The Portland Public School 2024 Budget Process is happening now and will determine a lot of things about the upcoming school year (like class sizes and student to staff ratios). The most important place to make our voices heard is at the school board meeting tomorrow night at 6 - please join us! All information is below. Join the PTO text list by sending the word 'JOIN' in a text to 833-534-5039 and we will let you know when public comments start for the budget process. All information is below.
In this email, we will
Lay out what EECS stands to lose in the FY24 budget.
Show demographics that may be helpful to include in your testimonials.
Provide example testimonials to read at Tuesday’s board meeting and or send to the appropriate board member, rep, or local political.
Share the complete FY24 Budget timeline.
SEE ALL OF OUR STATE, CITY AND SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVES HERE.
EECS Stands to lose Our Living Schoolyard Educator, our Community Coordinator and 2 classroom teachers in the FY23 Budget.
When writing to your reps or speaking to the board please focus on Personal stories & experiences, How the program supports achievement and learning, Equity, Whole student, Social emotional learning, Pandemic healing and our Outdoor learning commitment.
EECS has more English learners than all but one elementary school in the district.
EECS has more economically disadvantaged students than any other elementary school in the district.
EECS has THE most diverse student population of any school in the entire district.
In a district where equity is supposed to be the primary goal, EECS cannot afford to lose ANY student-facing educators.
BUDGET TIMELINE:
April 4, 2023 School Board 1st Reading of Recommended FY24 Budget and Public Hearing. (This is the meeting where we are most likely going to be heard. It begins at 6pm. We will send a text to the PTO text chain when our comments will begin.
Text the word JOIN to 833-534-5039 and we will text you when public comment begins.
Click HERE to join the meeting by zoom.
Or join in person at 6:00 pm at Casco Bay High School, Room 200 (Great Space)
196 Allen Avenue, Portland, ME
April 6, 2023 Joint City & Finance Committee Meeting & Budget Review
April 11, 2023 School Board Vote to Recommend FY24 School Budget to City Council (Special Meeting)
April 24, 2023 School Board Presents Recommended FY24 Budget to City Council - Public Comment Accepted.
April 25, 2022 City Finance Committee Review of Referred School Board Budget and Vote to Recommend to City Council
April 26, 2023 School FY24 Budget orders are due to City
May 1, 2023 City Council 1st Reading of FY24 Budget & Public Hearing
May 15, 2023 City council 2nd Reading of FY24 Budget Final Vote on School Budget Referendum
June 13, 2023 Public Referendum on FY24 School Budget
The loss of one or two classrooms in the EECS will be nothing short of failing to “eliminate factors that contribute to variable rates of student success and participation”, which is the district's first goal in its Portland Promise for Equity.
EEECS has more English learners than all but one elementary school in the district.
EECS has more economically disadvantaged students than any other elementary school in the district.
EECS has THE most diverse student population of any school in the entire district.
In a district where equity is supposed to be the primary goal, EECS cannot afford to lose ANY student-facing educators.
EECS class size is already reaching the top of the cap at the beginning of the year when the data is collected in October, but by the middle of the academic year (March of February) many classes spike to as high as 25 or 26. By March 28th of this year EECS 1st grade had just received 6 more students in the past 3 weeks.
From Mike Dixon on demographics:
Three things that stand out to me in the data, especially in a district that says it is focused on equity, remembering that equity does NOT mean everybody gets the same thing, but rather that the most resources go to where there is the highest need.
EECS has more English learners than all but one elementary school in the district.
EECS has more economically disadvantaged students than any other elementary school in the district.
EECS has THE most diverse student population of any school in the entire district.
See some more personal examples of parent testimonies HERE.
Thank you all!! Hope to see you at the meeting.