BevCam Override Interviews

BevCam has posted web videos of the two "Understanding the Issues" Override interviews that it first aired last week. We have embedded the Yes! for Beverly inteview above. If you are having trouble playing it here, or would like to watch the Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility (the No Override group) interview, you can go the BevCam video page.

The Override Forum isn't yet available online, but it will be run continuously on Channel 10 until the election. Here is the schedule:

Saturday at 5:55 PM
Saturday at 9:36 PM
Sunday at 10:11 AM
Sunday at 1:53 PM
Sunday at 5:34 PM
Sunday at 9:15 PM
Monday at 11:11 AM
Monday at 2:53 PM
Tuesday at 11:11 AM
Tuesday at 5:11 PM

UPDATE: There is a third episode of "Understanding the Issues, " where host Scott Houseman interviews Dr. Hayes and City Finance Director John Dunn. This is a very informative interview on school budget issues, as well. Airing times for this are as follows.

Sunday at 8:00 AM
Sunday at 11:45 AM
Sunday at 3:26 PM
Sunday at 7:07 PM
Monday at 9:00 AM
Monday at 12:45 PM
Tuesday at 9:00 AM
Tuesday at 3:00 PM

BevCam is generally running these three shows, as well as the Override Forum, pretty much nonstop between now and Tuesday's election.

Note: Our website has been very buggy the past few days. We think we found the gremlin causing the problem, but if anyone still has issues with slow page loading, please let us know.

Join the Sign Rally

The new photo (courtesy of Julie DeSilva) at the top of the page shows McKeown students gathered this afternoon to show their support for the YES! campaign. They will be out in force at tomorrow's s (Saturday's) sign chain with these homemade signs!

All supporters and their families are invited to join the sign chain. Meet at the Memorial Building anytime after 8:00 AM to get your sign. Or have your kids make their own. We will be spreading out along Cabot street as far as we can. Come for an hour, or spend all morning, and show your support.

6/1 UPDATE: The sign rally was a big success. Supporters with YES! signs stretched from Shaw's in North Beverly all the way downtown along Cabot Street. From our vantage point, the reception from passersby was overwhelmingly positive. Here are some photos courtesy of Tracey Armstrong.

New Kindergarten and Redistricting Info

Dr. Hayes met with parents at McKeown last night to answer questions about the budget and redistricting, and shared some important information.

First, under the current plan (without an override) due to space issues, full-day kindergarten may go to a lottery system where even children whose parents are willing to pay the $4,000 fee may not get a full-day spot and be forced to attend half-day. He also said that in some cases full-day kindergarten students would not be able to attend the same building as their older siblings.

Dr. Hayes also said that hundreds of elementary students will be redistricted under the current plan. In addition to the McKeown students, elementary students from across the City will have to attend a new school in September.

We have also confirmed that students who currently ride a bus (the largest bus riding population is at Cove School today) may be redistricted to help accommodate the shifting population and to balance free and reduced lunch.

Hayes says that students may end the current school year not knowing what school they will attend in September if the override does not pass and a redistricting plan is not approved before then.

McKeown Principal Resigns

In a story titled "McBride gets out of Dodge," The Beverly Citizen reports that McKeown School Principal Colleen McBride has accepted a new job in Andover. McBride was slated to become principal of Hannah under the Superintendent's original restructuring plan, but her future was unknown under the current plan to close McKeown, should the override fail. If the override is successful, the system will now be short one principal.

This is most likely just the first, of many losses of talented teachers and administrators in Beverly. The Salem News reported yesterday that pink slips had already been sent to over 100 school employees who do not have professional status, or tenure.

UPDATE: One reader points out that with Colleen McBride leaving, the system will actually be short 2 principals if the Override passes, since Bill Foley at Centerville is retiring this year, and the search for a replacement had been put on hold, with all the uncertainty.

Latter Announces Support for Override

School Committee member James Latter announced his support of the Override last night in a comment to a post on Save Beverly Schools.

Latter, who had been the only School Committee member that had not taken a position on the override, has studied the details of all the proposals and understands the city and school budget perhaps more than anyone. In addition to being a member of the school committee, he chaired the ad-hoc group that looked into all the proposals. He was also a member of the group that put together the City 5-Year Financial Forecast document earlier this year.

In his post, Latter states:

"After looking at all the plans presented, and considering what is possible, and what is probable, I have concluded that the only way to avoid calamity in our school system over the next few years is to support the override on June 3."

