Per Act 146, the Department of Education was to come up with a 2.34
percent reduction across the state in education spending in order to
save $23.2 million.
Locally, Washington West Supervisory Union's aggregated 2011 education
spending totals $24,918,051. When supervisory union costs are netted
out, the total spending comes to $23,227,279.
A flat 2.35 percent reduction would require cutting district spending by
$545,841; however, the Department of Education is proposing cuts of
$519,591 or 2.085 percent.
The Department of Education proposed cuts at the school level as well.
Locally, Fayston's 2011 education spending is identified as $1,422,279
with cuts of $31,194 (2.19 percent) proposed.
Moretown's 2011 spending is identified as $1,788,907, and a budget reduction of $34,622 (1.94 percent) is proposed.
In Waitsfield, 2011 education spending is listed as $1,771,795 and the
school's proposed budget reduction is $38,405 (2.17 percent).
The 2011 education spending in Warren is listed as $1,624,817 and the
Department of Education suggests cutting $36,015 (2.22 percent).
At Harwood Union, the 2011 education spending comes to $10,340,729. The
Department of Education suggests cutting $176,317 (1.71 percent).
For the Union 45 district of Waterbury and Duxbury, the total spending
is $7,941,602 and $182,239 (2.29 percent) in reductions is proposed.
The Department of Education report also identifies supervisory union
spending and proposed cuts for supervisory offices as well. Washington
West's 2011 spending is $919,185 and a reduction of $20,799 (2.26
percent) is proposed.
The proposed reductions were sent to the supervisory union on Monday,
August 2, although the reductions were not made public by the Department
of Education until August 4.
To calculate the proposed reductions, the Department of Education
analyzed data from four budget cycles, looking at total education
spending, spending per equalized pupil, ratios of students to
instruction staff, ratios of instruction staff to administrative staff
and student enrollment to administrative staff.
Washington West Supervisory Union Superintendent Brigid Scheffert was
not available for comment on the proposed reductions on August 3 and 4
when contacted by email and phone. The board of each supervisory union
and district is required to notify the state, by December 15, of whether
the combined budgets will meet the recommended reductions.
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