001is to hold a public hearing on the FY27 Worcester Public Schools budget, and I will start first with administration, and then we will open it up to public comment. Oh, I'm so sorry. Roll call. >> Member Alvarez? >> Present. >> Member Biancheria? Member Color? Member Fernandez? >> Present. >> Member Guardiola? >> Here. >> Member Johnson? >> Here. >> Member Mero? Member Palmieri? >> Here. >> Vice Chair Color? >> Here. >> Member Roy? >> Here. >> Thank you. To administration. >> Thank you, through the chair. Um, CFO Consalvo will provide brief remarks about the FY27 budget. >> Thank you. Uh, through the chair, good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining us tonight. A few weeks ago, the district officially released the FY27 recommended budget, which established a general fund operating budget of $557.4 million. The budget
002includes a Chapter 70 state aid increase of 6.3% and the city's contribution increase of 7.6% over last year's budget. As we look at the recommended budget, we are balancing a few factors. Our total enrollment has decreased slightly by 101 students, and we are working with a 2.76 inflation factor. Most notably, this marks the final year of the phase-in funding for the Student Opportunity Act. Over the last 6 years, the act provided additional funding to support our low-income, special education, and English language students, along with employee benefits and additional student support. With these resources, the district's FY27 budget recommend recommendation includes maintaining smaller-sized classrooms at an average class size of 21 students across grades K to 12 for non-specialized programs, ensures equity by maintaining special education case loads, expands literacy and resources by adding library services
003at seven elementary schools that includes circulation management. Invests in student learning by providing additional funding for new multilingual science, elementary math, history, and specialized special education curriculums. Beyond the classroom, the budget funds anticipated contractual salary increases for district employees, maintains secondary school-based culture and climate teams, and secures family and community engagement programs. We have also increased funding for facilities management to ensure better responses to high-priority building needs, preventative maintenance, and repair projects. While maintaining funding to continue implementation of the recommendations of our school safety audit. The recommended budget also navigates some financial challenges that include federal funding that is level funded or reduced with the district's federal entitlement grants that directly support student programs and staff positions, increased fixed costs that include an 8% increase in health insurance premium rates, rising utility costs to operate
004our buildings at a 28% increase in natural gas that heats our schools, and a 3% increase in electricity supply and delivery rates. And finally, the continual rise of non-salary operational costs that simply outpace standard inflation. As we present this year's budget, we are also strategically planning for future years and a reality that the district will no longer see annual catch-up jumps provided by the Student Opportunity Act. Moving forward, our primary funding drivers will be enrollment and inflacement inflation, both of which are projected to remain fairly stagnant. We anticipate these funding sources to have minimal growth while operational costs continue to rise. Thank you, and I'll hand it back over to Vice Chair. >> Thank you so much. So, we're going to open it up to public comment, so that I ask that people you're going
005to come up to the microphone here if you're in person, say your name, your city of residence, and you have 2 minutes to speak. So, thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Maria Junco, and I think everybody knows me. I'm the executive director of the Latino Education Institute, and I want to say hi to the superintendent, to the other leaders of Worcester Public Schools, and the school committee members. Uh with all due respect, uh I want to express my concern regarding in the Worcester Public Schools proposed organizational changes uh reflected in the new year fiscal in the new fiscal year organizational chart, which seems related to new budget adjustment or changes, right? Uh after reviewing the fiscal year organizational structure, I noticed that the office of equity no longer appears as a stand-alone office. It seems
006that the office may effectively be dismantled as of July 2027. I also understand that the current director of equity and cultivation position will be moved under the Human Resources Department as an assistant director role. Uh I believe this is a deeply concerning decision. The office of equity represent an important commitment by the Worcester Public Schools to educational equity, inclusion, belonging, and culturally responsive practices for all students. Eliminating or reducing the visibility and authority of this office sends the wrong message at a time when public education systems across the country are being tested politically and ideologically. What are the plans? Massachusetts has consistently positioned itself as a state committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and educational opportunities. Worcester should continually leading in this direction, not stepping away from it. This situation also raises important questions about the