The full test of his post is below:

Why I'm voting yes

After looking at all the plans presented, and considering what is possible, and what is probable, I have concluded that the only way to avoid calamity in our school system over the next few years is to support the override on June 3. I appreciate the Mayor coming to the table with more funds, but even his offer of several hundred thousand dollars to keep the Pre K through 5 elementary model in 5 schools is not ultimately sustainable past next year. It is my opinion that if we close McKeown school for the 5 school model using every available revenue stream, we still need several hundred thousand dollars in other cuts ($250,000 to 400,000 anyway). We will be in a situation next year where the budget shortfall will still be in close to $1 million(if not more), we will not have realized the savings of the 4 and 1 ECC model, we will have used up any potential revenue streams from recycling. We will again be looking at slashing programs, or implementing more consolidation. If it is not the will of the School committee to implement the 4 and 1 plan recommended by the superintendent, the only viable option for the children of Beverly in general, and the children of the McKeown school in particular, not to have their elementary school careers disrupted numerous times is to vote yes on the override question on Tuesday June 3rd.

There are many unknowns in any budget cycle, and with important issues such as a self imposed tax increase, people look for guarantees, especially moving beyond next year as to where specific revenues from this ballot question will go. I know that all elected officials who have been asked have stated that if this override passes these funds will be made available for several years anyway. Such promises can seem fleeting, however, the one guarantee I can give is that if this override passes the quality of education over the next several years will be better than if it does not. If the override fails, the quality of education will be diminished, that I guarantee.

This is not an easy decision. As I have stated publicly before, there are many who believe they cannot afford even this modest increase, who will vote no on this question, and should not be chastised for this difficult decision. However, there are also those who feel that the investment in education is a most important endeavor, who will vote yes, and they should not be chastised either. We cannot look at paying taxes for education as an obligation to educate our own children that diminishes after our children have utilized public schools. Public education is an obligation due by all in our current society to this community’s young people, and this obligation is ongoing. At the end of the day, if we look at education as only a cost, we have already lost the battle. Public education is about an investment. It is about an investment in the future of this community and this society. I asked before that all please vote their conscience, I repeat that request, and thank you for taking a minute to share my thinking on the issue.

Jim Latter
Beverly School Committee, Ward 3

All school committee members (except Mayor Scanlon) have now taken a position on the Override. David Manzi is opposed; the other five members are in favor.

Override Fact of the Day: Previous Cuts

Beverly faces many of the same issues impacting all Massachusetts communities. State aid has decreased, while operating costs and unfunded state and federal mandates have increased.

But while two-thirds of Massachusetts towns have already passed overrides, some multiple times, as a way to deal with their budget issues, Beverly never has. In fact, Beverly has never even put an override on the ballot.

Instead, we've made many tough choices.

In the past five years, we've closed schools, cut dozens of teachers, added fees, and increased class sizes. Several years ago we closed Memorial Middle School, and placed all of the city's middle school students in the 85-year-old Briscoe building in order to help close a similar gap.

If McKeown school were to close, as is the current plan, it would be the 3rd school closed in the city in the past 5 years.

Superintendent Hayes states:

"Over the last several years we have chipped away and chipped away at the kind of education we should be providing the children of Beverly. The professionals we employ have done their best to adapt what they do with the resources they have and have “made it work”. We can make this reconfiguration work, too, but it will not be easy, and Beverly will not be providing the quality of education we aspire to. That difference in quality has a direct correlation to the perceived quality of a community. And that has a direct impact on all Beverly citizens. If you think these cuts to education don’t affect you, you are wrong. Yes, it costs a lot to educate a child; it costs even more if you don’t."

Councilors Still in Neutral

Today's Salem News states that all but two of the nine city councilors are remaining neutral, or say they are undecided on the Override. Mayor Scanlon has also said many times that he is neutral:

"I have been totally neutral on the override, and I remain so," Scanlon said. "I think that's the proper role for me to play."

Only John Burke (no), and Pat Grimes (yes) have taken a public position.

Some of their explanations are expanded upon in a new post on the News' Heard in Beverly Blog, although most stick with some variation of "it's the voter's decision":

“I think it’s up to the people to decide..."-Bill Coughlin

"...I will respect the voters’ decision."-Judith Cronin

"...Let the people decide which way they want to go..." -Tim Flaherty

"...I think every individual voter has to make up his or her own mind..."-Don Martin

Among the School Committee members, only Jim Latter has not publicly stated his position (see update and comment below). David Manzi is opposed, and the remaining four members all publicly are in support.

