Scotia-Glenville, like other NY schools, faces state aid cuts and a difficult budget year

Governor David Paterson has proposed freezing state aid at this year’s levels and assessing billions of dollars in “deficit reduction assessments” against every school district in New York state.

For Scotia-Glenville, that translates to a one-time aid deduction of $1.59 million to close the state’s deficit. By accepting the $801,000 in full-day kindergarten conversion aid (see story, page 1) and other aid increases, total state payments to SG would still drop by $302,000.

Beyond the state’s double whammy of freezing aid and cutting payments, the district would need another $2.1 million to maintain the same current programs in 2009-10. State aid increases usually cover part of that annual rollover budget.

Total $2.4 million gap
That’s a total $2.4 million gap before Board of Education members even begin their review of the 2009-10 budget that Superintendent Susan Swartz will present in this spring.

“This is one of the most challenging budget years for school districts and education in New York,” said Swartz. “Keeping programs that are working for children will be difficult.”
In light of the difficult times:

• Swartz has vowed no new initiatives that would significantly increase the budget in the 2009-10 school year.

• Where possible, retiring staff will also not be replaced. Five teachers, one administrator and two non-instructional employees have announced their retirements.

• Staff, program and other cuts will mostly likely occur.

The Board of Education has scheduled budget development sessions on March 2, 16 and 30. Those meetings will be at the Middle School library at 7 p.m.

Voting on the proposed 2009-10 budget, two Board of Education positions and a possible maintenance building project (see story, page 5) will be held on Tuesday, May 19, at the high school.

Federal stimulus proposal
As a backdrop to the school funding issues, the federal government has proposed as much as $1.2 million in Title I, special education and construction aid to Scotia-Glenville over the next two years as part of its stimulus legislation.

This targeted federal funding of as much as $600,000 per year is welcome, said Swartz, to help ease part of the burden in the near future. Fully funding the mandatory Title I for the No Child Left Behind law and special education programs has long been promised but never provided.

Since this new federal funding is spread over two years, the money would be a substitute for that amount of local spending for two years. After that, when perhaps the economy will have improved, the district would have to replace that money to keep those mandated programs in place. ?