Dover schools filling jobs that were cut from budget, thanks to $3.6M hike in state aid
DOVER — The city school district is looking to hire for several jobs previously proposed but eliminated in budget cuts — including a school psychologist and social workers — after receiving a $3.6 million-plus increase in state adequacy aid.
New Hampshire's two-year state budget approved this year raises Dover's aid from from just under $10.2 million to just over $13.8 million.
Dover’s School Board and City Council have agreed for the district to add just over $3.4 million to the already adopted fiscal year budget. The remaining $234,428 will be allocated toward reducing property taxes.
Which jobs are being filled in Dover schools?
Dover schools will look to hire for several positions. This includes an English to speakers of other languages paraeducator, social workers across the elementary, middle and high school levels, and a Dover Middle School special education teacher, as well as a school psychologist. The district will look to hire three classroom teachers, to be distributed as needed, after eliminating 11 full-time teaching positions based on projected enrollment decreases at the elementary and middle school levels. A number of these jobs were cut from the budget earlier this year despite impassioned pleas from the community and school leaders.
“We are in the process of posting the positions that are listed for funding with the additional funding,” Superintendent of Schools William Harbron said.
The City Council agreed recently to the district’s plan, which also includes funds for stipend positions, such as multiple coaching and marching band roles, and transferring $810,000 of the adequacy aid to capital reserves.
UNH and NOAA have big plan: $20M ocean mapping center at The Edge plus housing, labs, retail, dining, more
“What we’ve gone through for three solid years with COVID-19, between your staff and the students, these students deserve this,” Mayor Bob Carrier said to Dover school leaders before the council’s vote. “These students deserve some extra help and some extra staffing to put us back to where we left off. I think it’s highly important to support this and take the tools that we have, which is the money that was allotted from the state with adequacy increase and utilize it. You’ll see a difference, my belief is.”
The funding will also cover three existing instruction and assessment directors that are currently grant-funded.
Dover school district business administrator Michael Limanni noted that the increased budget falls under the tax cap.
What Dover School Board members are saying
School Board chairperson Carolyn Mebert and board member Micaela Demeter urged the council to vote in support of adding a large portion of the adequacy aid to the current fiscal year’s expenditures.
According to Mebert, the state increased the base adequacy funding rate per pupil, the amount for children with special educational needs and the amount for students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Dover’s base adequacy funding rate per pupil, she said, is now a little more than $4,000.
Demeter reminded the council the board was not aware of the additional funding that would be allocated to the district from the state during the city budget process earlier this year.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard: Here's how many workers live in Dover and all Seacoast towns, and how much they're paid
“We were working with incomplete information. It was the best we could deal with,” she said. “That is how the budget cycle works in New Hampshire. So when we received information that the additional money was approved for this upcoming fiscal year, it was a godsend truly. Because we as the school board had to make incredibly tough decisions, including cutting 11 teacher positions, which I feel pretty confident stating nobody wanted to do.”
Though the council vote of approval was unanimous, a few councilors first shared concerns about whether the funding would be replicated in the future for the positions the district seeks to add.
Limanni, however, said: “We are treating this as a recurring funding source and that’s what we do with adequacy (aid) every year.”
Councilors share views before vote
Councilor Fergus Cullen stated his belief that much of the funding should be placed into capital reserves.
“None of us have a crystal ball and can look into the future of what’s going to happen in two years,” said Councilor Linnea Nemeth. “I’m cautious and I’m very hopeful that this doesn’t end up being something that does then go away in two years and we find ourselves in the position where we’re losing millions of dollars in state funding that we need to make up in some way.”
“I think it’s fiscally prudent,” said Deputy Mayor Dennis Shanahan. “I believe the inclusion of the $810,000 in the capital reserves and restoration of the positions and looking at the types of positions (we’re) bringing in is exactly what our kids need.”
The City Council approved the motion on a 7-0 vote. Councilors Deborah Thibodeaux and Lindsey Williams were absent from the meeting.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover NH schools hiring psychologist, social workers, teachers, more
