[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6228164,"mediaKeyId","3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70","parentId",3477365,"title","District reports substitute shortages, spikes in absences; aims to expand steady sub pool","audioSeconds",74,"startMs",4671000,"endMs",4745000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70&start=4671&end=4745","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70/thumbnail_4671000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6228164/Massachusetts/District-reports-substitute-shortages-spikes-in-absences-aims-to-expand-steady-sub-pool","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228164-c9e03cbf7625971779f58c5fe7de7801/orig.mp4?Expires=1770405825&Signature=N~OQIjFI9k7LME~ieShPxNxTScJJYdXi52deQKe6QRKqUTbseoWGlJjXI6UdG23Gpo3~ZfUZS8rkZBat2C6sfzCZejU0C-v1cQ5B6qDfw2accEqD~XoEc~9qcsssWzfS3WxObeEvN~rkWVwMsPaqzC7hQ4MaveEU5Y20WsD3WZ4ewFQ7W4TDRKS~pJtxhwcT5AaASmIFpOhHBa5Vvs~T4CUVvA1hgQNOwlVHNlT3WS8R8X2M57kc1qcCSgYNIr2lWq2A6Luoz05SzBHbz9aSMs0T5XttVXetbB7YFdQCmUvshynWHQEFNFbllky8dzpjBq73NyqZKe0ngmRDh7QBWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Beverly Public Schools, MA","date","2025-05-24T00:24:52.95Z","article","District administrators described a chronic substitute-teacher coverage challenge and outlined steps they have taken and plan to take to increase coverage.

Current state: The district reported 88 applicants in its substitute pool but said about 40 to 45 substitutes are regularly available; the district aims to grow the number of steady substitutes to about 60. The district's daily substitute rate is $135. Administrators said some applicants restrict the schools where they will work, and many substitutes are elementary-only, which limits coverage at the middle and high school levels.

Spike example and impacts: Administrators and committee members discussed a recent Friday when 31 staff were absent and the district had to rely on teachers and existing coverage strategies. Committee member Lorinda Visnick described the spike as a major strain: \"How on God's green earth can we possibly deal with that?\" Administrators said spikes are often caused by clustering of personal days late in the school year and that the district is working to increase daily and high-school-area substitutes.

Proposed and implemented steps: The district has increased substitute pay historically and said it is open to further adjustments; it has two full-time substitutes at the high school and is advertising continuously for additional substitutes. Administrators also plan schedule changes at the middle school to provide duty blocks for teachers to attend required IEP meetings without needing coverage.

Why it matters: Substitute shortages affect continuity of instruction and create scheduling and coverage pressures; committee members said the issue is a factor in other staffing and program decisions being discussed in the budget process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Committee: COTW Budget Hearing (hybrid remote) 05/22/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Administrators told the committee they currently maintain roughly 40\t60 steady substitutes but that spikes (for example, 31 absences on a recent Friday) strain coverage; the district pays $135 per day and has 88 applicants on file, though only about 40\u000445 are consistently available.","taxTitle","Beverly Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71053,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228169,"District outlines preschool schedule and staffing plan; administrators plan rolling hires for IEP-driven needs",173,1275000,1448000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70&start=1275&end=1448","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70/thumbnail_1275000.jpg","/articles/6228169/Massachusetts/District-outlines-preschool-schedule-and-staffing-plan-administrators-plan-rolling-hires-for-IEP-driven-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228169-2ff6f98dbbfeaaebe5eac636af42988c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770405825&Signature=YDAldKLsvNCR2ea1jUEo5Wjdnufg93ZauvRYDwvO96IdVZcbb3X~86p8sEFUwRFpwIV1BLLLpkPyWBEWYmLjY9T35xDxCEWbkP9un~SF~VG5ZdnqvniwuT71ZD1qniC6Vlv2cBHXEkoSyl2U9u-~JK0F~XZ7v3NJ0g4Xlxl3srCmTFMTR7eDOVq8bfKvKwOIU8f-orHms7nf0dkf3YIgj8hd6Nqaadg8jCH22TPud0xKEUPnu4KlpS3xL-6Uq7U39APRRxBXxE1yK1rNUn99gbIhcPfC7yup3nMrWHjMsreY9FyvZSiVO~yerovcfwuD98JJVQOnJpuc0nI6a81hKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Administrators described an adjusted preschool model that the district will operate next year and the staffing approach built into the FY26 budget.

