Scotia-Glenville, like other school districts, facing 2010-11 budget shortfall as state cuts aid

S-G costs must be cut by $2.9 million to get proposed tax increase “down” to 5 percent

When Superintendent Susan Swartz presented a first draft of the 2010-11 budget to the Board of Education in mid-January, she told board members that it would take another $2.5 million to keep the same programs and staff in place as they exist right now.

That “carry forward” budget would have meant a 10.6 percent tax increase – an unacceptable figure that she and the administration vowed to work to decrease.

A week later, Governor David Paterson delivered his 2010-11 state budget that cuts state aid to all school districts. For Scotia-Glenville, his proposal meant $2.3 million less in state aid during the coming 2010-11 school year.

In December, Paterson withheld promised state aid payments to schools. In January, he drew down $623,000 from Scotia-Glenville’s $1.58 million in dedicated federal stimulus funding for next year to restore the withheld aid. That left $962,000 that was included in S-G’s state aid for 2010-11.

Filling the budget gap
That combined shortfall – $2.5 million increase from the “carry over” budget and $2.3 million aid reduction – creates a $4.8 million gap that can only be filled by cutting the budget and increasing revenue.

For example, the district would likely use $650,000 more from dedicated reserve accounts to fill part of the gap – still resulting in a 17 percent tax increase with no other changes.

Every $244,000 in reductions cuts the tax rate by 1 percent. Last year, the 2009-10 Scotia-Glenville school budget reduced the tax rate – for the first time in recent memory.

On March 1, Swartz plans to present a budget to the Board of Education that would increase taxes by 5 percent in 2010-11. Even with the $1.2 million that a 5 percent tax increase would raise, there is still a $2.9 million hole in next year’s budget.

These figures assume no growth in the S-G tax base.

“This will be a difficult and heart-wrenching year for anybody involved in education,” said Swartz, noting that state support has fallen away because of the faltering economy.

Administrators and the Board of Education are developing budget scenarios and proposals to dramatically cut spending. Swartz said that every department will be affected by the cuts.

Community meetings will be held in early March, after she presents the 2010-11 budget, to discuss the impact of the cuts.

Reductions that will change the face of S-G
Among the cost reduction ideas being explored:
• Elimination of summer school;

• Dramatic class size increases at all levels;

• Reductions in gifted and advanced courses at all levels and fewer foreign language offerings;

• Elimination of or reduction in the number of librarians, social workers, psychologists, nurses, teacher aides and assistants, teachers and administrators;

• Reduced or eliminated funding for field trips, clubs, contests, supplies, interscholastic athletics and other areas;

• Follow state transportation guidelines, which require students in grades K-8 to walk up to two miles and those in grades 9-12 to walk up to three miles. Transportation would still be provided in areas where walking would be unsafe.

• Conversion of the full-day kindergarten program (begun this year) back to a half-day program. Schools are not required by the state to offer kindergarten.

“I don’t support any of these alternatives, but we can not bring a large tax hike to our residents, who are also struggling in this poor economy,” said Swartz.
“We will attempt to maintain as much of our program as possible and continue to offer opportunities to our students and families.”

Swartz has asked every labor union for concessions to reduce costs in salaries and health benefits. Staff members have been meeting in the buildings and departments to discuss her proposals.