Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

WARWICK, R.I. -- In a court battle for millions in local tax dollars, West Warwick Town Solicitor Timothy A. Williamson cross-examined Supt. Kenneth Sheehan Thursday, asking him when he realized that there would be a budget shortfall for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

The trial, formally known as a Caruolo action, in which the schools are seeking more money from the Town of West Warwick, wrapped up its third day of testimony Thursday in Superior Court, Warwick. The schools are suing the Town Council for additional $3.3 million in local tax appropriation.

According to Sheehan's testimony earlier this week, at the start of the fiscal 2009 year, school officials said they needed $53.8 million, the minimum funding needed to satisfy all the state and federal regulations, and contractual obligations necessary to provide an education to the district's 3,600 students. He said the schools were allotted $49.2 million by voters at the Financial Town Meeting, and as a result began the year with a $4-million shortfall.

Williamson, who is also a state representative, did not give an opening statement Thursday.

During testimony, however, he entered various school budget documents, including a draft of the education budget plan for fiscal 2009, prepared March of last year, that outlined the district's expenses for that coming fiscal year. The document showed a proposed budget of $54,042,600.

Williamson also presented documents that showed that, based on previous budgets, the district knew that it would face a projected deficit for fiscal 2009.

"When ... you as superintendent of schools...determined that revenue available was not sufficient to fund your programs for FY '09?" Williamson asked.

Sheehan said "Initially," paused, then said, "Probably April [of last year],'' a month before the before the Financial Town Meeting, Williamson noted.

Later during testimony, Williamson seemed to bring up several points that called into question Sheehan's experience as a superintendent and working with budgets. According to testimony, Sheehan was a teacher and disciplinary administrator in Massachusetts, and a teacher in Warwick before coming to West Warwick in 2007.

Williamson also questioned why Sheehan, in looking for places to trim his budget, choose to go after smaller line items, such as programs, supplies, utilities and maintenance, rather than larger expenses, when he realized missions needed to be cut from the budget.

"You've indicated several times that education is labor intensive...personnel is 86 percent of your budget. Yet, you ignored that, to look at the other items to cut, because you want to keep the teachers teaching, correct?'' Williamson said.

Sheehan responded, saying no, and justifying why he looks to line items first.

"My number one goal is to provide an education to the children. I can go one or two years without a new textbook, I can go one or two years without replacing a computer. Teachers teach children. We have to look at other avenues first," Sheehan said. "We are compelled by some children IEPs [individual educational plans] to provide...the basic education program."

Of the district's 3,600 students, 760 or 20 percent are listed as having a special learning need and 40 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

Sheehan testified that if the district did not comply with the state and federal regulations in meeting the basic educational needs, the district would be subject to sanctions by the state Department of Education, could lose state-aid, and open the schools for numerous lawsuits from parents.

 Tags  budgets lawsuits RI schools West Warwick

Comments

JD said:

Before any Caruolo action should be allowed into court, the school department should be required to show that they have cut all non-educational money from the budget. Any program that is not reuired under state orfederal law should be cut. This includes sports, band, after school clubs and activities. As Sheehan said "My number one goal is to provide an education to the children".

Link | May 15, 2009 8:12 AM
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Stewj said:

$14,944 per child for nine months in school. It would be interesting to know where that stands against a national average.

Link | May 15, 2009 11:10 AM
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