BOE Audit Identifies Net Savings of $5M

A 260-page audit of the Board of Education's $141.6 million budget identifies net savings of nearly $5 million, though the firm that conducted the audit stressed that its figures are estimates, not all recommendations can be implemented immediately, and the impact of unemployment obligations and collective bargaining agreements were not considered.

The school district's Central Office posted the audit on its website, and the elected, nine-member Board of Education discussed it Tuesday night in the Education Center, 501 Kings Highway East.

Prismatic Services, Inc., the Huntersville, N.C. firm hired by the school board to do the audit, listed 74 recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of school district operations and attached "fiscal impacts" to 27 of those recommendations. Some fiscal impacts were expenditures, others were savings, and others would increase revenue to the district. They were identified on an annual basis under the headings of organization and management; technology; financial management; Human Resources; facilities use and management; food services; and transportation.

Prismatic's report says fiscal impacts weren't listed for 47 of its recommendations because they either did not have "a directly quantifiable impact on board operations or expenditures" or the impact would depend upon how the district chose to implement the recommendation.

Prismatic's report also included 25 "commendations" to the school district, in which the firm highlighted "exemplary processes and practices in Fairfield public schools."

Some of the fiscal impacts which involved either savings or raising revenue were:

* Adopt extended day as the only only option for all kindergarten students (savings of $189,840.)

* Reconfigure music schedules in the middle schools (savings of $279,065.)

* Reorganize both high schools to eliminate the "house plan." (Fairfield Warde High School and Fairfield Ludlowe High School each have three houses. Savings of $1.67 million.)

* Require high school English teachers to teach five periods a day, which is the same as other core teachers (savings of $569,520.)

* Charge non-handicapped students a fair tuition for preschool (revenue of $55,000.)

* Bring psychologist and social worker staffing ratios closer to those recommended by the ASHA (savings of $455,616.)

* Reduce funding for principals' account (savings of $297,773.)

* Discontinue the funding and participation in the Intern Program after the current year (savings of $198,980.)

* Eliminate summer cleaning overtime for custodians (savings of $83,314.)

* Seek reimbursement from the Food Service Fund for the cost of providing custodial services in the dining rooms (savings of $118,440.)

* Seek reimbursement from the Food Service Fund for the cost of kitchen and dining room utilities (savings of $160,761.)

* Increase regular student meal prices (revenue of $58,000.)

* Implement a "use it or lose it" policy regarding school bus transportation (savings of $36,956.)

* Require students to opt-out of school bus transportation in order to obtain a parking spot (savings of $174,963.)

* Seek legal counsel regarding reduction of non-public student transportation (savings of $408,559.)

The school district's Central Office is now in the process of building the Board of Education's proposed budget for 2011-12. The elected school board likely will vote on the proposed budget in January, and then it will head to First Selectman Ken Flatto, who will adjust it and incorporate it into his overall proposed town budget for 2011-12. Flatto traditionally unveils his recommended town budget in February, and it then heads to review and votes by the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting. The selectmen and Board of Finance can either increase or decrease Flatto's proposed budget; the RTM can only decrease it.

The school board's current $141.6 million budget rose 1.4 percent from its 2009-10 budget of $139.6 million.