SAUGUS — Superintendent of Schools Erin McMahon said Wednesday evening that the fiscal year 2023 budget will be focused on investments aimed at moving the district from the bottom 10 percent of the state to the top 10 percent, in terms of test scores and other data that measure student achievement.
McMahon detailed her plan for how to reach this student-achievement goal for the district while laying out ways that funding in the FY23 budget would help to support this target.
On Wednesday, the School Committee’s Finance subcommittee approved a request from McMahon, who had asked that $1.5 million be added to the budget; the FY23 budget would determine funding for the district for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1.
The addition brings the proposed budget for the Saugus Public Schools to nearly $31 million.
“This budget is aligned for us to be in the top 10 percent over the next five years,” said McMahon, referring to the district’s accountability results, which are determined by factors such as Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) scores, attendance, and graduation and dropout rates.
“Saugus Public Schools must deliver on its progress,” she said.
Of the additional funding, $1 million would be spent on out-of-district placements for special-education and mental-health services for students. The remaining $500,000 would be allocated for costs to cover union and vendor contracts within the district.
During the meeting, McMahon and her administrative team introduced the Deans Position Program, which will hire individuals who are specially trained to help students with social difficulties and mental-health needs.
“Unfortunately, one person can’t be with all the students,” said McMahon. “We need to work together to support a positive climate.”
McMahon said addressing and supporting mental health is imperative in helping students and schools succeed.
Another factor in helping Saugus Public Schools reach the top 10 percent in accountability data is enrollment, McMahon said. Enrollment in the district has been on the decline, she said, as high-school students have chosen to attend other schools.
“We’ve seen significant numbers of students when they reach high school choosing a different option,” she said. “We need to look at how to increase our rigor and enrollment.”
McMahon said the best way to increase enrollment and student success is to help address the social and physical burnout that has resulted from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
School Committee Vice Chair Ryan Fisher, who chairs the Finance subcommittee, said the $1.5-million budget increase approved on Wednesday would increase the overall budget by 4.87 percent over the FY22 spending.
While the current budget added all-day kindergarten to the district, Fisher said that program will likely need funding from the federal government — through the American Rescue Plan Act — to be sustainable.
“We hope that as we use that money, we stockpile other funding so we can use it once the funds dry up,” said Fisher. “This money would come from buildings we aren’t using, so we can have the money that would go into heating and cooling (go) into all-day kindergarten instead.”
The next step is for the entire School Committee to consider the budget-increase request at its meeting on Thursday night.
“First we vote on it, then it goes to the entire committee and then the Town Hall,” said Fisher. “There might be some changes from the administrator or selectmen, but we approved the recommendation in the subcommittee tonight.”
