2000-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Nationally, the history of attempts to reduce the Report of the difference in educational achievement between students Finance Committee with wide cultural differences in their early childhood environment is dismal.In the 35 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, large expenditures for To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the repeated attempts to close this gap have produced only Citizens of the Town of Mashpee small,and frequently temporary,results.And so there is a tension between cost and compassion. Directly or During the year, increased property values and indirectly, the school budget decision for FY2001 I reflected this concern and the question will arise again new construction provided the opportunity for a reduc- tion in the tax rate and some reduction in most tax for the school budget decision for FY2002. bills. In addition there was a substantial increase in Chapter 70 state aid for education. This aid helped to The school is using PLATO, a computerized l supporta 10% increase in the school budget, which learning program, to improve mathematical skills, had been restricted in the previous year by the failure This is acost—effective approach and, hopefully, can of a 2-1/2 override vote. improve productivity in education as the use of com- puters has for other parts of the national economy. However, enrollment growth has decreased from its maximum of 7.9% two years ago, when budget Contracts with the various unions representing growth was 10%,to about 2%for FY2001.But budget town employees will be renegotiated in FY2002. growth remains about 10%. Almost all of the growth Finance Committee members will be observers during is now in the high school grades where per pupil costs this process in order to be informed about the financial are higher,but much of the budget increase is devoted impacts of the agreements that result. ' l to the improvement of the district performance on tests in mathematics, English and science now required by Dean Arden, Chairman the state. Three years of test scores are now available Stephen Cashman, Vice Chairman for the fourth, eighth and tenth grades and are charac- Jeff Arnold, Clerk terized as low by the state. Under current state policy, James Morgan tenth grade students who fail these tests next year will Maryanne Gibbs not receive high school diplomas, but there will be Carleton Meredith (� opportunities to repeat the tests. Frederic Blythe l Joan Leombruno, Secretary 1 ' G y. t t 2 7 t J The Class of 1900, the last class to attend the first South Mashpee School pose with their teacher Mrs. Baker 12