BEVERLY — Twenty-one elementary school students will be forced to change schools and some class sizes will rise in a cost-cutting move approved by the School Committee last week.
Superintendent James Hayes said the committee took a "straw vote" in favor of his recommendation to move 18 "open enrollment" students and three "school choice" students to other schools within the city.
Hayes said the shuffling will allow him to cut three teaching positions, for a savings of $158,148. But it will also result in larger class sizes at Hannah and Ayers Ryal Side elementary schools.
"We find ourselves in a very difficult situation, having to achieve a balanced budget for next year when all the cuts that are being considered are distasteful," Hayes said in a statement on the school website. "We have no good options, but decisions must be made."
The open enrollment program gives Beverly students the option of attending an elementary school in the city other than their "home" school nearest to where they live. School choice is the state program that allows students to attend schools in other communities, but elementary school students are not guaranteed a specific school.
By moving 21 students to different schools, Hayes said he will be able to cut three teaching positions. Those cuts will affect the third and fourth grade at Hannah and the fifth grade at Ayers. Projected class sizes for next year are 26.5 for third grade and 28 for fourth grade at Hannah, and 28.5 for fifth grade at Ayers.
The School Committee is still considering a variety of other cuts to close a budget gap, but Hayes said he needed the committee's approval on open enrollment and school choice in order to give parents proper notice about their children's school placement.
The School Committee will meet Monday at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Building to further discuss the budget. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for May 27.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or pleighton@salemnews.com.
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