1.1 million in elementary and secondary school spending, and $1.6 million in “support service” spending with about half that amount dedicated to added transportation and security costs and $85,500 boost in translation costs.Federal education officials beginning in May started monitoring how Lynn schools provide translation and interpretation services, and Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy last week said the variety of languages spoken by nearly 15,000 local public school students represents one of the School Department?s top challenges.The committee earlier this year discussed in a closed-door session boosting school security and city workers this summer began replacing old exterior doors in schools. Additional security spending included in the school budget totals $200,000.Transportation costs rose by nearly $800,000, including special needs bus transportation and a jump in transporting homeless students from $200,000 last year to $304,000.Committee member Maria Carrasco urged parents to offer views on the budget Thursday night, and share ideas and concerns about special education spending and academic improvements in schools.Committee member Charlie Gallo said school administrators balanced the budget without layoffs, and by increasing schools services, including adding a Pickering Middle School mathematics coach.He would like to see the gifted and talented programs oriented around science and technology expanded to include liberal arts and praised a $68,000 increase in spending on music and arts supplies.?In Lynn, we have a great fine arts program,” he said.