State Rep Mary Grant also has stated her support for the Override

Manzi is the only official to openly criticize the others for failing to take a position. "I really think we're elected to take positions," he said. "There are too many elected officials trying to walk the line, and that's the reason nothing gets done."

5/30 UPDATE: Jim Latter has posted a detailed comment below where he takes a strong stand in favor of the override.

Latter states "I have concluded that the only way to avoid calamity in our school system over the next few years is to support the override on June 3"

Click on the comment link below, or the headline of this post to read.

Yes! Signs in Bloom

At long last the Yes! signs are out! Hundreds of them sprouted up overnight.

If you are a supporter of the Override, you can help keep the visibility going.

Tonight (Thursday, May 29) there is a public forum on the Override at the Senior Center on Colon Street, starting at 7:30 PM. Please try to attend. The forum will also be broadcast live on BevCam (Comcast Channel 10), and replayed throughout the weekend leading up to the election.

This Saturday (May 31), there will be a sign holding event starting at 8:00 AM at the Memorial Building and spreading out along Cabot Street. Come for an hour or spend all morning. Yes! for Beverly will provide coffee and YES! signs. Kids, and homemade signs are also welcome.

And don't forget to Vote on Tuesday, June 3.

Today's Salem News talks about the signs, and also publishes a letter from Joan Sullivan and Tracey Armstrong, founders of Yes! for Beverly.

Override Fact of the Day: What Will it Cost?

According to Yes! for Beverly, the tax increase resulting from the override would be 41 cents per every $1,000 your home is assessed for. That works out to $46.60 a quarter - or $185 a year – for a home assessed at $450,000. The cost for the average Beverly homeowner would be 51 cents a day.

There is an Override Tax Calculator on the Yes! for Beverly website.

Rather than compare that to the cost of a cup of coffee (or worse yet, a latte), which tends to inflame the opposition, we did our own calculations based on property values. If you believe that there is any correlation between the quality of schools and property values, then these figures should speak pretty clearly.

Taking the average value of a house in Beverly of $450,000, we figure that if housing prices were to fall just 1% (a pretty conservative figure) because of all the negative publicity, increased class sizes, and general uncertainty about the school system, that the average house will be worth $4500 less. That would be enough to pay one household's cost of the override for 24 years.

There are a few exemptions from the tax. Qualified taxpayers over 65 can receive a tax credit from the state for a portion of their property taxes. Qualified taxpayers over age 65 can defer their property taxes until the property is sold. Beverly provides a state mandated real estate property tax exemption of $500 for income and asset limited taxpayers over age 70. Other relief includes a disabled veteran exemption ($250), an exemption for widows over 70, and an exemption for the legally blind.

Citizen's Strange Conclusion

The Beverly Citizen has just posted an editorial against the override that will run in Thursday's paper. But if you read many of the points they raise without reading the headline, you would think they were voicing support.

Also confusing is that they seem to be arguing in favor of Dr. Hayes' plan, which was voted down by the School Committee a week ago, but make no mention of Mayor Scanlon's plan, which was approved.

They also consider the proposed class sizes "manageable"

Some excerpts:

We urge a no vote not because the School Committee wastes money and not because School Superintendent Jim Hayes has administrators stuffed in closets.

It’s because Hayes has crafted a plan that keeps manageable class sizes, distributes students requiring free and reduced lunches according to standards the School Committee established more than 10 years ago and maintains the program students need.

Arguments of mismanagement and waste in the system basically fly in the face of reality. In case anyone missed it, school systems throughout the state and the North Shore are either passing overrides or closing schools and cutting programs. If the problem were mismanagement in the Beverly Schools, why is almost every school system in the same boat?

The editorial also goes on to point out new revenue and long-term cost savings proposals that are in the works at both the city and state level that could help the schools in the future:

For the future, there may be revenue that comes on line and further savings, which could prevent an override. ...

The state allowing communities to move employees to the state health insurance plan without union approval would save Beverly an estimated $2.6 million annually.

But again, instead of taking this as a reason to delay irreversible cuts to our schools, they see this as a reason to "Vote no for now."


9:30 PM UPDATE: Further confusing Citizen readers as to what plan is in play, and who came up with what, the paper has also posted a letter from Mayor Scanlon in support of the 5-school plan. Scanlon seems to be backing off on ownership of the plan, saying only that "Members of the School Committee suggested a five-elementary-school plan with early childhood education remaining a part of those schools." He goes on to list reasons why he supports "their plan" over the Superintendent's plan.

