SCHOOL BUDGET UPDATE

SCHOOL BUDGET - ACTION UPDATE

Despite a series of meetings during the past few weeks, the deficit between the town's "available revenue" budget and the school department's "needs-based" budget remains at $2.1 million. Last week, the Board of Selectmen voted to support the town manager's "available revenue" budget - which does not even allocate enough funding to maintain the services our students currently have. This deficit will result in the elimination of approximately 40 full-time teaching positions in the elementary schools, and the elimination of all athletics and extracurricular activities at the high sc hool.

The selectmen also voted to put forward a $2.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override article at Town Meeting, but did NOT vote to SUPPORT it. The amount of this override would primarily be for school funding. In order for an override to pass, it must FIRST be voted on favorably at Town Meeting, and THEN approved by voters at the polls in a general election. The history of school funding overrides in Andover is not promising. The two school overrides passed at Town Meeting in recent years have FAILED overwhelmingly at the ballot box. The rejection of the Community Preservation Act in last week's town elections is a strong sign that voters are not willing to support an override this year. Unless town leaders actively work together to develop a comprehensive plan for an override to support services for ALL TOWN DEPARTMENTS, a school override is almost certain to fail. We believe that the current override proposal is ill-conceived and not practical.

Negotiations are c ontinuing, and alternative sources of funding, which can be voted for at Town Meeting, are being discussed. One is to use money from the Phillips Academy fund. This fund comes from a voluntary annual contribution from Phillips, and currently has over $1 million available. Another proposal is to use funds from the stabilization fund. Warrant articles to transfer funding from the PA fund and the stabilization fund need to be voted on and passed at Town Meeting.

In order to prevent any cuts in funding for the Andover school system, voters at Town Meeting MUST vote to SUPPORT the superintendent's school department budget number. In the absence of other funding sources, voters MUST ALSO approve the warrant articles to transfer money from the Phillips Academy fund and stabilization fund to the school department.

To guarantee passage of the school department's budget without the cuts that will devastate our schools, hurt our children's education, and lower the desirability o f living in Andover, 2000 parents MUST attend Town Meeting on April 30. We must send a strong message to the entire town that cuts in school funding are NOT acceptable and that we support the school budget proposed by the school superintendent and endorsed by the school committee.

We urge ALL parents to attend Town Meeting on April 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Andover High School. All town PTOs are working to identify babysitters and provide child care for that evening. Teachers are being asked to limit homework assignments that day, so that more students will be available to sit. Please begin to make arrangements for sitters as soon as possible. We will provide more information as it becomes available. We know this will be a long meeting and a late night for our children, but it is critical that parents attend Town Meeting and stay to vote FOR the superintendent's school budget AND the alternative funding proposals necessary to fund it. It is critical for all of us to attend Town Meeting to make sure our voices are heard and our votes counted for maintaining quality education in Andover.

Action Suggestions:

1) Continue writing to members of the board of selectmen, school committee, and finance committee. Emails listed below.

2) Write letters to the Andover Townsman and Lawrence Eagle-Tribune supporting full funding for the school budget.

3) Speak with friends, family and neighbors about the importance of supporting the school budget without cuts.

bmmajor@comcast.net, tteichert@comcast.net, avispoli@comcast.net, jameslyman82@hotmail.com, jstabilejr@comcast.net, fincom@andoverma.gov, ah.barber@att.net, tjamesbwc@comcast.net, asc@debrasilberstein.com, rjcpapa@verizon.net, dforgue@andovernetworking.com