The Impact of Rising Enrollments

The quality of a Needham education is being compromised by limited classroom space and school facilities. For the past fifteen years, approximately 2% new children annually enter the Needham School System. This has contributed to increasing class sizes (up to 26 students in some elementary grades) and overcrowded schools (requiring the addition of modular classrooms on many school buildings).

Short and long term solutions are needed to address this issue. To alleviate the ongoing overcrowding at Pollard Middle School, the High Rock School building is being renovated and will become a Sixth Grade Center beginning in 2009/2010. There is a clear need for a second middle school, but a site needs to be identified and financing secured through the Needham tax base, matching funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and alternative funding options.

The Impact of Budget Limitations

The Needham School System does an excellent job in keeping expenses as low as they can while providing an outstanding education to our children. In comparison with twenty surrounding suburban communities, Needham’s per pupil expenditures rank in the middle, teacher salaries are lower, and there are fewer administrators per student. Yet scores on the MCAS exam consistently rank in the top ten statewide.

However, the annual operating budget for Needham Public Schools has not been keeping pace with increasing enrollments, negotiated labor contracts, and rising costs in special education services, supplies, and equipment. This has resulted in valued programs being cut, including the elimination of elementary foreign language instruction and the threatened closing of the Needham Science Center, and significantly increasing fees for high school athletics and bus transportation. Since salaries represent 86% of the budget, teaching positions are also on the line when there is a difference between the proposed Superintendent’s budget and the available funds determined by the Town Manager.

Because of inadequate funding and reimbursement from the State and Federal governments, there is an ever increasing burden at the local level. This has resulted in many communities resorting to over ride initiatives to fund their school programs. Needham passed an over ride budget in 2007 and the November 2008 election ballot will probably include an operational over ride for opening the Sixth Grade Center at High Rock School and restoring some school programs.

Increased public education and advocacy efforts through community groups (such as Citizens for Needham Schools), collaborative programs (The Education Collaborative), and associations (Massachusetts Association of School Committees) are needed to get a greater share of government funding.