Wright wants answers on mandates

In response to complaints about unfunded state mandates, state Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, sent the following letter to Mayor Art Ward and School Superintendent Philip Streifer this morning:

Dear Mayor Ward and Dr. Streifer,

Thank you for the list of mandates which the state has placed on the City of Bristol in the area of education.  I understand that the cost of these programs is of grave concern to the city and like all homeowners, I have no desire to see unnecessary expenses added to the city budget.  However, before voting on any of the proposals which you have listed, I would like some information on how these savings will be achieved.  Since the list which you have provided is quite extensive, I will limit my questions to some of the large ticket items.

 -                      In the area of Special Education, is it anticipated that savings will be made through the reduction or elimination of current programs?  If so, which programs will be affected and what will the effect be on the students currently enrolled in them?  For instance, will they be mainstreamed into other classes?

-                      In the area of Adult Education, are savings anticipated through a reduction or elimination of  GED or related classes, and what effect will this have on people currently in these classes?

-                      In the area of English Language Learners, is it anticipated that savings will be made by reducing or eliminating classes for individuals attempting to learn English, and what is the expected effect of these cuts?

-                      In the area of Continuing Education for teachers, is this cost simply the result of a state mandate, or is this included in the contract which the city currently has with its teachers?  In other words, would the elimination of this mandate itself bring a savings to the city, or would Bristol then have to re-negotiate with its teachers to achieve these savings?

-                      In the area of providing transportation for non-public school students, it is probably safe to assume that the elimination of this service will lead at least a few parents to enroll their children in public schools.  How many additional students do you foresee coming into the public school system, and how much is being budgeted for this contingency?

-                      Finally, in the area of Teacher/Administrator evaluations, is it your plan that Bristol, at least for the time being, not conduct performance evaluations on its teachers and administrators?  If this is not the plan, how is it anticipated that these savings will be achieved?

 Thank you for work and dedication to the schoolchildren of our city.  I look forward to your responses to me questions.

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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com