007continued implementation of and I have it here, I hope. Yes. of the Worcester Public Schools Strategic Plan, Our Promise to the Future 2023-2028. Under the leadership of former superintendent Dr. Rachel Monarrez, the district articulated a modern modern vision for 21st century education. One that recognizes the importance of equitable access, cultural responsive as responsible responsive pedagogy, restorative practices, and creating environments where all students feel valued and supported. With our clearly defined equity office and leadership structure, how will the district continue advances advancing as a stated in the strategic plan on key priority number one, equitable resources and educational programs, and key priority number two, culture and climate to achieve the different aims and goals listed under these priority areas? Again, what is the plan? Who or which office will be responsible for this? These priorities cannot
008simply remain words in a strategic plan. They require leadership, accountability, staffing, and institutional commitment. >> Thank you. >> And respectfully, I'm going to finish prison and respectfully, if this office, which was already very small, is being eliminated or weakened it absorbed it by the human resources, then it is fair for the community to ask whether the district is moving away from the commitments it publicly made just a few years ago. And I'm finishing. We are in Massachusetts. We are not in Washington, D.C. I believe the people of this state expect educational leadership that reflects our values, our diversity, and our commitment to opportunities for all children. In 2024, the Latino Education Institute signed a new memorandum of understanding with Worcester Public Schools. >> I understand, but we really need to keep it to 2 minutes.
009I know. >> sincerely hoped that Worcester Public School will continue to uphold this commitment to equity, inclusion, and strong collaboration with community partners, not only in words, but in action, and by leading through example, especially at the time at this time when this leadership is matters the most. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. So, then the next speaker, and if you say your name and residence, and you have 2 minutes, please. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Jennifer Safford. Um I'm speaking today on my dual capacity um as vice president of the Worcester NAACP, and also as a parent um of a Worcester Public Schools student. I'm here to strongly advocate for the continued funding of the direct director of equity cultivation and recruitment. Um from the perspective of the Worcester
010NAACP, this role has been not only valuable, but essential. Our education committee has worked closely with district leadership to address disparities, representation, and student outcomes. Meaningful progress in the area in these areas does not happen passively. It requires intentional leadership, coordination, and accountability. The director of equity, I'm going to just shorten it to director of equity, um has provided exactly that. This position has helped ensure that equity is not treated as an abstract commitment, um but as an operational priority. Something embedded in in educator development, curriculum decisions, and student engagement strategies. Um I'm just going to move down here. Um the relationship building and responsiveness are critical if the district is to maintain trust and legitimacy among families most impacted by inequities. Um, from a systems perspective eliminating or weakening this role would set would
011signal a retreat from the district's stated commitments to equity. Um, I also want to speak as a parent. My daughter is directly impacted by this work through her participation in CREA, the culturally responsive instructional agency. This initiative is a powerful example of what authentic equity work looks like in practice. Um, it's not symbolic. It redistributes voice and influence by placing students, um, in partnership with educators to improve teaching and learning. Um, so I actually asked my daughter to give me a little bit of a quote of, um, so these are her words. She said that this program is important because it puts power back in youth's hands when it comes to our learning curriculum and representation. So as a parent, I can't overstate the significance of that statement. Young people recognize when their voices are
012genuinely valued versus when they are tokenized. Programs like CREA supported by the district's equity infrastructure cultivate agency, um, confidence and belonging. Is that my timer? Okay, um, just to finish up, um, essentially I think that the director, um, position is essential to making this work coherent and scalable across the district and the need for equity centered leadership remains urgent at this time. So, um, thank you for your time and for your leadership. >> Thank you very much. Next speaker. Your name, city of residence, and you have 2 minutes. Please. >> Hi, my name is Shauna Sylvia. My children attend Flagstaff schools. I want to be clear that my concerns are not about blaming educators and I am not anti-technology. My concern is about priorities, evidence, and balance. In the human capital section, pages 350 to
