Tablets And Full Day Fridays Among 2017 School Budget Highlights

Next year's freshmen at New Bedford High School will have new gadgets to look forward to.

At Monday's meeting, the School Committee approved a $126 million school budget for 2017, about $7.7 million more than 2016's school budget.

That increase includes tablets for every 9th grader at New Bedford High in an expansion of the pilot digital algebra program funded by the Jacobs family.

While the tablet program was initially thought to be too expensive at $850,000, the district chose a lease-to-purchase option allowing to get the devices with only $300,000 available for 2017.

Superintendent Pia Durkin said expanding the successful digital math program will help accelerate every student's learning.

"More than using a tablet they are reinventing the way they look at math, and are able to develop a love for math, as well as understanding it at a deeper level," Durkin said.

School officials also made room in the budget for full-day Fridays in elementary schools. That extra time in school means kids will have additional exposure to art, music, and physical education for more well-rounded education.

At the elementary level, New Bedford will hire 5 gym teachers, 4 art teachers, 4 music teachers, and even a technology teacher.

The increased budget will also allow for health class to be restored in elementary schools, with 10 health teachers being hired.

New Bedford's English Language Learners (ELL) program will get a much needed boost with 9 teachers being added for Kindergarten through 5th grade, and 3 ELL teachers for 6th through 8th grade.

In total New Bedford plans to hire 55 new full-time employees for different parts of the district.

While a number of School Committee members considered the approved budget a big win for New Bedford's students, Durkin said it didn't cover every basic need.

Officials had to make hard choices again this year, like not including $714,930 for much needed science materials and textbooks. Officials also wanted $750,000 to spend on technology, but then cut that number down to the $300,000 used to partially pay for the math tablets.

Durkin said the improvements made this year will help build momentum for years to come, as the district works to improve it's level 4 designation.