Also speaking on the Override, Scanlon goes a step further on his previous statement that he would "endeavor to give the money to the schools on an ongoing basis" saying: "Without regard to what, if any, action the School Committee ultimately takes, I believe that if the override passes, its revenue should be devoted exclusively to the schools in every future budget."

The Citizen also runs a big batch of letters on the override.

Override Fact of the Day: Property Values

It is a widely held belief that there is a direct relationship between the quality of a community's schools and the property values of that community. When couples buying their first home start to research different towns or cities, that is usually one of the first things they look at.

According to Yes! for Beverly, the National Association of Realtors has published a study concluding that good schools drive better housing prices. Strong schools draw businesses and families to the community, increasing the city’s tax base and protecting property values. The NAR realtors training manual states:

“There is solid academic research to back it up. In 1997, UCLA economist Sandra E. Black undertook what is now considered the seminal study linking house prices to education. Her innovative research removed variations in neighborhoods, taxes, and school spending to isolate the value parents place on school quality. According to her calculations, parents are willing to pay 2.5% more for housing for a 5% increase in test scores.”

“In 2003, Thomas J. Kane (UCLA), Douglas O. Staiger (Dartmouth), and Gavin Samms (Kennedy School) applied Black’s modeling technique to Mecklenburg County, NC. They again found that differences in school test scores are strongly related to housing values, even somewhat greater than Black concluded. Specifically, they found that moving from the bottom 5% of schools to the top 5% of schools is associated with an 18 - 25 % difference in house value, controlling for neighborhood amenities and housing characteristics. In other words, if two similar houses were across the street from one another, and one was assigned to a school in the top 5% of schools in the district and other was assigned to the lowest 5% of schools in the district, the results suggest that there would be an 18 - 25 % difference in house prices.”

“In addition, researcher David M. Brasington, while at Tulane University , explored the impact on housing market values of additional measures of public school quality. He found that proficiency tests, expenditure per pupil, and pupil-to-teacher ratio are “consistently capitalized” into housing prices, while measures such as graduation rates, teacher experience levels, and teacher education levels are not consistently positively related to housing prices.”

This article from CNN/Money also supports this view.

And GreatSchools.net, a website that rates public school systems nationwide by a variety of criteria including test scores and student-teacher ratio, is linked on many real estate websites so buyers can easily compare the quality of different communities' schools. Beverly currently rates a 6 (out of 10). This compares to rankings of other local communities: Hamilton-Wenham (9), Manchester (9), Topsfield (9), Danvers (6), Salem (4).

One Week to Go

We are exactly one week out from the June 3rd Special Election and there is a lot going on with the campaign that Yes! for Beverly would like to share with the readers of Save Beverly Schools:

Yes! for Beverly needs your help in the next 7 days to win!

Here's how you can help this countdown to VICTORY on June 3rd.

Thursday, May 29, 7:00-8:30 pm
Override Forum
There is a Forum to discuss the Proposition 2½ override at the Senior Center, 90 Colon St. (doors open at 6:15pm) It is a question and answer session with both sides of the debate represented, moderated by the Salem News. PLEASE COME. Tracey Armstrong and I will represent YES! For Beverly. Elliot Margolis and Gail Burke will represent the opposition. It will also be broadcast live by BevCam on Channel 10. Questions for either side must be submitted in advance to forum@salemnews.com.

Saturday, May 31, 8:00am-Noon
Sign holding with families
We will be spreading out along Cabot Street this Saturday to show our support of passing the override. Please meet me and the rest of our YES! For Beverly Team at Memorial building parking lot. You can come for an hour or spend all morning there! We’ll have coffee and YES! signs. Kids, smiles and homemade signs are also welcome.

Monday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 3
Sign holding
We are looking for volunteers to hold YES! signs at various high visibility locations (Monday 6 – 9 am and 4 – 7 pm) and polling stations (Tuesday; all day; we’re asking for a one or two hour commitment).

Tuesday evening
Election Night Event
Please come to Cove Community Center from 7 – until the VOTES come in!

If you can help the campaign during this final push, please let me know as soon as possible: joansullivan@comcast.net or 978-927-6207.

And don’t forget to VOTE YES! On Tuesday June 3rd.

Together we will make this happen. Nothing is more important than investing in education, at any age. Please forward this to every supporter you know. Beverly is worth the investment!!