013355, the budget states that Worcester spends $1,144 per student on instructional leadership. Compared with other large urban districts, Worcester ranks near the bottom. To me, that shows we are under investing in people while continuing to invest heavily in systems, platforms, and devices. At the time at the same time, I've not seen evidence that of technology spending is improving academic outcomes. Over the past several years, Worcester students in grades 3 through 8 have continued to perform significantly below the Massachusetts state average in both math and ELA for MCAS. While the state is around 50% meeting or exceeding expectations, Worcester remains closer to the 20% range. That means roughly seven out of 10 students are not meeting expectations. On pages 210 to 212, the instructional technology line item is proposed at $4,067,744, which is a 65% increase
014from the prior year. When including other clearly identified technology-related budget lines, technology spending appears to be at least 8.8 81 million dollars, not counting technology costs embedded in broader accounts. So, my questions are simple. Why is instructional technology increasing by 65% while forecasting a multi-million dollar deficit? Where's the evidence showing a return on this investment for student learning? And how does the district justify increased screen exposure during children's foundational developmental years, while also saying there are limits around fully funding human-centered instructional supports? I am asking the school committee to slow down, ask for evidence, and make sure our budget prioritizes the teachers, instructional coaches, specialists, and direct support students need most. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I'm a visual I'm a very visual learner and I had a lot of trouble with the charts
015that they put out cuz they didn't have totals. I think that was just a >> Hold on. Hold on. Yeah. >> So I added the totals because >> I just need you to go to the microphone for a little bit. >> Sorry >> Yeah. >> I'm awkward person. Okay. >> Thank you, Fiona. Um Hi, my name is Katherine Holmes. I live in Worcester and I'm a mother of three kids ages five, two, and nine months. Back in October of 2024, I was told that by the director of innovation herself that my child didn't have If my child didn't have an iPad, he would not be able to access the kindergarten curriculum. I was taken aback thinking, "What kind of kindergarten curriculum requires daily use of an iPad?" So I asked for more information and I
016emailed my questions to the superintendent's office on October 30th, 2024, 2:15 p.m. and I just looked it up. It's been four years since the kids returned to in-person school since COVID. Districts across the country from Cambridge to LA are having necessary conversations. They're completing technology audits. They're pausing device use in lower elementary. They're reinvesting in professional development as I think Shawn was mentioning that we spend a really low amount in that area and they're investing in physical textbooks. Their school leaders are citing the research, the behavior problems, the fiscal costs. They are asking what's necessary, what's healthy, and what's harmful. I added the yearly totals to this device procurement chart cuz like I said, it's much harder to understand when you don't put the totals. They screenshot it so they weren't there. Um I don't
017know why. Bob Walton, the IT director, told us last week that the number of Chromebooks being broken by my has gone down substantially. So if that's true, why is the plan to still lease 30,000 Chromebooks for only 24,000 students? Why purchase an extra 6,000 Chromebooks at a cost of $728,000 per year just for them to sit on standby for a handful of breakages. He told us it was only a handful. Phasing out of the use of 4,000 iPads in pre-K and kindergarten will ultimately save the district $400,000 per year, every year. Money that could be reinvested in educational interventions that are proven to be effective for young learners. How about moving to a two-to-one student to device ratio in elementary schools, pushing savings to well over $1.5 million per year, which is exactly the amount
018that you need to buy the 5,000 devices for the teachers, which we want to have while maintaining a robust robust supply of Chromebooks that are available to students when a teacher deems them necessary. Just like the DESI standards say. You might want to know how assessments will be administered without the devices, but Bedford Public Schools doesn't introduce one-to-one until sixth grade, and they still manage to pull off assessment and accountability. Our goals are the same: better, healthier outcomes for students, reduced teacher burnout, massive cost savings to districts at a time when Ms. Consalvo just told us how much pressure there's going to be under the district with the rising operational costs, the electricity, all all of those prices are going up. We can't do anything about those, but we can do something here. We can
019get creative and have open minds and eyes on the budget. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. >> And I'm going to go next. I don't even know what she already said, so I'll say the opposite. Um Hi, everybody. My name is Veena Jet Singh. I'm resident of Worcester. I did a quick chat GPT search on the detriments of too much screen time in young early children, early education. This is research, what it says. The World Health Organization, the Academy of American Pediatrics have published a large body of research on how excessive screen time may affect children, especially under the age of five. That's the category she was talking about for her child being forced to use the iPad. Language and communication delays. Several studies found that high amounts of screen exposure in toddlers
