It’s time to talk school budgets, again in Lawrence and Hewlett-Woodmere

Cold temperatures, ice, snow and Valentine’s Day are the most visible signs that it is February. Along with winter weather and a day for lovers, another tell tale mark of the season is public school districts beginning to discuss the tentative budgets for next school year.

From now through May, there will much talk about the fiscal plans. The main dates: April 1, the deadline for the New York state budget to be approved. School districts will then know exactly how much state aid they will receive to help support the 2020-21 budget. On May 19, eligible voters across the state can vote on the proposed fiscal plans as well as any propositions and Board of Education candidates. 

Along with taking the current school year’s budget — 2019-20 — and rolling it over, district officials must take into account the state mandated tax cap, which was enacted in 2011 and took effect the next year. The percentage set by the State Legislature has worked to keep spending in check and forced districts to tighten their fiscal belts. 

The Hewlett-Woodmere proposed 2020-21 budget currently projects a 3.68 percent spending increase from the current budget, which Board of Education President Mitchell Greebel said is too steep of a jump.

Louis Frontario, the district’s assistant superintendent for business, presented the proposal for the 2020-21 school year — $127.8 million — at a budget forum on Jan. 30. The current budget is $123.3 million, which topped the previous budget by 2.95 percent increase. The district is also expecting to receive $12.6 million in state aid, a $314,366 increase from the current budget.

Greebel said the proposed 3.68 percent spending increase needs to be lowered before it is voted on by residents on May 19. “I’m deeply concerned with a 3.68 budget spending increase,” he said. “I don’t think any resident in our district or on Long Island can tolerate a budget increase of over 3 percent.”

Frontario reminded the board that number is not a surprise. “Our calculated budget increase was expected,” he said. “Contracts are up and there are other salary increases with areas such as transportation that we have to account for. The calculations also indicate that our 2020-21 tax levy could be increased by 3.78 percent.”Special education services accounts for the largest increase — a 7.17 percent uptick —from the current budget. “The district has decided to put more of an emphasis on special education,” Frontario said. “We have some teacher salary increases in the department and we’re also planning to hire three new teaching assistants.”

The next budget forum is scheduled for March 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Woodmere Education Center, 1 Johnson Place in Woodmere. The latest budget proposal can be viewed at: https://bit.ly/2ObmZrV.

Lawrence School District’s current budget is $102.4 million. The district is expected to unveil its preliminary 2020-21 fiscal plan at the March 2 Board of Education meeting, 8 p.m. in Lawrence High School, 2 Reilly Road in Cedarhurst.

The Herald posed a question on the Inwood Lawrence Community News and Lawrence District 15 Residents Facebook pages: What would you like the Lawrence School District target in the proposed budget? These are some of the responses.

Enrichment programs, Gifted programs. There are children in the Lawrence Primary School who are above their grade level. They are not being challenged enough.  The work is too easy for them. Settle teacher’s contract. — Angela Lewis

Get recruiters in from area colleges to actively recruit our athletes and get them scholarships we have some of the best athletes in Nassau — Suzi Dvir

Summer school for all students. Driver’s education. College Admissions specialist. Enough teachers to avoid cramming regular students into Honors classes and AP classes. BOCES. More social workers and counselors designated to help students who have more emotional needs than others. — Gregory Wright

A nine-period day at the high school and some college admissions sessions for the kids and parents. — Elissa Jonas Sharin

Summer school programs for students with special needs. — Lesly Manzano

Full-day Universal Pre-K. — Tiffany Davis

Education for first generation students in America, girls athletics, especially for girls. — Brian Walsh

College admission specialist and driver’s education. — David Sharin

Nine-period day at the high school! Teachers contract! No more leaky roofs! — Amil Virani

Have an opinion public school budgets? Send your letter to the editor to jbessen@liherald.com.