Thanks so much,
Joan Sullivan

Override Fact of the Day: Class Sizes

Perhaps the greatest concern for most parents is that either the approved 5-school plan or the Superintendent's original plan would greatly increase class sizes. Most classes would be at or near the state maximum of 25 students in first & second grade, and 30 students in third through fifth.

The Salem News ran a story in April on class sizes in the area and pointed out that Beverly's average class sizes (22.6) are already well above other area towns such as Danvers (20.8), Peabody (20.5), and Salem (18.6). With the Superintendent's original plan, the average size in Beverly elementary schools would grow to 26.6. No data has been provided yet on the current plan, but it is thought that it would be in the same range.

Yes! for Beverly provides the following research on class sizes:

The benefits of smaller classes are now widely acknowledged. Few education issues have been studied more than the effect of class size on student achievement. Tennessee’s longitudinal class-size study — Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) project — was one of the most comprehensive studies ever undertaken to conclusively demonstrate that small classes have an advantage over larger classes – particularly in reading and math in early primary grades. The STAR project showed that those enrolled in small classes as youngsters were more likely to: graduate on time; complete more advanced math and English courses; complete high school; and graduate with honors.

Educational experts recommend that the student-teacher ratio be 15 to 1 (Beverly elementary schools district maximums have been raised to 25 to 1 for grades 1 + 2, and to 30 for grades 3, 4 + 5). Consider that:

In a four-point plan to ensure that all children are educated to their full potential, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching President Ernest L. Boyer called for reducing class size to "no more than 15 students per teacher" for the early elementary grades. The National Association of Elementary School Principals has revised its class size policy statement from a student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1 down to recommending a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.

• According to the U.S. Department of Education, "A growing body of research demonstrates that students attending small classes in the early grades make more rapid educational progress than students in larger classes, and that these achievement gains persist well after students move on to larger classes in later grades."
• According to Alan Krueger of Princeton University, who served as chief economist for the U.S. Department of Labor in the Clinton administration, lowering class sizes in Tennessee narrowed the achievement gap between blacks and whites by 38 percent.

Override Fact of the Day: Beverly's Tax Rate

So how does Beverly's tax rate compare?

At $10.40/thousand, Beverly’s tax rates are lower than Swampscott ($13.63), Hamilton ($13.39), Wenham ($12.92), Topsfield ($12.02), Salem ($11.67), Lynn ($10.98), Essex ($10.75), and many other local communities. It is equal to Danvers ($10.40).

Should the override pass, it will be the first time since the law went into effect 25 years ago that Beverly has increased revenues for operations by more than the Proposition 2½ cap. It is also the first time residents have been asked to vote on an override.

Two-thirds of Massachusetts towns have already approved operational overrides, some multiple times.

Scanlon: Hayes "will have to make it work"

The Boston Globe finally gets around to covering the story today. Not much new information here, and they missed much of the drama of this past week, but it does detail some of the objections to the Mayor's plan. Some excerpts:

Hayes said he is concerned that the mayor's plan may not eliminate the entire deficit, which could result in a need for further cuts.

He said he also worries that the adopted plan may not be sustainable, noting that it provides for roughly $1 million less in salary reductions than his plan.

Scanlon said his plan is based on figures provided by the superintendent.

He said any shortfall it fails to cover would be small in relation to the overall budget and "the superintendent will have to make it work."

Hayes said that the mayor's plan will require a complete redistricting of the city's elementary schools, while his plan would only require a reassignment of students from the McKeown to two other schools.

But Scanlon said he believes "some level of redistricting is quite appropriate" to address an imbalance in the numbers of at-risk students now at the various schools.

The story also says that BOTH the the pro-override group, Yes! for Beverly, and the anti-override group, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, oppose the Mayor's plan.

Elliott Margolis, who founded the anti-override group Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, said it is "totally irresponsible for the mayor to take funds that are designated for trash removal and give it to the schools."

Joan Sullivan, a leader of Yes for Beverly!, called the mayor's plan "just another set of cuts to our schools and another Band-Aid solution.

"This plan will close our fourth school in five years, lay off teachers and staff, increase class sizes, cut programs, and redistrict students all across Beverly."

Override Fact of the Day: How did we get here?

Under a Massachusetts State law known as Proposition 2½, each year Beverly ’s City Council can only raise the amount of taxes to be collected by up to 2.5%, plus a factor for new growth. Voters must approve increases of more than 2.5%.

