Education Review Identifies $7 Million Savings, Plus: Uncle Sam, And The Times Disses Dick

Well here it is … phase three of the Board of Education evaluation/study has identified $7 million in savings. See the executive summary below by the Gibson Consulting Group. The money for this phase of the study was financed by Bridgeport Regional Business Council members, the city and state money secured by former State Senator Rob Russo who says this leg was designed to “pick the low-hanging fruit.” The final comprehensive phase, he says, will identify more savings.

The study identifies savings in custodial services, overtime, crossing guards, facilities use, transportation, nutrition, central office staffing and purchasing.

BRBC Chief Executive Paul Timpanelli has asked me to provide clarification on what I had originally characterized as an audit: 

“It is an ‘operational and management’ review, not an ‘audit.’ It does not confirm expenditures (which an audit does) it determines the ‘effectiveness’ of expenditures. Are we ‘spending’ or investing money efficiently, wisely and maximizing its impact or results. The three phases so far have been paid for by the city, the Board of Ed, the state (Russo-gained money) and the BRBC members.”

The report was provided to OIB by BOE Finance Chair Pat Crossin. To read the entire 50-page report, and subjects interviewed for the project, click here:
gibson report.pdf

Executive Summary

The Bridgeport Regional Business Council (“BRBC”) engaged Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. (“Gibson”) to perform a brief overview of existing operational and management systems to identify possible efficiencies and cost savings for Bridgeport Public Schools (“BPS”).

This study is being conducted as part of a multi-phased initiative to improve public education in Bridgeport. In 2006, the BRBC presented a Four Phase Proposal to the Board of Education with the goal of enhancing financial accountability and transparency as well as operational and management efficiency. Phases I and II–processes which identified the financial relationship between BPS and the City of Bridgeport and made recommendations for improved BPS financial autonomy and implementation of those recommendations–are complete. BPS is now in the process of implementing new information systems to provide more accurate, timely and meaningful financial reports, as well as a clearer understanding of financial performance and results.

The BRBC and a number of other partner agencies and organizations believe that the City of Bridgeport school system is in need of additional financial resources in order to improve the quality of public education. A broad coalition of community organizations have stated their mutual desire to be supportive of efforts to increase resources that impact the school system and improve the delivery systems through which those resources are invested.

In order to assist in making the case for added resources, and/or the case for more efficient and effective use of current resources, a clearer picture of income and expenditure needs is required, as well as a clear understanding of the operational and management efficiencies or inefficiencies that exist within the school system. The primary priority of the business community is for the current systems employed by the City of Bridgeport and BPS to be accountable and transparent. The ultimate goal of this assignment is to provide guidance that will enable the implementation of operational, management, and budgetary systems that are transparent, efficient, and have internal accountability.

This efficiency study represents Phase III of the BRBC initiative. The purpose of this study was two-fold:

1. Identify areas where BPS can reduce costs or increase revenues.

2. Identify areas of operations and organization which will require additional research, investigation, or investment to achieve improvements over the next three years. The study included the review of current and historical BPS financial information, the results of reviews performed over the past several years, and operational data from virtually every area of the BPS operation. We also conducted extensive interviews of BPS and City of Bridgeport personnel, as well as BPS board members. The individuals interviewed during our study are presented in Appendix A of this report.

Bridgeport Public Schools – Efficiency Study 3

Because BPS is in the process of implementing new finance and human resources information systems (as a result of the previous phases of work), much of the historical financial and staffing data needed to conduct this study was not available. We were, however, able to collect current year staffing data and selected financial data to support an analysis of efficiency. Where applicable, BPS data were compared to industry standards or best practices. In other instances, internal analyses of processes yielded savings opportunities. As part of this study, we have made several suggestions to improve the implementation of these new information systems to maximize efficiency, data integrity, and transparency. This report recommends changes in operations and staffing that will save BPS almost $7 million annually over the next several years. In Table 1, we have provided our best estimate of the long‐term savings potential that BPS can realize, with some portion of savings achievable in the 2010-11 fiscal year. For most areas, we recognize that many factors, including existing collective bargaining agreements and current BOE policies, will need to be addressed in order to fully implement our recommendations. There are other areas, such as those in the Custodial, Central Office Staffing, and Purchasing sections of the report, which will need to undergo process re‐engineering and automation in order to achieve recommended levels of efficiency. The savings in each area represent a target for reductions in annual costs. Furthermore, we have not included savings related to employee benefits or the separation costs associated with reductions in staffing levels not achieved through attrition.

Do You Like Your Uncle Sam?

Today is Uncle Sam Day. Did you grease him?

Hey, we slick Uncle Sam every day. It’s a way of life. The government loves to pick our pockets. Time to drop in a mousetrap. That is what the newly formed Connecticut Majority wants to do. Check it out:

Connecticut Majority ‘Celebrates’ Tax Day

New Advocacy Group Takes to the Airwaves, Joins Protests

Connecticut Majority, the only advocacy organization that fights for limited, accountable, and transparent government in the Nutmeg State, will hit the airwaves tomorrow, Tax Day.