020and preschool are associated with delayed language development, weaker communication skills. One reason is that screens can replace face-to-face interaction, conversation, and play with with caregivers, which are critical for early brain development. Research also shows young children learn less effectively from videos from real than from real human interaction, something researchers call the video deficit effect. Attention behavior, number two, attention behavioral problems. Large reviews involve hundreds of thousands of children have linked excessive screen time with attention problems, hyperactivity, anxiety, aggression, emotional regulation difficulties, depression symptoms later on in childhood, which my children are experiencing right now in high in high school level. A major 2025 meta-analysis involving 200 292,000 children found evidence that higher screen usage was associated with emotional and behavioral problems. That children already struggling emotionally often turn to screens more than creating a a
021feedback cycle. Another study found preschool tablets usage was associated with more anger and frustration over time. Number three, sleep disruption. One of the strongest findings across studies is that too much screen time, especially before bed, but also throughout the day, too much screen time leads in interferes with sleep quality and duration. Blue light exposure and stimulating content can display can delay melatonin release and disrupt normal sleep cycles. Poor sleep in young children is linked to problems with mood, learning, memory, growth, emotional regulation. Number four, reduced physical activity and obesity risk. The World Health Organization guidelines emphasize that screen time often replaces active play, movement, and social interactions. So, besides eliminating some of the tablets to save the millions of dollars, you would be eliminating a lot of behavioral issues by eliminating all this tablet usage.
022Thank you. >> Do you have anyone else here that wants to speak in person? >> Good evening, Madam Chair. I have three points for you this evening. The budget is balanced on our most needy students. The program closures proposed, and they are proposed only for your consideration, serve the students we bear the most responsibility to serve and to serve well. The budget document itself notes it in the executive summary, the these programs are listed and only these as to how the budget has been balanced. And I cannot figure out why this is necessary. The initial budget projections shared in February put the projected revenue at $100,000 short of projected cost. Thus, why it is that the district must zero out $6.5 million in programs is entirely unclear. There is not, from what I can see,
023$6.5 million in new costs being adopted. The advocacy you're receiving regarding ACT and the alternative school, I can add nothing to, but let me say a word for those I suspect you will not hear from. Those served by the Caradonian New Citizens Center. It is, first, named for our former superintendent in recognition of his own service to students learning English. It has been interesting that its name has not been used this year. Names, after all, have power. It may be that we no longer have enough students to make such a program worthwhile due to national policy. If so, that's nowhere stated. For Worcester, a city that has long prided itself on being a settlement city, a first home for many in America, to close the one program specifically devoted to such students speaks loudly of
024values abandoned. If how we spend our money indicates our values, I think little of the values being expressed here. Second, the changes proposed, again, proposed, for the dual language program here are also reflected in the proposed budget. That Worcester every few years attempts to smother this program, always citing lack of family interest, when districts across the country and the state have run such programs K-12 for literal generations, speaks of Worcester and its priorities, not of the program. As I observed to several of you when this first came out, moving the seventh and eighth graders to the Chandler Street building deprives those students of a middle school experience, of the arts magnet program, of junior varsity sports at Burncoat High School. They also become the only students in the district who will matriculate directly into high
025school from their elementary school as Worcester runs no other K-3 schools. Those changes undercut the program. For all that people will tout the AP Spanish touting such deals do not produce students who are regularly smooth. My final point, Madam Chair, is this. The most important chart that you have is on page 25 which where Ms. Consalvo runs the projections for future years. Next year you're due to run into an $8 million run wall. 2 years after that it will be 20 million. There are two things that you should be doing immediately. One is that the Senate budget has a foundation budget review commission in it. The House does not. You should be advocating for that to move forward and then you will need to advocate for it to be implemented. But I will also say
