November 2006 Berkley School Committee Report on the Current Status of the High School Issue Current Berkley High School-Age Students ♦ Attending Somerset High School through a newly negotiated tuition agreement. ♦ The agreement spans 2006-2016. ♦ The agreement costs $7500 per student, with annual increases consistent with Somerset’s annual percentage increase. ♦ A proposition 2 ½ override was passed in June 2006 to fund high school education. ♦ The override is projected to fund approximately 7 years of the contract. ♦ It is difficult to accurately predict the annual costs as it varies based on total enrollment, number of special education students, and Somerset's annual percentage increase. The School Committee is continuing to examine and evaluate all the options for a long-term solution for our high school students. The options currently under consideration are listed here with additional information below. 1. Build & operate a junior-senior high school in Berkley. 2. Participate in a potential future capital project with Somerset. 3. Regionalize grades 9-12 with Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District Each of these options will have capital & operating expenses associated with them. Capital expenses would include cost for a building (after School Building Assistance reimbursement), Berkley’s share of a building in Somerset or Bridgewater-Raynham. Capital expenses are typically debt-exclusion items, paid for over a defined time period. Operating expenses are the annual, on-going costs to educate the students. This would include all the costs associated with running another school in Berkley (teachers, administration, custodians, supplies, heat, electricity etc.), or Berkley’s share of the operating budget of a school in a neighboring community. Costs for each of these items are not known at this time. As soon as the information is available, we will share it with the community. The interests of the town and the high school-age students must be of highest priority. The options described above must be evaluated on a variety of criteria including: Capital & Operating Expenses Quality & Diversity of Curriculum Availability of sports, clubs & activities School size & class size The current information on these options is on the back of this sheet.
For additional information check out these websites: MA School Building Authority http://www.massschoolbuildings.org Somerset Public Schools http://somerset.k12.ma.us MA Department of Education http://doe.mass.edu Bridgewater-Raynham Public Schools http://www.bridge-rayn.org
November 2006
School Committee Update
Build & operate a junior-senior high school in Berkley High School Feasibility Study Committee Report – September 25, 2006 Population growth is exceeding projections. Enrollment in the K-8 schools could exceed capacity within the decade. Review of similar size communities show it is possible to run an accredited program in a small high school. Recommendation: Build and operate a grades 7-12 Jr-Sr High School. Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) - The process has changed. In the past a community had to determine what they wanted to build and have financial approval from the town before submitting a request to MSBA. The MSBA had a long list of projects awaiting funding. Now, the community sends a statement of interest to the MSBA explaining WHY a building is needed. If the project will be considered for funding, the community submits details about the educational program that will operate in the building. Then the MSBA will tell the community what type of building project would be eligible for funding and the reimbursement rate for the project. ♦ The MSBA is accepting letters of interest through July 2007 for consideration. ♦ A statement of interest has been written by the Superintendent of Schools. It was approved by the School Committee and Board of Selectmen. The statement has been sent to the MSBA for consideration. ♦ It will be August/September 2007 before we learn if we can proceed to the next step. ♦ There are 10 steps before we will learn what our reimbursement rate will be. We will have that information before we have to commit to funding the project. ♦ The School Committee is reviewing similar sized and configured schools (Hopedale, W. Bridgewater, Sutton, Webster) to evaluate educational programs and operating budgets. Participate in a Potential Future Capital Project with Somerset. ♦ Somerset indicates that their future high school capital project can include Berkley students. ♦ Berkley would be expected to pay a percentage of the capital costs. ♦ Somerset is not interested in regionalizing with Berkley. ♦ Somerset may consider giving Berkley representation on their board. ♦ Somerset will not be submitting a letter of interest to the MSBA this year. ♦ This option will not address the K-8 growth. Regionalize grades 9-12 with Bridgewater-Raynham ♦ The School Committee is in negotiations with B-R regarding a possible regionalization plan. ♦ The MA Department of Ed. must approve the negotiated plan. ♦ All three communities must approve the regionalization. ♦ The MA Department of Ed., through MA General Law governing regional school districts, would determine Berkley’s share of the B-R high school budget. ♦ Regionalization would give Berkley ownership in the new high school facility and representation on the B-R School Committee. ♦ This option will not address the K-8 growth.
November 2006
School Committee Update