Model and hours: The district moved from a half-day model to an integrated 2-day/3-day/5-day model; typical day length will be 8:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., with students attending 2, 3 or 5 days per week depending on their IEP and peer-enrollment choices.

Enrollment and staffing plan: The district expects 70 students to be enrolled at the start of the year. The superintendent and preschool staff said they plan to start with one paraprofessional per classroom and four floating paraprofessionals to redeploy as student needs are identified. Administrators said some hires will occur on an as-needed basis after screening and evaluation, because many preschool special-education needs are identified only when children enter the program. \"We have funding, set aside and resources set aside to be able to add staff should we need to,\" the superintendent said.

Why it matters: Preschool services are integrated with special education and require staffing tied to individual IEPs. Administrators emphasized that the integrated-model design and the district's contingency funds allow staff additions as enrollment and need are determined.

Next steps: The district will hold screenings and add staff during the year as required by IEPs, and it committed to notify the committee if adjustments beyond the budgeted contingency are needed.","Beverly Public Schools told the committee the integrated preschool will open with about 70 students on a 2-/3-/5-day 08:15-13:15 schedule and that the FY26 budget includes funding for initial paraprofessional staffing plus four floating paras to add as students with IEPs are identified.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228174,"District outlines special-education staffing reductions after roster reviews; four learning-center positions cut in FY26 plan",487,2688000,3175000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70&start=2688&end=3175","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70/thumbnail_2688000.jpg","/articles/6228174/Massachusetts/District-outlines-special-education-staffing-reductions-after-roster-reviews-four-learning-center-positions-cut-in-FY26-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228174-52b1d42666c28013c90f20ad9e8cc268/orig.mp4?Expires=1770405825&Signature=Tqseofo~ksUFRa5takD5cFL3xXqZqkLMmxbVSnDZ6OriM~8rBldNJGSRXKenqHqK-EPle-w8euKCqXfhqbDvZe8QfWo64yeaI5j~-~5bFh5bNP7bZrll8JQfbnD1ezD1s3~eyxHoJPRJNn4xKRxfgywB01QVAsAxX--5B0-lHfs6KxnrIoHyw5Le57~cMvXkD6UIFrP~EVmrOHTJXcf4Av4kfXogt1glVvZfDWeYqUiokZ4iWSs0oIPuw~nZoAZI7iM9OW-CEFTZsPA9iPVVd5Q7gckW7NhRuon0Ok8q2E25igS4CBd0XECqQ-aahSsG8oqNFamyILSqHcNbrsepOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The superintendent and special-education staff told the committee that the FY26 budget reduces the appropriated number of special-education teacher FTEs from 40 this year to an anticipated 36 in FY26.

How it was decided: The district's review process involved principals and Director of Special Education Bethany Splansky pulling individual caseloads and schedules and assessing the workload associated with each special-education teacher. The superintendent said reductions reflected a mix of attrition, vacancies and program changes; she said principals were confident that the proposed staffing would cover required services without creating noncompliance.

Specific reductions named in the meeting: administrators identified one special-education teacher reduction at Hannah Elementary, one at Ayers Elementary, one learning-center teacher at the middle school and a reduction of a self-contained program teacher at the high school.

District context: The superintendent presented a chart showing growth in special-education staffing from roughly 20 FTEs to 36 FTEs over several years and tied that growth to increases in the number of students with individualized education programs (IEPs). She said the district had once budgeted 40 special-education teacher FTEs this year and that the FY26 recommended budget would be lower by four appropriated FTEs.

