With state school aid expected to be cut dramatically in the coming years, district officials are bracing for the impact.
Superintendent Susan Swartz told the Scotia-Glenville
Central School District Board of Education Monday, Nov. 17, that the district could see a decrease in state aid of up to 5 percent, or about $950,000.
Looking forward I would expect that we will see little to no increase in state aid in 2009-2010, said Swartz.
The district’s total budget is about $45.85 million, with about $18.27 million of that coming from state aid.
`If the district wants to maintain the programs they currently have and state aid goes down or is decreased, the district, like many others across the state, will be looking to make up that money,` said Andrew Gianquinto, business administrator for the district.
The district will have to look at cost-saving options, such as a hiring freeze and consolidating evening or weekend activities to one building to conserve on electricity, Gianquinto said.
The district held two forums last week to discuss the current $26.7 million building proposition that will go before the public at a Tuesday, Dec. 16, vote.
Communications Director Bob Hanlon said there was not a big turnout at either forum, and those who did come out seemed to have more questions than actual concerns about the project, which will result in a minor tax increase to residents. The project will cost $37.6 million with $27.5 million coming in from state building aid, $935,000 from the state’s Expanding Our Children’s Education and Learning fund, and $900,000 from the district’s debt reserve.
Taxpayers will be responsible for $7.3 million of the project, to be phased in between 2010 and 2026.
The project would increase taxes by an estimated maximum of 1.9 percent, or less than $5 per month by 2012. The 1.9 percent tax impact would be phased in during 2010 and 2013.
On a Glenville assessment of $160,000, taxes would increase by a maximum of $59.20 per year, or $4.93 per month based on the current tax rate, beginning in 2010, all before STAR school tax reduction that may be applicable.
In other news, the district will hold an informational meeting at Sacandaga Elementary School at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7, regarding the possibility of implementing all-day kindergarten for 2009-2010. The district currently has a transitional program in place that is unique to the area.
Students go half-day until January, when they begin a full day program, easing first-year learners into the all-day schedule.
Scotia resident Rene Curtin said she was pleased with how the program worked last year for her son, Nathan, now in first grade, and would prefer her preschooler, Emma, be eased into a full day the same way.
` I know that Scotia-Glenville wants to meet the standards that are being placed on kindergarten teachers, but the transitional program allows for the children to get the attention they need those first few critical months, I found it to be a very successful program,` said Curtin.
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