In school districts across the state, Gov. David Paterson’s proposal to cut $585 million in school aid for the ongoing school year is being met with talk of extreme measures, and in Saratoga County’s largest school district, the conversation is no different.
The Shenendehowa School District Board of Education held a special session Tuesday, Nov. 18, to discuss a possible $3.7 million decrease in aid this year. It would be a 10 percent reduction of aid, the maximum decrease levied under Paterson’s proposal.
Even with a 10 percent reduction, the district would realize a 0.78 percent increase in aid over last year’s figures, bringing total 2008-09 state aid to over $41.5 million.
Superintendent L. Oliver Robinson presented a number of avenues for the district to study, which broke down into three categories: a hiring freeze, or shifting of personnel; reductions or freezes in spending; and dipping into some savings the district has already realized this year.
No matter what is done, a long-term outlook must be adhered to, said Robinson.
It’s not a crisis mode; we’re in a discipline mode, he said. `We don’t want to have a knee-jerk reaction and say ‘nothing goes,’ we want to have a measured response.`
The district does keep a reserve fund balance that currently stands at 2.98 percent of the operating budget, but spending all of it could have consequences later, as it is primarily used to mitigate fluctuations in the tax rate year to year.
The state Division of the Budget has suggested that schools use such funds to offset the aid cuts. Though the board said this is not a school versus state situation, they openly criticized the government for that advice, as the state plans to leave its own coffers untouched.
`That’s poor fiscal management, and it’s poor stewardship,` said Robinson.
Rather than cutting huge swathes out of spending, Robinson identified areas to reevaluate for potential savings. A few examples: purchasing fewer supplies, making moves toward going paperless and cutting transportation costs by reducing the number of bus stops by 10 to 15 percent and reassessing after-school routes.
Robinson assured those present that student would not be coming home with lists of supplies to bring in to school.
`We’re not in the business of shifting the burden, because we have parents at home in the same situation we’re in,` he said.
A number of empty positions will probably not be filled in the immediate future, including a east high school librarian, a transportation dispatcher, a school psychologist at Karlgon Elementary and a guidance counselor at the high school. At the same time, curricula and teacher placement will be reviewed to see if efficiency can be gained, and in some instances, certified administrators could even be brought back to the classroom.
Although offering retirement incentives is a possibility, it would only amount to cost savings if a large enough group can be targeted.
Robinson noted that while change may have been forced upon the district, if done correctly, it could be an opportunity rather than a burden.
`All these things collectively put us in a better position to define our destiny as a school district,` he said.
The board did not move to enact any changes on Tuesday, but the district will be scrutinizing all options in the coming months. There was talk of beginning deliberations on the 2009-2010 budget earlier than usual.
The state legislature must approve Paterson’s plan for any cuts to take effect, and they will most likely wait until he submits next year’s budget, which he plans to prepare for a Dec. 16 early release.“