The Bethlehem Area School District Finance Committee met April 17 to explain changes that are being considered for the 2023-24 budget. Chief Financial Officer Harry Aristakesian reassured everyone that the budget is not ready to be finalized but many specific funding areas are being reviewed at this time.

Assistant Superintendent and chief Academic Officer Dr. Jack Silva and Chief Pupil Service Officer Claire Hogan spoke to the committee regarding the need for increased funding in the area of hearing impaired and autistic student enrollment. Hogan and Silva stressed the importance of Early intervention and Therapeutic Emotional Support classes that have seen an increase in enrollment. An area where additional full time staff will be needed is in the role of classroom coaches. BASD iintroduced the use of classroom coaches as a benefit to the teaching staff, as well as the students.

Silva requested the continuation of this program and to increase the number of classroom coaches in the areas of math, reading, and behaviorial support classes (10).

Another topic open for discussion was that of the Community Eligibility Provision. CEP is a special school meal funding option of the National School Lunch Act that enables schools to serve free meals to all students regardless of income. To be eligible, school districts must have an Identified Student Percentage of 40 percent or higher. To get the ISP, a school must count how many students would qualify for free meals without CEP and divide by the total student enrollment. The board expressed concerns that some schools in the district would qualify and other would not - causing a disparity of equity among the schools. Ideally, BASD is looking for the most cost effective way to feed as many children as possible breakfast and lunch.

Lastly, Chief Technology Officer Marie Bachman provided the board with information regarding the updating or replacement of some tech equipment throughout the district. Examples of some of the much needed equipment are the high school projector, secondary teacher subject/activity specific equipment replacement, Windows laptop replacements and security camera system data center physical server equipment replacement.

All the camera replacements and additions at the secondary schools are network switches. Bachman also pointed out that the online registration software and sapphire school nurse software also needs to be renewed.

The technology items were agenda items for the April 24 regular board meeting.