What'll get cut if Braintree override fails. It wouldn't be pretty

BRAINTREE – Superintendent Jim Lee presented a $75.5 million budget to town councilors this week that represented “draconian measures” taken in the event that the mayor’s $8 million permanent tax override does not pass.

This month, the school district handed out reduction-in-force letters to 91 staff members, a scenario that will take place if the June 15 override vote fails.

“The impact across every single level is dramatic,” Lee said. School programs would be reduced, class sizes would increase and redistricting would occur at the elementary level.

More: Braintree is facing severe budget issues. Here's what two key town officials have to say

If the override does pass, it would give the school district an additional $4 million for its budget, but still leave 44 staff members without jobs, Lee said.

With the override, the money allocated for Braintree Public Schools in Mayor Erin Joyce’s budget would be $400,000 less than what the school committee supported in April. The town’s Ways and Means Committee – made up of town council members who hold public hearings on each departments' budget ahead of the final town budget hearing, this year on May 29 – only has the ability to make further cuts to the proposed budget, not increases.

The override would also set aside $1.5 million for police, $1 million for public works and $1.5 million for an override stabilization fund.

Some of what would happen in Braintree Public Schools if a level-funded budget of $75.5 million without a tax override happens includes:

• Elimination of all elementary media programs

• Elimination of 5th grade math lab

• Cuts to middle and high school media centers

• Reduction of Braintree High School support positions and special education, and reduction of elementary math and reading specialists

• Reduction of electives like music and art

• Reduction of academic levels at middle school

• Eliminating 7th grade world language at both middle schools

• Class size increases

With the tax override allowing for a $79.5 million budget, some of the affected programs are restored, reduced at a lesser degree or remain cut. Here’s what that looks like:

• Elimination of elementary media programs

• Restoration of academic levels in middle school

• Restoration of 7th grade world language, math and reading specialists and 5th grade math lab

• Ability to not redistrict at elementary schools

• High school class sizes and elective opportunities nearly restored

Lee addressed the concern about losing accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges due to some of the proposed cuts. A loss of accreditation wouldn’t be immediate, so long as the association sees that the school district is making an effort to restore what would be lost, he said.

“Reducing those, in my opinion, what would be core academic functions, it would seem like would then compound educational problems that would require additional attention, staffing and special education resources to catch those kids up if they’re not getting the resources when they need them in their educational journey,” Committee Chair Meredith Boericke said of the proposed budget without an override.

More: Is your town going to have an override vote? What that means

Lee agreed, noting that students wouldn’t have wide access to electives like music or art and additional support should they need it.

“There’s nothing positive on this list that I’m going to go through,” Lee said. “It will change what Braintree Public Schools looks like for the foreseeable future until we can build back.”

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Override election in Braintree vote: What happens if it fails?