“Connecticut has the highest tax burden in the nation,” said Peter C. Bowman, Connecticut Majority’s chairman. “Is it any wonder that over the last two decades, we have been the only state in the nation to have no private-sector job growth? Young people and employers flee our state at an alarming rate. Clearly, we need new blood in the Connecticut General Assembly and better decision-making by elected officials at the local level.”

Bowman will be a guest on “The Talk of Connecticut” radio network on April 15, 2010 at 4 p.m. D. Dowd Muska, a Connecticut Majority policy fellow, will be the guest host for Dan Lovallo’s afternoon program that day. It can be heard between 3:00 and 6:00 on WDRC 1360 AM (Hartford) WMMW 1470 AM (Meriden), WWCO 1240 AM (Waterbury), and WSNG 610 AM (Torrington).

Connecticut Majority personnel will also be present at “tea party” rallies in New Haven, Hartford and Greenwich.

Founded just two weeks ago, Connecticut Majority is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that operates exclusively for the promotion of social welfare. Through the dissemination of ideas, outreach, legislative advocacy, and community organizing, it works for a freer and more prosperous state.

Connecticut Majority’s website, www.ctmajority.org, provides daily updates on state and local government. The site also includes “Bureaucrats Behaving Badly,” a listing of the most recent naughtiness by Connecticut public-sector employees, as well as a description of the monthly networking meeting Connecticut Majority holds for the state’s limited-government community. Details are also provided about education and training sessions.

“Connecticut Majority is a cruise missile aimed at the heart of arrogant, out-of touch government in the Nutmeg State,” said Don Pesci, a member of Connecticut Majority’s board of directors. “Connecticut is economically stagnant and drowning is debt. The future appears bleak. But there are answers to our many problems. Connecticut Majority will provide those answers, by working with the growing army of activists and candidates who are working for positive change.”

Our website launched last week: www.ctmajority.org

The Times Disses Dick

Check out this New York Times piece about Dick Blumenthal.

www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/nyregion/15blumenthal.html

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19 comments

  1. WOW
    Thank you Mr. Rob Russo.
    This is sure a somewhat-expected eye-opener; a cash cow for many who hopefully will soon be off their fat asses, we can sister-city with that western town “Deadwood” and teach them a thing or two.
    We should next look at the Parks Dept, whose club will soon be leaning back, taking in the rays at St. Mary’s, another sweetheart assignment.
    Thanks Again Rob Russo for the study grant.

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  2. Lennie, I think it’s also important to note Phase 3 was just skimming the surface. Phase 4 will go through with a fine-tooth comb, and based on these initial savings, you’d have to believe there’s much more to find.

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  3. Funny … not word one mentioned about all the RETIRED people who have come back as CONSULTANTS at $500 a day … half of the Administrative building on Main St is RETIRED and making a fortune as CONSULTANTS … how about the 75 asst superintendents … think RAMOS would cut his salary in half? Has the BOE hired a financial person yet so Ben Barnes can do the job he was supposedly hired for … cough cough … no Gibson group, you want to nail the poor crossing guards who make minimum wage … I say … go f--- yourself Gibson … and the whole white-collar BOE.

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  4. *** I should get late fee “$” royalties from the findings & money spent on this audit! Hey a lot of these findings were brought up by different city council members throughout past budget years but fell on deaf ears. Purchasing for instance never really went out of their way to find cheaper competitive prices, instead would buy $1000 toilets, overpriced school furniture, etc. *** OT for custodial workers, minimum of 4 hours @ after-school Rec. programs when they had to be there working anyway during 2nd shift? And some schools have too many custodians assigned & others not enough! *** BPS admin. is now & always has been top-heavy with high-paying jobs personnel, along with their own secretaries to do their jobs, only to sit on their “derbies” most of the day @ meetings & lunch. *** And let’s not forget all the perks teachers & admins. have with paid time off either! Off the hook phone & utilities bills, waste of food, etc. in the school cafes. And last but not least, all the overlooked “qualified” teaching candidates “in house” for principal or assist. principal. However, outsiders are usually picked or ex-retired BPS admins. brought back as temp. consultants for much more money! *** I’m surprised it was only $7 million in possible savings found? It’s a expensive “joke!” Audit or not, nothing is going to change any time soon @ the BPS or city side gov. where “good guys finish last!” ***

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  5. everyone wants an audit, some don’t like what they hear, everyone takes credit for savings, and the blame usually falls to the low people on the totem pole. let’s move forward on the things in the audit that are proven, substaniated money savers.

    and why is boe taking blame for the purchasing issues. isn’t that a city department, headed by a acting do nothing, with an assistant acting know it all and a small staff of over the hill bureaucrats. maybe the audit is silently recommending boe take charge of its own purchasing if the city can’t get its act together with a competent department. forget about it!!

