LYNN — This year marks the first time a Lynn School Committee will be approving the school department’s budget five months late, said Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
But it appears to have been worth the wait, as the Lynn Public Schools has received the largest increase in Chapter 70 funding, the major program of state aid to the schools, in Massachusetts.
The $45.9 billion fiscal year 2021 state budget, signed by Gov. Charlie Baker last Friday, allocates $199.15 million in Chapter 70 aid to the city’s school district, which represents a $13.3 million increase over funding that Lynn received last year.
The increase is $6 million more than Lawrence, which received the next largest increase in its Chapter 70 funds for FY21, according to Kevin McHugh, school business administrator, who said Lynn’s significant uptick in funding was largely due to the school district’s increased enrollment.
“The numbers are better than what we anticipated early on,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee, who chairs the School Committee. “We didn’t know what we would be seeing. Having (the budget) five months late reflects the reality of what we’re facing this year during the pandemic.”
The School Committee is scheduled to vote on Tutwiler’s proposed $169.8 million FY21 budget on Thursday, Jan. 14. The public will have a chance to weigh in on the budget that same night during a virtual hearing, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., that will precede the panel’s vote.
The proposed budget, which represents a $10.5 million increase over the FY20 budget, will be voted on more than five months into the fiscal year, said Tutwiler, noting that while the development and formal presentation of the budget was delayed significantly, the delay had “minimal impact on service delivery.
“While the development of the FY21 budget happened at a time and in ways perhaps never before, it still reflects deep alignment with the district core values, mission and vision,” said Tutwiler.
In preparation for the increased reliance on technology brought on by the district’s pivot to remote learning, Tutwiler said district administration was granted permission from the School Committee to transfer funds from personnel to supply lines last spring, which allowed the purchase of devices and other technology for staff and students.
“This move allowed for a tight focus on ensuring the appropriate staff to effectively provide services for students and families whether full-time, in-person, hybrid or remote,” said Tutwiler.
LPS was awarded two grants to assist administrators with the reopening of schools — a $1.6 million grant was used to purchase 4,637 laptops, 1,000 iPads, and 250 tablets, and a $3.6 million grant awarded this past September enabled the district to purchase 4,001 laptops and 1,200 iPads for students, according to McHugh.
“These additional purchases enabled us to provide every student with a device for learning,” said McHugh, noting that the district was on track to have those grant funds expended by Dec. 30, as required.
Tutwiler said the budget includes 30 new positions in the district, including the director of the newly-titled Welcome Center, a role that is meant to be focused on supporting LPS families.
In addition, the budget allows for the placement of a social worker at each school in the district, and the addition of a speech therapist, positions that are focused on the social and emotional, and special education realms respectively, Tutwiler said.
The budget also includes the addition of five PC LAN Tech managers, professionals that will provide direct technology support to students and families, Tutwiler said.
Having successfully shifted to one device for each student and staff member, the additional technology support is much needed, said Tutwiler, noting that there is still a need for additional staffing in that department.
“In total, the FY21 budget reflects an ability to protect existing efforts and significant steps forward in the realms of social emotional support and technology,” said Tutwiler. “These steps, in addition to supplementary increases in special education, are aligned with feedback and the district strategic objectives. Despite the impact of the pandemic, the district is moving forward as planned.”
