Parents question how much elimination of honors program saves schools

Jennifer Rodrigues
Posted 8/20/13

Since the decision to eliminate Warwick Schools’ Accelerated Learning Activities Program (ALAP) was made in late July, many parents have questioned reports the School Department saved $325,000 by …

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Parents question how much elimination of honors program saves schools

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Since the decision to eliminate Warwick Schools’ Accelerated Learning Activities Program (ALAP) was made in late July, many parents have questioned reports the School Department saved $325,000 by doing away with the program.

One such parent is Cyndi Smith. All three of Smith’s children have gone through the program, and although she is no longer personally connected to ALAP, Smith still keeps track of it.

“I’m still conscious of it,” said Smith. “I like to see where the money goes as a taxpayer.”

Smith says ALAP renewed her children’s love of school and challenged them. When she heard the program was eliminated, she was upset. She was also confused as to how the School Department could claim they were saving $325,000.

“That was one program that I knew didn’t cost that much,” said Smith, adding that she knew the majority of the cost related to ALAP was paying the salaries of the two full-time and one part-time teacher for the program.

Smith says since those three teachers were retained by the School Department and given positions back in the classroom, the school department cannot claim to be saving their salaries.

She also believes that since eliminating 10 teachers for a savings of $710,000 was listed in the April 23 recommended budget, the school department cannot claim to be saving any additional salaries by eliminating the need for ALAP teachers in July.

“It already showed they took those 10 salaries,” said Smith. “They can’t take those salaries off again.”

Smith decided to gather her own information and contacted the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) to request data on Warwick Schools’ Gifted and Talented expenditures from the Uniform Chart of Accounts. She was able to obtain the data on what it cost the School Department to run gifted and talented programs at all grade levels, including ALAP, for the 2011-2012 school year. The exact breakdown for 2012-2013 from RIDE is not yet available. Smith passed her findings along to the Beacon.

“It’s really interesting,” said Smith. The total cost for gifted and talented was $264,358.95; teachers’ salaries for the elementary level were equal to $261,256.68, or 97 percent of expenses.

The remaining expenses were $2,199.96 for Academic Student Assessment, $446.59 for supplies for high school, junior high school and early education programs and $455.72 for supplies at the elementary level.

Smith argues that since the school department retained the three ALAP teachers and is not saving on salaries, the true savings by cutting ALAP is $2,655.68, the cost of assessments and elementary school supplies.

Patrick Maloney Jr., a former School Committee member and former ALAP PTA president, also questioned $325,000 in savings if ALAP were eliminated. He says teacher salaries would be included in the savings, but not salaries equal to those of the 2.5 ALAP teachers who have been working a number of years.

Maloney says the salary savings would be equal to the salaries of 2.5 new hires or lay-off recalls, whose salaries would be on the lower side of pay scale. He says this because the current ALAP teachers have been moved into the classroom and new teachers would be needed to save the program.

“To save the program, the school department would need to recall three laid-off teachers,” says Maloney. “Those laid off are the newest teachers.”

He estimates that newer teachers earn an average of $60,000 a year. The salaries of two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher at that rate would be about $150,000. As a result, Maloney says the School Department only needs to find an estimated $160,000 (salaries, supplies, testing) to maintain ALAP.

“I consider the ALAP program almost like an honors program [for elementary students],” said Maloney, whose youngest daughter would still be in ALAP if the program returned. “That $160,000 of salaries, benefits and materials is helping almost five percent [of elementary students].”

Anthony Ferrucci, Warwick Schools’ Chief Budget Officer, admits that the description of the savings can be confusing. He explained that doing away with ALAP saved $300,000 in salary and benefits because three teachers have still been pulled from Warwick’s teaching pool.

“Three ALAP teachers, in my scenario, bump out three classroom teachers,” explained Ferrucci. “The pool of teachers did get reduced because that classroom teacher [that was replaced by a former ALAP teacher] is no longer in the system.”

Ferrucci said other costs associated with ALAP included $5,000 for testing and $1,800 for supplies.

The budget officer also explained that there might be confusion as to when the proposal to eliminate ALAP even ended up on the table because it stems from the 40 layoff notices handed out in February.

“That’s why it feels less clear during the process because we have to make a decision in February as to who gets layoff notices before we know the funding for the schools in June,” he said.

Ferrucci also pointed out that the School Committee will not know what positions or teachers are not needed until funding comes through and the final decision is made. An ALAP teacher may have more seniority and be qualified to teach a specific grade, so they are brought back into the classroom as opposed to a teacher with less seniority.

