New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Milford schools revise COVID cost estimates
MILFORD — Milford Public Schools will continue to operate on a Tier 1 instructional model, with all students attending school in person four days per week and learning remotely one day.
Superintendent of Schools Anna Cutaia said there are five key indicators considered when making a decision on the appropriate instructional model: health metrics, social/ emotional needs, academic priorities, availability of resources and human resources.
“Based on the current analysis of these five factors, it is warranted to remain in Tier 1,” Cutaia said.
According to Chief Operations Officer Jim Richetelli, discussing costs with the Board of Education, the total projected revenue for Milford (COVID only) is $2,415,241. The total projected expenditure for Milford (COVID only) is $3,733,250. The projected deficit, as of Sept. 30, was $1,318,009.
Richetelli spoke of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund grant, part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Milford’s share of the grant is $529,000, of which $456,031 will go toward the public schools.
The total projected revenue, or available funds, is 2,415,241.
In terms of certified teachers, there are 4.5 full-time equivalent teachers associated with COVID. The projected costs through the end of the year will be nearly $300,000. Additionally, there are 24 substitutes in the schools.
According to Richetelli, “We estimate we will spend $427,200 on substitute salaries.”
There is a big change from what originally was anticipated concerning custodial costs, Richetelli said. The Board of Education originally thought additional cleaning help would be required, but Richetelli said an additional full-time custodian isn’t needed.
“We are achieving what we need to achieve as far as sanitizing and cleaning,” he said.
Another cost related to the pandemic are isolation room monitors, who are hourly aids. The anticipated cost for this is $126,000.
“If a student is at school and goes to the nurse, and if the nurse thinks it may be COVID-related symptoms, we’ve set aside an isolation room where that student will go and the parent will pick them up,” he said. “We need a designated staff member who will be in the isolation room.”
Another significant change in the projected COVID budget pertains to bus monitors. This is projected at $45,000.
It originally was anticipated there would be bus monitors on close to 70 buses. However, because of the shortened school day, as well as the one day each week when all students learn remotely, they may have a reduced schedule, according to Richetelli.
“We’ve been able to fill all of the bus monitor positions for elementary school at this point,” he said.
There are no bus monitors on the middle school or high school buses, as originally anticipated. “The bus driver is filling some of the roles that the bus monitor would have done,” he said.
Another cost, educational supplies and equipment, includes masks for students and staff members, as well as software expenses and computers. “They are purchasing replacements for Chromebooks that we’re using,” he said.
Also, “We’ve added three grade levels of Chromebooks that we need — pre-K, kindergarten, first and second grade,” he said. “Our original budget was for Chromebooks for grades 3 to 12.”
New estimates
Richetelli said the new estimates differ significantly from prior estimates.
“In July and August, we were giving you the very worst-case scenario. We really didn’t know who we would be able to hire,” he said. “We didn’t know the number of people out there that would be available to us. We don’t need as many certified and non-certified people in the classrooms.”
Cutaia said the lower number “should be applauded.”
“We looked at every resource in district to try and bring that number down,” she said.