A Hole in the Budget

In this technology-driven economy, support for education should receive top priority to ensure that no students are left in the dust on the information superhighway. It is unfortunate that last Monday, the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) passed their budget without any mention of an extra $450,000 that top officials said it needed to open the school promptly and successfully. This decision by the Cambridge School Committee is short-sighted and could doom the school's reform efforts to failure.

CRLS is currently undergoing a major restructuring to eliminate the system of separate "houses" that vary in size and teaching style. The initial estimate for this project was $700,000, but Principal Paula Evans and other CRLS officials pushed for $450,000 more. The additional money would have covered funds for teacher training and renovation of the physical plant--"one-time resources" essential to the school's success in September.

Now that funds have not been appropriated, CRLS students face the prospect of a diminished quality of education just when they will need it most. It is widely recognized that students with a solid high school education and a background in technology are more likely to succeed in today's economy.

Superintendent Bobbie D'Alessandro's has said she will attempt to find "creative" ways to increase the school's funding. This is a good first step, but it is unlikely that she will be able to raise the entire $450,000. Instead, the City of Cambridge should try to find some way to make up the difference. Although it is now too late to incorporate the money into the school budget, this should not prevent City Manager Robert W. Healy from considering reallocating funding. A great deal of money has already been committed to the restructuring effort; it would be folly to see the campaign fail because some additional one-time requests were not granted.

Citizens of Cambridge are going to see the value of a high school diploma rise dramatically in the next few years. Cities and towns across the commonwealth are making unprecedented commitments to public schools, and Cambridge is no exception. Taxpayers ought to look to the future and bite the bullet now. An investment in CRLS now will pay off many times over down the road.