March 17, 2020 NEWS RELEASE Supt. Presents Recommended Budget: Builds on Foundation Laid Over Past 10 Years Dr. Robert Shaps presented the 2020-2021 Superintendent's Recommended Budget Tuesday evening, March 3, to the Board of Education and community. The education plan provides for all student programs currently in place, expands on and/or introduces innovative high-impact teaching and learning initiatives, explores potential new "pathways" spanning grades 6-12 in an uninterrupted thread, and supports the ongoing operations and infrastructure of the District.
"This budget continues to support the Mamaroneck School District's teaching & learning philosophy of high-Impact strategies to enhance student learning and invests in programs and resources consistent with our emphasis on continuous improvement," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Shaps said. Across the Decade: Crafting Educational Programs One Year at a Time Dr. Shaps began his presentation by discussing the Guiding Principles behind the budget, followed by a look at the programs the District has put in place since 2010. "The 2020-2021 budget encompasses a decade of thoughtful program development and design that has made our mission statement come alive. Year by year, we have strategically crafted our budgets to closely align with our overarching values and goals as a school system," Dr. Shaps said. "The rich education initiatives in this budget would not have been possible without the ongoing investment and commitment by our taxpayers over the past ten years." According to Dr. Shaps, the goals of next school year's budget balance the rigors of high-expectation teaching and challenging curriculum with meeting the needs of all students. At the core of the plan is an emphasis on social-emotional interconnectedness through initiatives that foster awareness, compassion and civic responsibility. 2020-2021 Superintendent's Recommended Budget Highlights
Dr. Shaps noted the broad curricular experiences provided in the education plan and added, "When we engage students by enabling them to explore, discuss, and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-world problems, we offer opportunity for deep, transformative learning and help prepare students for life beyond high school." The Numbers The 2020-2021 Superintendent's Recommended Budget translates to a 2.99% tax levy increase (above the State's allowable tax levy cap), and therefore, to be adopted, must be approved by sixty percent of the qualified voters in the May 19, 2020 community budget vote. The plan represents a 2.78% budget-to-budget increase over the current year and an estimated tax rate increase of 2.71%.
Dr. Shaps pointed to three primary factors driving the budget increase:
The District projects a leveling off of enrollment next school year, with overall K-12 enrollment remaining roughly unchanged. A slight reduction in K-5 enrollment is anticipated in 2020-21, with middle and high school student bodies projected to grow. # # #
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