010303 Bedford Central School spending would rise 9.83%

SCHOOLS

BHES

BVES

FOX LANE HIGH SCHOOL

FLMS

MKES

PRES

SCANDALS

The Public Schools of Westchester County New York

010303 Bedford Central School spending would rise 9.83%

BY FRANK NARDOZZI

Bruce Dennis, superintendent of schools for the Bedford Central School District, presented a proposed budget for 2003-04 in the amount of $82.9 million at the school board meeting at Fox Lane Middle School on Wednesday.

That figure represents an increase in spending of $7.4 million over this school year, or 9.83 percent, which meets the school board's spending increase target, set last week, of less than 10 percent.

About $75.1 million of the budget total would have to be raised from property taxes. That would mean a tax hike of 10.35 percent for Bedford residents and 9.06 percent for residents of Pound Ridge.

Residents in Mount Kisco would see a tax increase of 4.57 percent, in North Castle an increase of 7.04 percent and in New Castle an increase of 10.27 percent - the differences caused by the variation in property values and the county's tax equalization rate.

in a memorandum submitted to the board, Dr. Dennis said, "As the board of education is acutely aware, the preparation of the 2003-04 school district budget has been accomplished under as unique and difficult a set of circumstances as l have yet encountered in my professional career." The list of factors he cited included:

• a $600,000 reduction in state aid;

• mandated compliance with an increasing set of unfunded regulations including the new federal "No Child Left Behind" legislation;

• the impact of the first year of new debt to finance the facilities bond approved by voters in January 2002;

• continued enrollment growth, particularly at Fox Lane High School, whose student body will increase by almost 10 percent next year;

• an increase in the district's contribution to the New York State Employee Retirement System;

• burgeoning costs for employee health insurance; and

• the support of a variety of curricula and instructional initiatives that the school administration believes are necessary to deliver a quality instructional program.

"The needs of our children and the imperative to curt) costs were equally compelling factors in my consideration of this budget proposal," Dr. Dennis told the board.

"What you will find reflected in my budget presentation is a carefully thought out restructuring of our delivery or programs and services, as well as the recommended curtailment of some worthwhile activities in order to reduce costs."

Budget cuts

Sure to catch the school board's attention, as well as the general public's, is a long list of cuts that the school administration has proposed to save $1.44 million and reduce the spending increase to less than 10 percent. In rank order, the cuts include:

• elimination of the Summer Academy - $257,000;

• delay of the start of a new computer lease until 2004-05 - $200,000;

• reduction of capital improvement projects - $200,000;

• reduction of two high school teaching positions - $120,000;

• reduction of the school aide staff by seven positions - $100,000;

• elimination of afterschool homework clubs - $56,000;

• reduction of custodial overtime, limiting some weekend activities and programs - $50,000;

• reduction of purchases of school bus vans by one - $43,000;

• reduction of interscholastic athletics (without sacrificing a team) - $35,000; and

• reduction of extracurricular high school clubs and activities - $ 12,000. Other cuts in budget expenditures that did not involve a curtailment of school activities or services included:

• payment of employee retirement awards from the reserve fund, instead of the general fund - $270,000; and

• payment of certiorari refunds from reserve funds instead of the general fund - $270,000.

District priorities

In considering what to include and what to eliminate, Dr. Dennis said that he had worked with the following set-of priorities and understandings:

"Our primary focus should he on the core instructional program, during the course of the regular school day and within the September through June school year," he said. "We must continue to meet the educational needs of all learners, from the most academically fragile to those who are gifted, while not forgetting the so-called 'average child.'

"The dramatic cost of items over which we have no control will require us to make strategic reductions in some of our programs and services," he continued. "When we have to make choices of what gets cut, items furthest from the regular classroom are first to be removed."

Budget increases

To provide the board with an overview of the specific factors causing the budget to rise higher than in past years, Dr. Dennis enumerated several of the most significant examples. They include:

• a $2,555,000 increase in employee health insurance, despite favorable negotiations with the district's teachers that increased employee contributions, deductibles and co-pays;

• a $1,035,000 increase in contributions to the state employee retirement system;

• a ao i :),wu expenditure ior me assumption of bond debt;

• $260,000 in operations and maintenance utilities and contract services;

• a $250,000 expenditure for employee benefit increases, including Social Security, workers compensation, unemployment, and dental insurance;

• and $180,000 in miscellaneous increases, including liability insurance and BOCES administrative fees.

"The total of these items alone amounts to $4,895,000, contributing to a 6.5, percent budget-to-budget increase," Dr. Dennis said.

In addition, the district faces other expenditures, including $2.7 million in contractually negotiated employee salary increases, bringing the budget-tobudget increase to $7.6 million, or 10 percent. _ .r_~ . ,

There xere a few budget areas that were slated to be lower than this year's budget. Transportation costs were expected to decrease by $160,000, even with contract fee increases, because the 2002-03 budget had additional funds in anticipation of a contract not yet bid at budget time last year.

Special education out-of-district placements were reduced by $108,000 to reflect more students attending indistrict programs. Teacher salaries were reduced by $270,000 to reflect retirements announced in late February.

"Factoring in all of this, the budget was heading toward a $7 million increase, or 9.34 percent, before the district considered any^, important new initiatives," Dr. Dennis said.

"There are inevitably those proposals that must address where the district is instructionally, its ability to comply with various mandates, the requirement to meet the needs of classified children, and the critical types of staff development we need to offer to ensure the best possible delivery of our program," Dr. Dennis said.

District initiatives Recommended initiatives totaling $1,842,000 include:

• $800,000 for 12.5 teaching positions based on enrollment growth and program changes.

• $300,000 for furniture for new construction, not budgeted in bond;

• $220,000 for student and data management software needed to monitor student progress and comply with state and federal reporting requirements;

• $200,000 for increased program and operational line item costs;

• $96,000 for instructional initiatives including textbooks, math supplies, testing materials, elementary literature, and science training materials;

• $90,000 for an increase of 2.57 civil service positions;

• $76,000 for curriculum mapping/writing and staff development initiatives; and

• $60,000 for an elementary mathematics consulting teacher/staff develop These initiatives, coupled with mandated increases, would have resulted in a budget increase of $8.9 million, or 11.8 percent, if not for the $1.44 million in budget cuts proposed.

"Make no mistake, the cuts that I have proposed will result in a different set of opportunities for many children," said Dr. Dennis. "The value of our summer academy is unquestioned. Similarly; the opportunity to provide academic support to students in a supervised afterschool setting is not to be diminished.

"So, too, could an argument be made against many of the other proposed cuts. However, the goals of meeting a financial target in the face of extraordinary mandated increases and conducting business as usual are mutually exclusive.

"Choices had to be made and this proposal offers the board a set of recommendations. Undoubtedly, we will participate in vigorous discussion about this budget," Dr. Dennis said.

The school board is set to discuss various facets of the budget at its meetings on March 12, 19 and 26. It is scheduled to adopt a budget, after revisions, on April 9.

There will be a formal budget hearing on May 7, and school district residents will vote on the budget on May 21.