Why it matters: Committee members, including Dr. Kenan McKenzie DeFranza, pressed administrators to explain how decisions accounted for caseload complexity rather than only head-count enrollment. District leaders said they assessed both caseload numbers and workload (services, meeting obligations and scheduling) for each building and that principals and special-education leadership jointly reviewed rosters.

Next steps: Administrators committed to monitor caseloads and to pivot midyear if enrollment or student needs materially change. Committee members asked for ongoing fall reporting on caseload distribution and how any midyear staffing adjustments would be handled.","After school-by-school roster reviews, the superintendent told the committee the district will reduce its appropriated special-education teacher FTEs from 40 to 36 in the FY26 recommended budget; administrators said principals examined caseloads, schedules and workloads when making recommendations.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228179,"Committee debates middle-school —5-groups—53 configuration; amendment proposed to keep 2-person teams in fifth grade",1736,1542000,3278000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70&start=1542&end=3278","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70/thumbnail_1542000.jpg","/articles/6228179/Massachusetts/Committee-debates-middle-school-5-groups53-configuration-amendment-proposed-to-keep-2-person-teams-in-fifth-grade","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228179-f7cbc638e1981074d4458096d9882c06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770405826&Signature=imevwS9nuCuIKOj8bsO0yYRbkOW6OABss5V1NyRRirP4z86xlBOB-qgdZ0hL~xrOMP53KeAlmrEVQTTbF67JROf84840M-mnjiZ1Me8BwyBl6CasCvpEqM9ogjYxvcQBlzTlFD6MFA5zRM7MOe2~lA6VO9Y7U-t2jNu9OIDsJ3ZFpBVJCqZLqtvaAV8CXXKlQIt7VXhCB20IolphoWnG8Nyi~1L4Sbe2ZY1q1~ApyzeuMCVRbhfSxcw-Am3MtWdeOKJebd6rAdBX~C1ZqHGOU4vQzsTU4i~XISv7xx8em2L78MktCif32glMoXn81FwUyOdd3DbkygcWaXgQ1YZrWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee discussion focused at length on a proposed operational configuration at the middle school that would create one three-teacher team in both fifth and sixth grades to mitigate class size.

The superintendent (Dr. Cherchek) and Middle School Principal Lisa Oliver reviewed enrollment projections and staffing scenarios during the meeting. They said the recommended staffing would yield 15 sections across the two grade levels, producing projected class sizes of about 23.3 in grade 5 and 24.2 in grade 6 under the 3-person-team plan; a strictly 2-person-team plan was projected to produce class sizes nearer 25 to 25.7. The superintendent said the 3-person-team model has been used previously in the district and at the middle school without adverse student learning outcomes.

Motion proposed: School Committee member Lorinda Visnick proposed an amendment to reconfigure fifth grade so that it would instead have an additional 2-person team (16 sections total) by reallocating an existing middle-school math interventionist. Principal Lisa Oliver said she could operationally implement that reassignment without increasing the total dollar amount of the budget.

Outcome: The amendment was discussed thoroughly but was not adopted or recorded as an amendment vote before the committee approved the overall FY26 budget. Committee members agreed the change would be operational (a reallocation rather than an increase in budgeted dollars) and noted such reassignments are typically handled by administration. Committee members asked administrators to consider teacher input and the transition from fourth to fifth grade when finalizing assignments.

Why it matters: Class-configuration choices affect class size, teacher planning time and which teachers share responsibilities for core subjects. Teacher groups and some committee members raised concerns about classroom transitions and teacher workload in three-teacher teams. Principal Oliver told the committee she had discussed the plan individually with teachers selected for team assignments and believed they could make the model work.

