The School Department’s mission is “Empowering life-long learners to succeed in a world yet imagined.” We do not take this mission lightly. Through the support of federal, state and local tax dollars, we work to ensure that our staff and programs are meeting the needs of all students.

We recognize that we need to continue to communicate the work of the Auburn School Department and its use of taxpayer dollars. We make every decision through the lens of what is best for students and whether or not we will have strong results.

Starting on Aug. 28, 3,600 students will be attending the Auburn School Department schools.  This includes approximately 638 special education students and 215 English language learners. More than half of our 3,600 students qualify for free and reduced lunch. We are working to ensure all our students receive a high quality education so that when these students graduate from high school they will be able to be productive citizens and future taxpayers.

On Monday, we will recommend to the City Council an education budget that will not increase your tax bill for education.  The recommended budget of $37,128,028 is funded by state subsidy, $20,233,274 or 55 percent, local contribution, $15,361,300 or 41 percent, and other revenue sources, such as adult education course fees and child care services, $1,533,454 or 4 percent. The local contribution for education represents approximately 38 percent of your Auburn tax dollars.  At the next referendum vote—tentatively scheduled for Aug. 20—you will be asked to vote on this budget.

The total budget of $37,128,028 is an increase of 3.41 percent. This increase will not impact local property taxes.  The increase is state subsidy funds that will cover unanticipated special education costs, $309,846, state retirement costs, $511,103, and a 13 percent health insurance increase, $456,044.

Please note that this budget does not include funding for a new Edward Little High School. Based on new information, the New High School Steering Committee has learned that state funding may be available within the coming years and has chosen to wait for that funding.

This is how we use your tax dollars to support education in Auburn.

Our purpose is to prepare Auburn’s more than 3,600 students for their futures.  This effort is supported by our staff, including approximately 254 classroom teachers, 46 special education teachers, 97 educational technicians, 14 building administrators, 24 secretaries, 22 custodians/maintenance, 10 department directors, and 7 district staff. The salary-and-benefits cost to the taxpayer for all school department employees is $27,009,228 or 72.9 percent of the total budget.  

In addition, tax dollars fund the maintenance of 11 facilities, school equipment and furniture, textbooks, and essential instructional materials such as folders, markers, crayons, paper and pencils. The cost to the taxpayer is $4,044,444 or 11 percent of the budget.

Part of preparing students for their futures is to provide them with the 21st-century skills and tools they will need to be competitive in a world yet imagined. One way we have provided these tools is through teaching and learning with technology.  This coming year, we will have iPads for grades K–2 and 7–12. The cost to the taxpayer is $407,680 or 1 percent of the total budget. Since the introduction of iPads, fall-to-spring growth rates on the district’s literacy and math assessment have increased 4–10 percent over previous years. In addition, these tools are crucial in customizing each student’s learning program so gaps may be filled and/or accelerated as that student reaches proficiency standards toward graduation. We are committed to not having our students left behind as the world around us continually changes.

Along with your tax dollars, the Auburn School Department continually seeks out and applies for grants to further enhance the educational opportunities supported by the budget. During the last two years, the Auburn School Department has received 44 grants, totaling almost $2.8 million. One of those grants, which we first received in 1999 and has been renewed each year, funds the Community Learning Centers program, an after-school program offered at eight of our schools. The CLC program allows students the chance to get help with homework, develop new areas of interest or engage in community service, among other things. Last year, it served over a 1,000 of our students.

We are on a journey towards our Vision 2020 and within that journey there will be lessons learned and celebrations of success. Your tax dollars are making a difference—we have increased our graduation rate from 67.6 percent in 2010 to 78.2 percent in 2012 and reduced our dropout rate from 9.1 percent in 2010 to 5.9 percent in 2012.

Your tax dollars will continue to make a difference as we educate the children of Auburn.

Katy Grondin, Superintendant, Auburn School Department

Tom Kendall, Chairperson, Auburn School Committee

For your information

Our website, www.auburnschl.edu, is updated daily. Please check it often to learn more about what we are doing in our schools. Here are some links you may find useful:

• Vision 2020: http://tinyurl.com/auburn-vision-2020

• Advantage 2014—Auburn’s Literacy and Math Initiative with iPads: http://tinyurl.com/advantage-2014

• Why Auburn Chose iPads:http://tinyurl.com/auburn-ipads

• Every Student Learns—Customized Learning: http://tinyurl.com/auburn-customized-learning

• Budget Information for 2013–2014: http://tinyurl.com/budget-info-2013-2014

• District Facts (Enrollment and Staff Numbers): http://tinyurl.com/district-facts

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