After its latest meeting on Wednesday, March 28, the Bethlehem Central school board released the last of the budget cuts proposed by the district for the 2012-2013 school year. This final round focused on instructional programs and technology throughout all of the district’s seven schools.
Bethlehem Central is facing a $4.2 million budget gap for the coming school year, a figure that take into account plans to use $1.75 million from reserves and raise taxes 2.94 percent, the maximum allowed by the state tax cap. The figures do not reflect any state extra aid that the district could receive.
Because of skepticism that the state will provide further aid the district will be using the last of its reserves to fund the coming school year. Superintendent Thomas Douglas and other school officials have been stressing the actual budget gap is $7.7 million.
“This district is considered wealthy,” said Douglas. “This year that wealth hurt the district because the funding was shifted to less-wealthy districts across the state. Therefore, our gap grew more.”
School officials said the option of challenging the levy limit is still on the table, but input is needed from more members of the community. If the district puts forward a tax increase above the tax cap, then at least 60 percent of voters would have to approve it.
According to Chief Business and Financial Officer Judith Kehoe, for every percent the levy is raised an additional $570,000 would be earned through taxes. The average tax levy increase for Bethlehem Central over past 10 years is 4.93 percent.
At the meeting, Douglas said parents should keep in mind that the proposed cuts to instruction and technology only represent a quarter of the total budget.
“But it is probably the most meaningful because it is the mission of the district and that is education,” he said.
Proposed reductions to instructional programs at the elementary level included elimination of Challenge and Jumpstart programs and math academic intervention services and reducing the number of days each week students attend “specials” like music, art and physical education. Also up for consideration is the elimination of the fourth-grade strings orchestra and the loss of two classroom teachers, a reading teacher and a reduction for one librarian.
Board member Caitlin Navarro said she would hate to see the Challenge Program eliminated because it provides academic stimuli for those elementary students who are at a more advanced level. Students have to test two grade levels above their age range to participate in the Challenge Program.
Parents at the meeting said math AIS is integral for students at the elementary level to not fall behind at an early age. Assistant Superintendent Jody Monroe said Math AIS is no longer required and the state is now moving towards a less expensive Response to Intervention style with math that is less expensive and allows the child to stay in class, rather than being pulled out for the additional help.
Proposed cuts to the middle and high school instructional programs include eliminating or phasing out the Chinese language program, eliminating two librarian positions and reducing the number of sections offered in some core classes, which would lead to larger class sizes. Some electives would also need a larger interest in order for them to run.
Sal DeAngelo, the chief technology officer for the district, said $79,000 could be saved by reducing printing and BOCES services, delaying the replacement of equipment and reducing the hours of a computer technician.
Douglas has repeatedly stated that without challenging the levy limit, the district would need to enact on priority one, two and three cuts to close the budget gap. All of the priority lists can now be viewed on the district’s website.
Parents expressed frustration towards what the cuts would do to Bethlehem’s reputation of providing a quality education, and many said the reason they moved to Bethlehem was because of its school system.
Tara O’Keeffe, a mother of two students in Slingerlands Elementary, said she has come to feel a sense of hopelessness listening to all of the proposed cuts.
“What I have the power to do and say is please raise my taxes,” she said. “I’m willing to pay more taxes, challenge the cap, so we can keep essentially what Bethlehem is and not lose that. We can do without so many things but we can’t do without a well-rounded education for our children.”
Tanya Choppy said she felt the district could save additional money if it would close another elementary school. This year, the district shuttered Clarksville.
“Looking at the enrollment numbers and the fact that Eagle and Slingerlands it looks like is going to have 460 to 480 students, if you close another school you could have four schools within that same range,” she said.
Other parents were angered by what they said was a lack of cooperation from teachers, staff and their unions to take pay cuts in trying times, and noted salaries and benefits make up the largest chunk of the budget.
Parent Mandy Fallon said she appreciated that Bethlehem’s teachers were the first in the state to make concessions in the past, but the same thing needs to happen this year.
“I guess I feel a little remiss that I’ve been sitting here tonight without some significant give from the teachers,” said Jim Devine. “I would ask once again that the teachers and the union step up to the plate on behalf of our children as they always have.”
The school board told parents it is currently in contract negotiations and could not comment on whether teachers and staff would seek their step raises for the coming year or not.
The next budget workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 3, and include a recap of the entire budget proposal. The school board is scheduled to vote on the budget on Monday, April 23. The community will vote on the budget in May.
