City-BOE Cooperation Took Some Convincing

Officials from City Hall and Central Office said they’re finally working together to get a handle on the school system’s budget overruns. Behind the scenes there hasn’t always been the same unity.

In a briefing for the New Haven Register on Thursday afternoon (from which this reporter was barred), officials said that they’ve significantly reduced budget deficits for education, down to $2.8 million for last fiscal year and $10.2 million for next fiscal year. They said they’ve done that by working together.

According to Brian Zahn’s report of the sit-down with Superintendent Carol Birks, Mayor Toni Harp, Budget Director Michael Gormany and City Controller Daryl Jones, officials said that collaboration between 165 Church St. (City Hall) and 54 Meadow St. (the Board of Education) had led to significant savings.

There are ​“many opportunities to create efficiencies in how we work together,” Birks was quoted as saying.

Emails that the Independent obtained through the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act show that it took some persuading to get to that point, as Birks initially balked at working together on finances.

“We have to maintain autonomy over our finances,” Birks said in one.

“Dr. Birks, autonomy has failed [with] the bigger school districts,” Jones replied.

That exchange happened this February, as Jones began preparing a list of 39 financial initiatives that he released this week as the city’s five-year plan.

As part of that plan, Jones said the city will take on a larger role in helping the Board of Education cut down on its technological, legal and operational costs.

But the document said none of the plans would start impacting the budget until FY 2021. And it didn’t outline any specific dollar savings in the way that 16 of 39 other initiatives had.

That might be because, when Jones first ran those three ideas by Birks in late February, the controller and superintendent weren’t seeing eye to eye on most issues.

Technology: More Hires?

The first initiative calls for the city and the school district to partner on making technological upgrades for city schools.

The city’s five year-plan argues that could ​“bring the BOE up to a state of good repair.”

In February, Birks said that this collaboration is sorely needed, calling it ​“an area in which we can take immediate action.”

“There is a sense of urgency for New Haven Public Schools to hire a Director of Educational Technology,” especially as major IT contracts were set to come up for renewal at the end of June, she said. ​“We will need to make some critical decisions very quickly to determine if we can make some modifications to the contract to secure funding for this role and perhaps others.”

Jones replied that the contracts do need to be changed, and he said they should be put out to bid. But he added that it isn’t about additional hires, as much as using what’s already available now.

“The issues with BOE is not that you need an expert, it’s about [a] common sense approach,” he wrote.

Jones asked why it the school district hadn’t spent more than half of the capital funds that had been allocated for IT improvements, leaving $1 million sitting in its accounts. He asked why the school district had sent such high quotes for computers, $200 over what the city’s vendor charges. And he asked why no one had set up 15 computers that the city given to King-Robinson School.

“The City has resources that the BOE doesn’t have,” he wrote. ​“If the partnership is established the BOE can get up to state of good repair in a year.”

Legal: In-House Attorneys?

The second initiative calls for a city staff attorney to be assigned to the school district to provide legal advice, rather than spending close to $450,000 on outside law firms.

The city’s five-year plan argues that having in-house counsel would ​“guarantee prompt, appropriate review of issues and cases presented, and the proper, timely assignment of matters.”

In February, Birks said that they needed to talk more about what the plan would entail, saying she didn’t want to give up attorneys with an expertise in ed law.

“We are happy with the relationships with some of our current attorneys, and intend to retain their services for the 2019 – 20 school year,” she wrote.

“We agree that it is paramount to consult and seek guidance from Corporation Counsel as it relates to litigation,” she went on. ​“However, it is paramount that we take the lead on working with counsel we have identified to provide legal guidance on some certified employee labor relations, student matters including Special Education and other educational services and professional learning.”

Jones said the school district couldn’t afford that anymore, and in-house counsel would work just as well.

“We are spending 100s of thousands on outside counsel that is not necessary,” he said. ​“There are recommendations John [Rose, the city’s top lawyer] is making that make sense for BOE. A dedicated lawyer for BOE, with the expertise on BOE, makes sense, which I think is what you want.”

Finance & Operations: Whose Turf?

The third initiative calls for the city’s finance department to partner with the school district to ​“create standards and ensure adherence to existing City policies” for finances, human resources and operations.

The city’s five-year plan argues that, by ​“incorporating best practices, training and streamlining processes,” it can ​“achieve efficiencies and increase accountability and cost savings.”

In February, Birks said that the school system has ​“an immediate need” to fix its ​“payroll and budget platforms, procurement processes and accounts payable and receivable practices.” But, she added, ​“We have to maintain autonomy over our finances.”

Jones said that he wasn’t trying to take over, just to help the system find efficiencies. He said that bigger school districts couldn’t stay independent, as Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven all continue to spend more than they’re budgeted.

“I understand that state statute and we’re not trying to control [how] the BOE spends its funding for education, but we can help you spend efficiently so that the BOE can do even more and not overrun your budget,” he wrote.

Jones said that the school district needs to follow the city’s lead in getting its systems online. He said that the district should to look for savings there, rather than by jumping right to closing schools and eliminating teachers.

“The challenge with BOE is the lack of understanding or wanting to use the systems in place. The BOE is paper driven, which is costing you money because things are slipping through cracks,” he wrote. ​“The easy approach to close the budget gap is to close schools and eliminate teachers. However, just look at all the initiatives that the City proposed in the 5‑Year [Plan], over 25,” a number that would grow even larger over the next six months.

“I’m confident,” Jones added, ​“the BOE can find millions the same way.”