026this. This is the time for you to request and organize for a contribution to the Worcester Public Schools well in excess of the required minimum plus transportation that you usually get from the city. It needs to be made clear to the municipal authority that it's past time for them to step up because it is the only thing that is going to save you next year. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I know what. Hello, my name is Heather Stanek. Um I am the table organizer for the Worcester Education Justice Alliance and I'm a parent of one current Worcester Public School student and one who's going to be coming in next year. Um I would like to talk about how um a budget is a moral document. It tells us what matters. What we consider important
027in our schools. I think it's important that we try I didn't write anything so I'm sorry for that. But uh I think cutting special education, um um jobs as well as paraeducator jobs. They These are the people who provide the most support in um classrooms, who have um students with the most needs. Um I think that that is a mistake. I also want to say that Massachusetts has a history of resting on its laurels for education. We have over decades and centuries considered ourselves to be at the lead, at the head of education. We have rested on our laurels for too long, and we are behind now. The city of Worcester needs to spend more money on the budget for the for the school, as well as the state. I'd like to know what kind
028of advocacy you all are doing um to get more money from the state. We are currently not spending our rainy day fund because we don't want our bond rating to decline. I'd say that we're in a hurricane. We need the money. We have the Fair Share Act, which currently has over a billion dollars in the bank that is specifically for education and infrastructure. Why are we not pushing our legislatures legislators to spend that money? It is there. Our kids need it. What do you need us to do because we will advocate for you, but we need you on the forefront to do this first. Worcester Public School students deserve more. >> Anyone else here in person? All right, just your name and city of residence, please. >> Hello. My name is um Lewis Stoddard. Um
029resident of Worcester. Have one to know since place. Thank you guys for being here today and hearing us out. I appreciate your time. I'm just here in regards to the budget and um how we're utilizing the money. Um I think that it's not necessarily good idea to be investing into all this AI technology and stuff like that, especially in the lower grades. Um, a lot of this technology it hones in on whatever our kids are doing and it keeps that information to then utilize that to sell that information in the future to people who are then going to try to manipulate our children into buying junk. Um, along with the fact that um, we're losing schools, you know, um, I don't think that we should be losing schools if we're investing all this money into
030technology instead of our teachers and our school system. What do we stand for, you know, um, we're Massachusetts, we're the education state, you know, education, health care, this is what's important to us, it's our morals, it's the stuff that we stand on, what makes us different from every other state in this country. So, if we don't stand up for our kids and our school system, what are we standing up for? These big AI technology companies who don't care about our kids or our future, who are willing to sell our natural resources just so that they can benefit. We shouldn't be standing with them. We should be standing with our kids. We should be standing with our educators. Thank you, guys. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else in person to speak before we go online?
031All right. Christina, if we could move to our online participants, please. >> Okay, first up we have the town hall kiosk. >> Oh, thank you. I said Christina, but I didn't realize you were doing it. Sorry, Christie. All right, so the first speaker, if you could give your name and city of residence and you have 2 minutes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, Itzel Hagi, I am the former District 5 City Councilor. I'm a Worcester Public School parent. Um, and I wanted to express my deep disappointment at the restructuring of the um, director of the Equity Office. Um, I want to uh, both plus one what Dr. Mariela Hondo's from LEA and Jennifer Safford from NAACP mentioned, which is that in the strategic plan former superintendent Dr. Monarrez put a lot of effort into strengthening
032our equity principles and our values and downgrading this position along with translation services doesn't do a service to our students. We have had major racial incidents in the city in in the Worcester Public Schools where our kids are being racially attacked by other communities. We have a lot of educators brown and black educators and indigenous educators that need the support. This is not an auxiliary position. This is an essential position for Worcester Public Schools and as a parent and as someone who has upfront seen the value of equity education and support for our students of color, for our marginalized students especially under the Trump administration efforts to undermine anything equity related. I urge this body and the superintendent to please reverse course, upgrade this position to what it was and keep it fully resourced. Thank
