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Gov. Cuomo’s proposed budget to result in cuts in education
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos proposed $132.9 billion budget for 2011-2012 would eliminate a $10 billion dollar budget gap without borrowing money or raising state taxes. Instead, the majority of the $10 billion would come from cuts in funding for state operations, Medicaid, education, and lay offs of state workers.
Cuomo plans to reduce state aid to schools (K-12) by $1.5 billion. Schoharie Superintendent Brian Sherman recently explained that each school receives a certain amount of aid based on its specific needs and schools throughout New York state are projected to lose anywhere from 7 to 26 percent of their state funding.
Schoharie Central School District is set to lose 16% of its state funding and will look to slash $2.3 million dollars from its budget. On Feb. 9. , Superintendent Sherman outlined his preliminary budget for the school districts 2011-12 fiscal year. The proposed budget totals $20,767,776 dollars, an $879,768 increase over 2010-11’s $19,888,008 budget. But with Schoharie facing a projected loss of over $1.4 million dollars in state aid, Sherman’s preliminary budget will need revision.
Schoharie’s inter-county neighbors Middleburgh and Sharon Springs qualify as “high needs districts” and cuts in state aid for these school districts will not be as severe, with Middleburgh expecting a $658,460 or 6.3 percent reduction in state aid and Sharon Springs a $311,877 or 7.90% loss in state aid.
On May 17, Schoharie town residents will vote on the board of Education’s 2011-12 proposed budget. Before the residents deliberate the board will trim nearly $ 2.3 million from its current proposal.
Sherman explained that administrators will propose eliminating $800,000 of the $2.3 million through reserve cutting (Tex certiorari, accrued liability reserve, teachers sick day reserve, health insurance reserve, and capital reserve). Sherman said that he and the other administrators will be forced to cut positions and extracurricular activities. The eliminations will come from positions and classes which the state deems unnecessary such as elementary art, elementary music, elementary librarian, some technology classes, kindergarten, business, a guidance position, and an administration position. Other cuts could come from extracurricular activities such as modified and JV athletics, clubs, and music programs. Sherman has scheduled two public forums on March 2 and April 6 as well as a public hearing on the proposed budget on May 4.
With position and program cuts looming Schoharie teachers, led by NYSUT representative Martin Messner, met recently with Schoharie county assemblyman Pete Lopez to discuss education reform and the possible ramifications it could have on Schoharie Central School.
Lopez advised the Schoharie teachers and administrators to look at consolidating services with neighboring schools and pointed to Athens and Cairo-Durham as examples of how to merge services with other schools. Lopez also stressed harnessing new technology such as distance learning to share AP classes with other districts. Lopez urged teachers and administrators to work together and take ownership to accept pay freezes, which could save positions. Lopez explained that if the teachers work together and look out for Schoharie students, they can continue to provide “quality, affordable, education.”
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