Maloney also questioned School Committee Chairperson Beth Furtado’s comments in a July 23 Beacon article (“Loss of smart kids program questioned”), where she said ALAP only serves half of a percent of the student population in Warwick Schools so she voted against reinstating the program. Maloney says the estimated 300 students in ALAP represent three percent of the 9,500 students.

“If you take the 50 kids on the football team, divide it by 9,500, that is exactly a half of a percent,” said Maloney. “Would Beth advocate getting rid of the football program?”

Maloney does not want to see any program eliminated but understands money is tight. He simply believes that all steps should be taken to ensure the students in ALAP are still given the opportunity to excel. While the School Department has said they have plans to still assist these children, Maloney says he has not heard any “substantial” or “informative” plan to do so.

“[If they reinstate ALAP for this year and] if they work hard over the course of this year to figure out what they really want to do to support theses kids [in place of ALAP], I am sure parents will support it,” said Maloney.

Ferrucci explained that the decision to cut ALAP stems from the need to eliminate teachers and, in a way, the decision to keep a junior high open.

“If we had closed Gorton or Aldrich, we would have been able to lay off junior high grade level teachers [instead of elementary],” explained Ferrucci.

As an example, Ferrucci said had a junior high been eliminated, a junior high science teacher could possibly have been laid off. But because the school was kept open, that science teacher is necessary, so someone else’s position needed to go.

“I can’t cut grade 3, what else is there?” said Ferrucci, paraphrasing things said by members of the School Committee. “If it’s not the junior high, then what?”

Although he is no longer a member of the School Committee, Maloney still regularly attends meetings as a parent and taxpayer. At the last meeting, Maloney says the School Committee made enough cuts to have a surplus of $170,000; he believes that is enough to save ALAP.

“They are required to put that $170,000 somewhere,” said Maloney. “How can they cut this program with a surplus?”

While he believes the School Committee plans to put the funds into optional professional development, Maloney says saving ALAP and enriching these students would be a better use.

Ferrucci did say of the $2.5 million surplus he announced at July’s meeting, the School Committee appropriated $2.4 million for the next school year. He also said a use for some of that has not been determined yet by the School Committee.

“I don’t know what that will be used for yet,” said Ferrucci.

But Ferrucci did give a warning about relying on a surplus.

“We can’t rely on surplus,” he said. “We’ve been doing that for too long…One of these days, it’s not going to be there.”

Even if the surplus is not put towards ALAP, Maloney believes the School Department can get creative and find ways to save money.

For example, Maloney recalled a first day of school a few years ago when each of his three daughters came home with 35 different flyers his wife needed to fill out and return. Maloney says all of these forms could have been put online and submitted digitally. As a member of the School Committee, he decided to find out just how much it costs to send home 35 notices with each student on just the first day of school.

Maloney went to the IT department and discovered that an average toner costs $100 and makes between 10,000 and 12,000 copies and a ream of paper is $5. To provide the entire student body at the time with 35 notices each, 339,500 forms total, Maloney estimated that it would take 29 toner cartridges and 679 reams of paper at a total cost of $6,295 (not including the time it takes the individuals who make the copies). And that is just for the first day of school.

“I was making a real big push to put this information on the website,” said Maloney, who still believes updating the website to allow for paperwork to be digital would provide a great deal of savings. “I’ve been saying for years about updating the website.”

Also, Maloney suggests changes to transportation. He explained that he, and many other parents, drive their children to and from school each day, yet the school is required to have enough buses to accommodate the entire population. While he doesn’t know if it would be allowed, Maloney says if parents said they did not want their child on the bus, the School Department should be able to redo the bus routes to accommodate the most children.

“There should be a way for parents to opt out of transportation, allowing the school to save money on buses,” said Maloney, who pointed out that each bus costs $65,000.

Maloney says he sees buses with the ability to transport 45 kids only carrying 10. If buses only picked up the kids who want or need to use the bus, there could be fewer routes with more students on each bus.

“This is something that could not only save Warwick money but the State of Rhode Island,” said Maloney.

He says if this process could be enacted, the School Department could save ALAP by eliminating three buses, five buses if they truly need $325,000.

Even without his creative ideas, Maloney believes there is a chance to save ALAP for his daughter and her classmates.

“I look at it as there is still a chance for the School Committee to save it,” said Maloney.

