With a $4.8 million deficit Tiverton is considering these school cuts. Parents aren't happy

TIVERTON – Emotions ran high at a parent and school forum over how the district plans on dealing with an approximate $4.8 million budget deficit.

The packed forum was moved to the high school auditorium amidst talks of closing the Fort Barton School or cutting personnel at every grade level, as well as possibly moving some Grade 4 students to the middle school.

No decisions were made and Superintendent Peter Sanchioni did not get through all the slides within his budget presentation.

“I’m opposed to Fort Barton closing and I’m opposed to significant cuts to the specialist positions,” said longtime resident Ray Forrest to school officials. “We appreciate you taking us through the details but moving forward … the strategies should be how do we keep Fort Barton open and reduce cuts to specialist (positions).”

Forrest and others urged stakeholders to ask the Town Council to consider an increase to the school budget.

Sanchioni and other school officials were berated by some parents over the district’s use of federal Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief fund money to balance the school budget over the last three years. Some funding went toward maintaining critical positions within the district, such as guidance staff.

Sanchioni said the district had no choice and had to implement a “bridge” program that has helped increase student attendance by more than 1,200 days. Sanchioni said that an additional program was needed for the district to justify receiving ESSER funds.

“It is a model for the entire state of Rhode Island,” Sanchioni said of that program. “We cut other positions because this was way too valuable for us to lose.”

He also said that ESSER funds were used for an online tutoring program for students in Grades 6 through 12.

“We have not inflated our budget and we haven't given out exorbitant raises,” Sanchioni also said, adding that Tiverton schools have fewer administrators than any district within the East Bay region.

Still, members of the public criticized school officials for using the ESSER funds – which are temporary and not guaranteed – to balance the budget.

“We didn’t do a lot of extra things (with ESSER funds). We were supplementing our budget,” Sanchioni said. “We were maintaining critical positions.”

Sanchioni and other officials attributed ESSER budgeting to factors beyond the district’s control. For instance, based on his presentation, state aid this year has been cut by $1,260,080; expenses have risen by $3.5 million while out-of-district special education costs are projected to rise by over $1 million. The latter is for special needs students who must attend classes in other districts due to their educational needs.

Sanchioni attributed the lack of state aid to rising home values and taxes, triggering RIDE to conclude that the financial needs for Tiverton have decreased.

Sanchioni stressed that the district has been frugal. He said 9 out of 11 school administrators declined pay raises. According to one spreadsheet he presented, the district increase has averaged just over 2% per year over the last seven years. Within that span, the district has cut 37 personnel, including a communications director, as well as an assistant superintendent to save costs.

There will be a joint meeting on April 1 with a RIDE representative, as well as school and town authorities.

Some questioned rising custodial costs and transportation costs and how the district can cut costs there.

Amy Roderick, the district’s business and finance director, said fuel and other supplies have risen with the economy. Sanchioni said the district seeks out lowest bidders and competitive rates but the rise of almost all products has financially strained schools.

Parents expressed concerns over how the possible closure of Fort Barton would save $3 million, as once projected, given the transportation and other costs necessary to move students to other schools within the district.

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Others questioned how a school change would impact the routines of those with disabilities such as ADHD and autism.

Other parents took umbrage with a proposal that could send Grade 4 students to the middle school, a plan that could jeopardize the innocence of youngsters not ready to mingle with older middle school students, some of whom are engaging in vaping, drugs and sexual activity.

The next School Committee meeting is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Tiverton could close Fort Barton School, cut staff to reduce deficit