Ipswich Public Schools: Operational and Efficiency Evaluation

Ipswich Public Schools: Operational and Efficiency Evaluation Draft Report The Abrahams Group March 2015 THE ABRAHAMS GROUP FOR BETTER GOVERNMENTS March 31,2015 Mr. Kevin Murphy Mr. Lawrence Seidler School Audit Ad Hoc Committee Town Hall 25 Green Street Ipswich, MA 01938 Dear Messrs. Murphy and Seidler: I am pleased to submit the attached Draft Report - Ipswich Public Schools: Operational and Efficiency Evaluation. This report provides an external review of the educational and non- educational services delivered and the efficiency with which they are delivered and supported, and identifiesshort- and long-term costs and/or savings that can be gained through the implementation ofbest practices, including potential collaboration with municipal departments. This version incorporates our responses to the Committee's March 19, 2015 comments. We are pleased to serve the Committee and the Town of Ipswich on this most important project. We look forward to discussing our report with you on March 31, 2015. Sincerely yours, Mark D. Abrahams, CPA President Attachment 52 FLANAGAN DRIVE • FRAMINGHAM. MA 01701 BETTERGOVOAOLCOM • WWW.THEABRAHAMSGRGUP.COM • PHONE (508) 788-9172 • FAX (508) 788-6217 Table of Contents Page I. Introduction 1 II. Staffing and Salaries 2 III. Curriculum Management 14 IV. Information Technology 24 V. Review of Procurements and Contracts 30 VI. Transportation 34 VII. Collaboration and Efficiencies: Processes, Practices, Systems and Controls 40 VIII Outside Funding and Per Pupil Costs 62 IX. Professional Development 70 X. Feoffee Funding 71 XI. Estimated Savings or Costs of Recommendations 78 Appendices: Introduction 80 I.1 Data/Documents List I.2 List of Interviewees I.3 List of Staff receiving Job Analysis Questionnaires Staffing and Salaries 86 II.1 Staffing Comparative II.2 SPED Staffing Trends - 2012 to 2015 II.3 Additional SPED Staffing Comparative II.4 IPS EPIMS Staffing - FY 14 vs. FY 15 II.5 Teacher Pay Plans - Overviews of Structures II.6 Changes in Pay Plan "Lanes" II.7 Comparison of Teacher Pay Plans II.8 Distribution of IPS Teachers across Plan - FTEs and Dollars II.9 Compensation of Paraprofessionals II.10 Compensation of Secretarial/Clerical II.11 Compensation of Food Service Staff II.12 Compensation of Custodians II.13 Compensation of Coaches II.14 Compensation of Drivers Table of Contents Page Curriculum Management 109 III. 1 District Improvement Plan III. 2 Superintendent's Professional Goals III. 3 Professional Development for Compass Committee 2014-2014 III. 4 Position Responsible for Curriculum in Comparative Communities III. 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Block Scheduling III. 6 Student Teacher Ratio and Credentials III. 7 Athletic Comparison III.8 References Information Technology 122 IV.1 Technology Staff Levels 2014-2015 IV.2 Peer Technology Staff Levels IV.3 Ashland Survey of IT Staff IV.4 Wayland Comparative Staffing IV.5 Consolidation Proposals Transportation 127 VI.1 Bus Driver Wage Survey VI.2 Two-tier Bus Schedule VI.3 Current Bus Rates per Day VI.4 Sample Bus Bid Calculation VI.5 Bus Fee Survey VI.6 Peer Cost Comparison Collaboration and Efficiencies: Processes, Practices, Systems and Controls 133 VII.1 Square Feet per Custodian VII.2 NCDPI Custodial Calculation VII.3 Facilities / DPW Organization VII.4 Examples of Benefit Costs VII.5 Cleaning Service Model VII.6 Facilities / Maintenance Savings VII.7 2013-2014 Financial Statement VII.8 Staffing Table of Contents Page VII.9 Lunch Price Survey VII.10 References VII.11 Breakdown of Production Costs Outside Funding and Per Pupil Costs 144 VIII.1 Historical Chapter 70 Aid VIII.2 Comparison of Foundation Budget, Chapter 70 Aid and Net School Spending VIII.3 FY 14 Outside Funding supporting the Comparative School Systems by Function VIII.4 Outside Funding - Feoffee Funds VIII.5 School Choice Analysis of Net Choice Revenue VIII.6 Trends in State and Federal Grants VIII.7 IPS Comparison of Per Pupil by Function VIII.8 Comparison of Per Pupil Spending FY 10 to 6/30/15 Projected VIII.9A Comparison of Per Pupil Spending to Peer Communities by Function VIII.9B Summary - Comparison of Per Pupil Spending to Peer Communities VIII.10 Special Education In District Per Pupil Spending Professional Development 155 IX. 1 IPS's TELL Survey on Professional Development Estimated Savings or Costs of Recommendations 156 XI.1 Full Costs of Positions The Abrahams Group, Town of Ipswich, School District Operational and Efficiency Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION Background and Objectives The Ipswich Public Schools serve the North Shore Massachusetts Town of Ipswich, located approximately 25 miles north of Boston and having a population of approximately 13,175 residents. The Ipswich Public Schools provides educational services to the towns’ school age children, comprising approximately 1,986 students, including approximately 70 school choice students and 23 tuitioned out/collaborative students. The schools include Ipswich High School (9-12), Middle School (6-8), Doyon School (K-5), Winthrop School (K-5), and Lord Sq. administrative offices housing the Superintendent and other central administrative functions. The Town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, acting through an Ad Hoc School Audit Committee (Committee), sought to conduct an Operational Review of the Ipswich Public Schools. The Town is seeking an external review, of the adequacy of the educational and non-educational services delivered and the efficiency with which they are delivered and supported, and to identify short- and long- term costs that should be expended and/or savings that can be gained through the implementation of best practices, including potential collaboration with municipal departments. The Town compiled a significant amount of data that served as a part of the basis to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of School Operations. We have requested extensive data, documents and reports from the school system over the course of the project and the data/document that we have reviewed appears in the Appendix of this report. Scope The operational review was performed in the following areas and disciplines within the Ipswich School System and within relevant Town departments. The following areas were reviewed for efficiency and effectiveness with efficiencies highlighted and potential cost savings identified. • Salaries and Staffing • Curriculum Management • Information Technology (IT) • Purchasing and Purchased Services • Transportation • Collaboration: Processes, Practices, Systems and Controls • Outside Funding and Per Pupil Spending • Professional Development • Feoffee Funding The Purchased Services scope is covered in multiple sections of the report. This report is structured consistent with the above scope areas. March 31, 2015 1 The Abrahams Group, Town of Ipswich, School District Operational and Efficiency Evaluation WORKPLAN OVERVIEW We conducted this project consistent with the proposed phased approach for this project. PHASE 1 – PLANNING AND DATA GATHERING Task 1 – Conduct Planning Meeting The objective of this task was to conduct a planning meeting with our project team and the School Audit Ad Hoc Committee. This meeting was conducted within the first week of project start-up. During this meeting we: • Introduced project team members • Confirmed project scope and our approach and workplan • Confirmed the project’s timetable and schedule • Discussed up-front concerns and issues to be addressed in the study, including how to approach benchmark community data gathering • Identified the positions to be included in the study and those to be interviewed • Agreed to a process to interview Town and School personnel • Agreed to a process for the Job Analysis Questionnaire • Agreed to a schedule for feedback with the Committee to resolve issues and to provide progress updates and scheduling plans. • Agreed to a schedule for planned meetings or conference calls with the Committee Task 2 – Assemble and Review Relevant Data and Reports Following the initial planning meeting, we focused our efforts in assembling and reviewing available reports and materials relevant to the project. Our intent was to obtain and review materials that document the organization, management approaches, staffing, financial policies and procedures, budgeting practices, personnel policies and the like. The Committee provided a significant amount of data that were critical to the analysis, as follows: 1. Ipswich Public Schools FY2015 School Department Budget a. Override Budget (Exhibit 1a) b. 3.65% Budget (Exhibit 1b) 2. Finance Committee Annual Report For the Town Meeting Tuesday, May 13, 2014 3. Ipswich School Department, Review of Facilities Department Operations, February 24, 2014 4. Analysis of the Administration of Human Services, October, 2010 5. Energy Audit Reports, Part I & II, January 19, 2010 6. Clinical & Educational Services (Special Education) Analysis 7. District Food Service Operation Review, May 2013 8. Current teacher salary schedule, 9. Current contractual salaries, by position, for, clerical, teacher assistants, bus and van drivers, food service, custodians, and coaches 10. Staffing levels at each school, plus the central office, showing position title and quantity at each position 11. Curriculum Development Policies and structure of curriculum committees 12. Class schedules for students at each grade level including elementary, middle and high school 13. List of last purchase date for new textbooks, at all grade levels in all core subjects 14. Recent IT consultant recommendations, current purchases and

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