On average, inflation has outpaced 2.5%, leaving communities with less spending power each year. In addition, Beverly faces other issues that are impacting all Massachusetts communities. State aid has decreased while operating costs and unfunded state and federal mandates have increased. Average inflation of 3% in recent years has also increased costs. Beverly has cut dozens of teachers, increased class sizes, added school fees, and closed Memorial Middle School to avoid an override.

For FY09, special education, utility and health care are the largest cost drivers. Special education tuition out-of-district is projected to cost $1.6 million ($953,000 was covered in FY08 by a budget surplus and state aid that was reassigned from FY07). Utilities are projected to increase by $271,977 (21%) and health insurance by $400,000 (7%) - totaling $2.3 million in increases.

In FY09, Beverly voters now face a choice of cutting public education services further or supporting an override with less drastic cuts to close a $2.6 million budget gap for its public schools. A YES vote will help us stop the continual erosion of our schools, allowing us to preserve and protect the services in Beverly for which we as a community are so proud.

Override Fact of the Day: Education Spending

After the circus-like events of this past week, and with just ten days left until the June 3 special election on the override, we are going to help ramp up the final week of the campaign by highlighting one fact a day in support of the Override.

Today is a look at spending on education in Beverly compared to other local communities.

According to the Massachusetts Dept. of Education’s 2007 figures, Beverly's per pupil expenditure was $11,210.67, which is below the state average of $11,864.91. Beverly spends less than Salem ($13,665), Manchester/Essex ($12,865), Lynn ($12,220), Chelsea ($12,199), and Hamilton Wenham ($12,100).

Here is how Beverly stacks up overall:

• SALEM: 13,664.55
• MANCHESTER ESSEX: 12,864.89
• LYNN: 12,220.90
• CHELSEA: 12,198.27
• HAMILTON WENHAM: 12,100.27
• ROCKPORT: 12,099.20
• MALDEN: 11,712.65
• NEWBURYPORT: 11,457.72
• BEVERLY: 11,210.67
• PEABODY: 11,202.30
• SAUGUS: 10,824.92
• DANVERS: 10,556.12
• IPSWICH: 9,734.19
• MIDDLETON: 9,347.15

According to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of School Finance, Beverly's average teacher salary was $44,337 in FY 2007, significantly below the state average of $58,188 as well as LAST among surrounding communities. The chart below shows relative teacher salaries in all area towns and cities:

A Question of Semantics

On a slow news day, we will once again question why the two plans have been described in the press, and even by the School Committee and Superintendent as a "4-school plan vs. a 5-school plan" when both are really 5-school plans. We've even done it ourselves. Some may think this is a frivolous argument, but often perception is reality. If you read the newspaper comment boards (do so with caution, it's often a frightening and eye-opening experience, especially if you have been sheltered within your group of like-minded allies) you will see how much of a misperception there is over this. And you can bet this will be exploited by the anti-override group as well.

In Dr. Hayes' original plan, Cove was never slated to close, as is often stated. It was to become the ECC and house all the Pre-School and Kindergarten population. So it wasn't a 4-school plan. It was another variation of a 5-school plan. In the Mayor's plan, these kids will have to go back into the traditional elementary school model.

So the bottom line is that there would still be the same number of kids in the same 5 schools. The only difference is that the Mayor's plan costs at least $800,000 more, and completely shatters one school community. Average class sizes, the most important issue to most parents, would still be an issue, unless the Kindergarten or Preschool offerings were limited, or something else is cut. Either way, we are squeezing 6 schools worth of kids into 5.

Most everyone seriously following this knows most of these details, but to the casual observer or citizen undecided on the Override, all they hear is that the Mayor's plan closes only 1 school, while the Superintendent's plan closes 2. "That sounds like a good compromise, right? Why do we need the Override?"

That's how some in the community at large are seeing this, and it's partially due to how the plans have been presented. While there might be other factors that make one plan better than the other, presenting it as a choice of 4 schools or 5 schools is very misleading.

The only numbers we have seen so far are in this document that Dr. Hayes prepared the night Mayor Scanlon announced his plan. His estimates are admittedly very rough, but they seem to back up the argument that class sizes will still be a problem.

BevCam Override Programming

BevCam (Comcast Channel 10) has two interview shows running starting today with represenatives from both sides of the Override debate. The shows are hosted by local attorney Scott Houseman, who will also moderate the public forum next Thursday