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  6. Some things in the audit are true such as the new MUNIS system is not what it’s cracked up to be. Employees were not properly trained and the multi-million dollar system cannot produce the information it was supposed to. Last week all the paychecks were wrong. People are getting overpaid or underpaid. Key managers are tied up in MUNIs meetings trying to get the bugs out. It’s a disaster.

    On the other hand, I totally disagree with the recommendation that custodians, security guards and crossing guards be cut or reduced to part-time while theres no mention of the many high-paid administrators and the retired double-dippers. Let’s start where we can get the most impact which is at the top with the big salaries. Why hurt a custodian making $600 a week who is just trying to feed his family? Some of the double-dippers are making $600/hour. Let’s start with them.

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  7. I read the audit and there is a lot of good stuff there albeit tough stuff when you talk about peoples’ jobs. The 4th stage I believe gets into the management end on a broader scale.
    If we have 10 more custodians than we need and they make $30,000 each that’s a savings of $300K not counting the cost of benefits. If a custodian 1 and a custodian 5 do the same job and have the same responsibility why are there 5 different classifications?
    Why do school crossing guards get paid overtime? One school has 11 school crossing guards. Why?
    Security guards I can see them in the high schools but in every grammar school? Why?
    There are 4 administrators handling the elementary schools. The report recommends 1 overall head for the public schools; makes sense.
    We have asked for this audit and no one should be surprised it calls for cuts in personnel. Phase 4 should show the same thing and be more detailed. Too much staff is too much staff whether it’s at the low end or the high end.

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  8. Just great, balance the BOE on the school crossing guards who make minimum wage. All one has to do is to drive these schools around 2:15pm look at the traffic jam at the schools and the side streets where these schools are. You have cars blocking school buses and the flow of traffic.

    You have very small children going home with an adult and some children going home by themselves crossing some major streets. Just go to Roosevelt School where you have Park Ave., South Ave. and entrances and exits from I-95 all in that area working hard to see those children get to school and back home safely. Now let’s find a way to mess over them while making minimum wage.

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  9. This is another very nice study that will end up in the Bridgeport Study Hall of Fame. Another BRBC ULI report that already told us what we knew and not how to get there. The BRBC should be more worried about creating jobs in the region. They should be partnering with the University of Bridgeport in creating a Knowledge Based Jobs incubator that would bring global intellectual properties and capital to Bridgeport. Then maybe there could be a light at the end of the tunnel for kids to know they have a chance for a job similar to, in the olden days, when that used to serve as tool and die makers. Maybe the BRBC and BOE could partner with a School of Hospitality Service instead of worrying about preparing kids to go to college.

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    1. BRBC has about 146 Facebook Fans! Here is their mission statement.

      “The Bridgeport Regional Business Council is comprised of the Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull Chambers of Commerce, Leadership Greater Bridgeport and the Women’s Leadership Council and has approximately 1,000 members.

      “The mission of the BRBC is to pursue economic development of the region that will lead to increased jobs and tax base growth.

      “Through the strategic plan, initiatives, and events of the BRBC, opportunities are created to help investor members grow their businesses.”

      I wonder what the ROI is for their investor members? An educated workforce is important in securing companies to the region. Shelton must have a hell of an education system!

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  10. Ron, read the report on the crossing guards. Tell me how a crossing guard working about 2 hrs a day gets overtime? That’s about $75K per year.
    The report talks about the number of crossing guards per school and how there is no formula for the numbers. The report states that Beardsley School has 396 students and 6 crossing guards while Blackham has 1,000-plus students and 2 crossing guards. BTW Roosevelt has 9 crossing guards.
    Everyone wants to stop waste and duplication but they want it to be only at the top. Changes have to come at all levels where there is waste and duplication.

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    1. I don’t disagree with your comment about waste at all levels, but crossing guard allocation is probably more about location than # of students–residentially located schools should require less than commercially located schools–so Blackham is not on a main thoroughfare but Roosevelt and Beardsley are–so like school locations should be compared as well as number of students.

      OT should only be paid if work time is more than 40 hours. Paying it before then is criminal.

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  11. Many of the comments belittling this report are a graphic example of why I remain frustrated with Bridgeport.

    A huge amount of middle-class residents move out of B’port because of the quality of the public school system. Many neighbors I know have been happy up ’til high school and then they feel they must either go private school or move. They just have no faith and confidence in the schools.

    Most teachers I know have moved out of B’port for their kids’ education and those who remain have their kids in private or the magnet system.

    This is a good report with some solid guidance. Let’s try and improve.

    I know urban education is a challenge and too many of the students come from dysfunctional families who could care less about their kids and education. Consequently that’s why they will always be part of a permanent underclass.

    For the rest of us, let’s use some common sense and work on improving things.

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