What stayed the same: The committee did not change the overall FY26 dollar figure during the discussion; the proposed operational adjustment would have shifted an existing position rather than adding budgeted FTEs.","Committee members and administrators debated creating a single three-teacher team in fifth grade to lower class sizes; a motion to reassign a middle-school math interventionist to fifth grade was proposed but not resolved before the final budget vote.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6228184,"School committee approves $85.37 million FY26 budget after 4-2 vote",6125,514000,6639000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70&start=514&end=6639","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3477365-99f4372ec3da16b74de1c4b955a88b70/thumbnail_514000.jpg","/articles/6228184/Massachusetts/School-committee-approves-8537-million-FY26-budget-after-4-2-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228184-ea097f00817fcde1e370f38ab8d8fe2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770405826&Signature=kza5ORKf26ImETuFtAfXs1tbYY-bkjrC9dzrfEgd1~vdyjGJ4nHkUpUEebIefYOFMgMwOOqCKWef7Dn4SrCC-5A3a31unuGWMTsoulR5QXud7KaaQg~izGZNcXQl3lsBsY~W1QNt-JLy-DX7~atXO6F2QyJ9w24dQleNk0aV8fhLwAsdIf2FxXWirxNAG3X~unNQUeixxmSYWu5LFPJuuPHCWW~qd3blpm3Gc7lX1Cc0qH92ZAIWG87YCPfKcsMjN0FzYkhccCfK2M2tVccp49pzLcXvju~vHgnlU6PHvGuvVx-VEjU5mfKVpdhsxwAUDdy04UxUEXAdHhVXxyhP3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Beverly Public Schools Committee of the Whole voted to approve the district's FY26 budget, $85,372,614, at its May 22 meeting, with the vote recorded as 4 in favor and 2 opposed.

The budget proposal, which the committee will forward as part of the city budget to the City Council, represents a multiyear increase that committee members and city leaders called historic. Mayor Michael Cahill said the school allocation is part of a two-year local effort that adds roughly $12.7 million to the schools, funded mostly by the city with some state aid. \"This is enormous,\" Cahill said. \"I've called it historic and people have challenged me on it. It is absolutely historic.\"

Why it matters: Committee members framed the vote as a balance between a large local investment in schools and constraints elsewhere in the municipal budget. Cahill told the committee that the city projects $7.761 million in new revenue next year and that most of that new revenue would go to the schools; he outlined offsets on the city side such as reduced road-and-sidewalk spending, lower capital-equipment lines and use of reserves to manage competing needs like pensions, health insurance and collective-bargaining costs.

Most important facts: The committee approved the superintendent's recommended FY26 total of $85,372,614. Committee discussion before the vote focused on program and staffing trade-offs embedded in the superintendent's recommended budget, including middle-school configuration, special education staffing, preschool operations and substitute coverage. Superintendent Dr. Cherchek and district staff outlined the budget assumptions, projected state aid increases and how reductions and reallocations were made across schools.

Supporting details: Mayor Cahill gave a city-level explanation of how the increase would be funded, saying the proposed municipal revenues would allow $7,105,000 of new money for schools while leaving limited discretionary dollars for other city services. The superintendent described reductions that were largely handled through attrition or reassignments and said building principals participated in roster-by-roster reviews to confirm special-education coverage and other services.

Next steps: The committee voted to approve the superintendent's recommended total; the budget will be included in the city budget presented to the City Council on June 2. The committee also discussed, but did not resolve, an operational amendment that would reassign a math interventionist to fifth grade to avoid creating a three-teacher team at that grade (see separate article).","The Beverly Public Schools Committee of the Whole approved a $85,372,614 FY26 spending plan on May 22, 2025, sending the proposal to the City Council amid debate about staffing, special education and substitute coverage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District reports substitute shortages, spikes in absences; aims to expand steady sub pool

District outlines preschool schedule and staffing plan; administrators plan rolling hires for IEP-driven needs

District outlines special-education staffing reductions after roster reviews; four learning-center positions cut in FY26 plan

Committee debates middle-school —5-groups—53 configuration; amendment proposed to keep 2-person teams in fifth grade

School committee approves $85.37 million FY26 budget after 4-2 vote