Below, please find a list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the proposed FY’11 Westford School District budget.  If you have a question or comment about the budget, please contact School Board Chair Martha Heath at 893-1291.

---

Q: According the January 7, 2010 budget presentation, school property taxes for those who are not income-sensitized will go up 10.02% next year.  What does this increase represent?

A: It was difficult to present a school budget with a 10% increase in education taxes for those who pay based on the value of their property.  It is also important to consider the context for this decision.  In the present year, Westford spends $300 per pupil less than the statewide average and gets results that are excellent as measured by statewide assessments. This level of spending is achieved while paying Chittenden County high school tuitions.  The budget is increasing by 1.4% and 80% of the increase is, in fact, for high school tuition.  It’s a very challenging time to try to balance the educational needs of Westford’s children and the burden budgets place on taxpayers.  Part of the 10% increase is directly attributable to the budget, part is due to the projected 2.2 cent increase in the base rate, and the rest is due to the fact that the state views our properties as more valuable than they were last year.  This budget again reduces staffing at the school based on declining enrollment.  Many who attended the public meeting reacted positively to the efforts of the board to present a responsible school budget.

~Martha Heath, Westford School Board Chair

Q: What is the student to teacher ratio at Westford School?

A: Westford School’s average classroom size (using the actual number of enrollment as of October 1, 2009) is approximately 19 students per teacher.  For a point of reference, the state average (based on the VT School Board Association’s “Current Realities” presentation) is 10.8 students per classroom teacher.

In addition, Westford School has a certified teacher to student ratio of 11 students per each certified teacher.  Certified teachers include classroom teachers as well as nurse, guidance, special educators, speech/language, math/reading specialists, librarian, and EEI/EEE.  FY’11 projected enrollment numbers and staffing levels will increase both ratios by one.

The Westford Town Annual Reports would serve as valuable source documents to learn more about student-teacher ratios from previous years.

Q: How can I learn more about high school choice and tuition rates for Westford?

A: Presently, all Westford students have a choice regarding which high school to attend throughout the state.  A majority of those students do end up attending Essex High School (EHS).  In fact, we are projecting 75.8 percent of Westford high school students will attend EHS next school year (2010-2011).

Tuition information for area high schools is available in the Westford Town Annual Report.  The Vermont Department of Education’s (VT DoE) site has posted Allowable Tuition Data and Announced Tuition Data.

Additionally, the VT DoE’s web-site provides great resources to learn more about assessment data and other school reports.  Visit their web-site to learn about schools throughout the state.

Q: How much of the transportation costs listed in the budget are associated with high school students (if any)?

A: The Westford School District budget includes routine transportation to and from Westford School.  The school district must also provide transportation for special education students in grades K-12.  There are no routine transportation costs for high school students.

For more specific information related to the Westford School District budget, please view the Budget Report, available within the school district’s Annual Report submission.  Questions can also be directed to Westford School Board members.