The ALAP PTA will be hosting a meeting on Monday night at 6 p.m. at the Warwick Public Library to discuss a plan for the future. Concerned parents, school administrators and School Committee members are invited to attend.

Comments

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  • Pmaloneyjr

    It should be noted that the school committee still has a chance to reverse their decision but time IS running out. I believe they intend to have a special meeting to discuss personnel. Please continue to reach out to the committee to let them know what you think they should do. They have an opportunity to keep it for the year and come up with a plan if they eventually chose to go without it. They are putting more time, effort and thought into keeping a building open than what programs to keep.

    Another fact is, this much thought was NOT put into the new WISE contract that gave the union a raise of approximately $500K over the next 2 years and each year afterwards. I am not saying they didn't deserve it, I am saying they didn't find a way to pay for it. The cart is pulling the horse on this one.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Report this

  • Pmaloneyjr

    Also, in my calculations, 300 of 9400 students (the estimate for this year) is 3.1%. Remember that ALAP services the elementary school only and the Jr and Sr High schools have honors programs in place for accelerated students. If you consider only the elementary students, 300 of approximately 6000 students is 5% of the students.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Report this

  • jackiemama1017

    The title of this article gives the false impression that ALAP is an "Honors" program. It is not. The "Honors" program, which is taught in the secondary schools, is open to all students who are qualified to be in it, and the students are in "Honors" classes everyday...not once a week for 45 minutes. Students in the "Honors" program receive credits and are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA (or above) in order to stay in the program. Please don't confuse the two.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Report this

  • pdillon

    Jackiemama, ALAP is the closest thing the elementary students have to "honors." You seem to be misinformed about the program and I would like to clarify some of these points for you:

    1. The ALAP program IS open to all who qualify to be in it.

    2. The students receive a report card twice a year for ALAP (aside from the classroom report card).

    3. As for "everyday" classes versus "45 min." a week. ALAP is an hour and a half once a week. These students should be provided with the program more than a once a week.

    4. If you view the ALAP website, you will see that:

    •Students in ALAP must meet the following

    expectations each year:

    •Maintain a minimum B average in reading

    and math and/or Proficient level in the

    regular classroom.

    •Come prepared to ALAP with appropriate

    materials to work on projects, i.e., pencils,

    pens and other supplies as determined by

    project specifications given in prior ALAP

    class.

    •Completion of assignments for due dates.

    •Regular attendance on ALAP days and

    make up of work missed if absent.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Report this

  • jackiemama1017

    Pam, I stand corrected regarding the time. I know you are passionate about the program and I hope it is brought back in some form..but it is not the "Honors" program nor should it be compared to it...because they are not the same.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Report this

  • pdillon

    You are correct. It is not the honors program and I am passionate about serving these kids. It is not just the time that is the same but also the requirements necessary to stay in the program once you have been accepted as well as open to all who qualify. It does not matter what you call the program. It is a trivial point. All that matters is that it serves the needs of students whose needs are not met. In an honors program you may have student A and B. Student A works extremely hard to get the grade required for the program. Student A must study every night putting their time and effort into every assignment. The honors classes are challenging for them and at times may be frustrating. Student B daydreams during the class and does not complete homework assignments yet achieves 100% on each test. Student B rarely opens the text book or studies. This student is not being challenged. This is often the same at the elementary level. ALAP is the program the elementary school has for student B. Often the Honors Program does not serve these children well either.

    Thursday, August 22, 2013 Report this

  • jackiemama1017

    Although you feel the name of the program is "trivial" many people do not. It is a tougher curriculum and to minimize that is a disservice to the students who are in the program. If the needs of the ALAP student is not being met daily within the elementary school classroom, maybe something other than 1.5 hours a week is needed? What will happen to the ALAP student in the secondary level when nothing but the insignificantly named "Honors" program is all he/she has? The WPS only offer a finite amount of AP classes for high school students, will those be adequate? I agree that what is being taught in the elementary schools is not always challenging (way too many Disney movies) and that is a shame, not just for you and your children, but for all children. Their are a lot of outstanding teachers within our system who do challenge their students, unfortunately there are others who do not, and until that changes we will continue to see mediocrity within our public schools.

    Thursday, August 22, 2013 Report this

  • pdillon

    I am not in any way minimizing the honors program. I am merely pointing out there are differences in the abilities of students in any program. I applaud all children and their acheivements.

    Thursday, August 22, 2013 Report this