033you. >> Thank you. Christie, next. All right. Just your name and city of residence. >> Good evening everybody. My name is Norelia and Chicoya and I'm a parent of a Worcester Public School kindergartner at Dual Language Magnet School. So first I'd like to thank you all for supporting the transition of the 7th and 8th grade Dual Language program from verbal middle to Worcester Dual Language Magnet School starting next school year. This gives students a more cohesive pathway and the program deserves that home. Recently we celebrated 300 multilingual students receiving their seal of biliteracy and I'd love to understand how many came through our Dual Language program versus through family or individual pursuit. I hope we're able to continue to cultivate the Dual Language program including the high school level and can use this data to
034fund and strengthen the program. Second, I'd like to also thank, um, the commitment to adding the library library services at seven elementary schools, um, that will provide circulation management. Um, now, onto my biggest point here. After learning that our technology budget has increased by 65% approximately to $4 million, um, now more than ever I'm extremely concerned about where we're headed with technology for our students, especially our youngest learner learners. As a parent, I watch my child come home with unhealthy screen focus that he didn't have prior to starting kindergarten. Um, at this time when states and districts across our country are actively pulling back individual devices from specifically early grades, WUSD proposing to spend more. These yearly leases will grow to an estimated of 5.2 million, um, a year by 2030 and this budget in
035already projects a potential deficit. Over 330 WUSD families have signed the WUSD for Um, she cursed at me. Noelia, can you unmute yourself? Thank you. I don't know what the last part that that I was heard was, but I know I'm close to time. So, I'd like to wrap up by saying that we've had over 330 families sign the petition by the WUSD for safe technology, um, group asking the district to remove internet connected devices from preK to second grade with full protections for students on IEP and 504 plans, support of technology weekly classes, and of course the discretion for teachers, our educators to use the technology tools available for them for their for student learning. Um, so I I'm asking you all to please look closely, intentionally, and with foresight now before signing a
036multi-year lease for the already stated reasons and rise to the opportunity to reallocate the increased technology budget to other initiatives to support our educators and bring back in learning as much as possible. Thank you. >> Thank you. Who do we have next? >> Nobody else. Nobody has their hand raised. >> Is anyone else here for public comment? All right, that brings us to the conclusion of the meeting and I'm sorry. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> Just for Yanda. >> I'm sorry. >> There's one person just up there and >> Oh, that's fine. We can take that. Just your name and city of residence. >> I can't unmute myself. I'm sorry. Good evening, members of the school committee. My name is Evelyn Cabrera and I'm chief program officer at the YWCA Central Mass. I'm speaking tonight
037regarding the decision to downgrade the director of equity and cultivation position. >> Evelyn, could you speak a little bit louder? Sorry, there's some people that just can't hear. If you could speak a little louder. We have a little bit of a tech issue here. So, if you just do a little louder, that would be great. >> Yeah, sure. Is this better? >> Is that better for you? >> Is this good? >> Yes. >> Yeah, as long as you project as much as possible, I think we're good. Thank you. >> Okay. I'll I'll I'll get really loud. >> That's good. >> Um, I'm speaking tonight regarding the downgrade. So, I'm Evelyn Cabrera. I'm the chief program officer at the YWCA Central Mass and I'm speaking tonight regarding the decision to downgrade the director of equity and
038cultivation position to an assistant director role within the Worcester Public Schools. This change sends the wrong message at a time when equity, inclusion, student belonging, and culturally responsive leadership must remain central priorities for our district. Worcester Public Schools serves one of the most diverse student populations in Massachusetts. Our students come from many cultural, linguistic, racial, and socio and socio economic backgrounds and they deserve a district that demonstrates a strong and visible commitment to equity at the highest levels of leadership. A director level position carries authority, visibility, and the ability to influence district-wide policy, strategic planning, professional development, hiring practices, family engagement, and student support systems. Reducing this role to an assistant director diminishes both the influence and the institutional priorities of the school. >> Thank you. >> Chrissy, do you have anyone else signed up?
039>> Anyone else? >> All right. That being said, that brings us to the end of our meeting. I appreciate everyone for their comments and for being here tonight. And our next meetings for the budget are 6/4 and 6/25, both at City Hall. Thank you.