By: Nicole Falco and Anne Marie Allocca
This year, the four districts are asking for a combined increase of approximately $11 million from the $137 million approved by voters last year to educate more than 9,000 students enrolled in Valley Stream public schools.
All programs at the elementary and high school level are being carried over according to the proposed budget. There are no staff cuts at the elementary level, but the Central High School District has proposed cutting the equivalent of 11 full-time teachers, four teaching assistants and two custodians. The high school district is also seeking to reorganize at the administrative level. Mandated and contractual increases left little room for new initiatives, but a few are planned.
The districts explained its proposed budgets at hearings on May 4, 5, and 6.
Central High School District
The Central High School District-s proposed budget for 2004-05 is just under $76 million, and reflects a budget-to-budget increase of 9.78 percent.
The tax rate increase for the average homeowner differs among the three elementary districts. According to figures provided by Al Chase, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, during last week-s budget hearings, the average tax rate increase will be $442 in District 13, $260 in District 24 and $238 in District 30. Last year, the county completed its first reassessment in more than 50 years, and many homeowners, particularly in District 13, saw an increase in the value of their homes. Also, District 13-s portion of the high school tax bill increased from 40 percent to 48 percent.
The district expects to save more than $1.2 million by cutting staff and reorganizing administrative positions. According to Dr. Marc F. Bernstein, high school district superintendent, this was necessary in order to maintain programs while keeping the budget increase under 10 percent.
A lot of things in this budget were out of our control, Bernstein said. We had to look at what was in our control that would cause the least disruption at school.
I-m not pleased about it, Bernstein said of the staff cuts.
Bernstein said the district spent countless hours during the past few weeks going over class offerings and schedules to determine where the cuts would have the least impact. He said staff cuts will not affect any one subject area disproportionately, and for the most part will be made in elective subject areas. Also, in some cases, the district might eliminate an elective at a school if student demand does not warrant the cost of offering the class. In those cases, if the same elective is offered at another district school, the student has the option of being bused to that building for the period.
The district also plans to purchase approximately 90 laptop computers, which will be used by seventh-graders in the planned expanded writing program for that grade. The district is also increasing the number of inclusion sections, in order to decrease class size for special-education students. Finally, the district hopes to strengthen its Advanced Science Research Program and its SAT/PSAT prep elective.
District 13
District 13 has proposed a $31.7 million budget for next year, a 9.9 percent increase over the current budget. In addition to the $442 tax increase for the average homeowner on the high school portion of the tax bills, the average increase at the elementary level would be $351.
Dr. Elizabeth Lison, superintendent of schools, explained to the handful of residents who stayed for her budget presentation that the proposed budget includes $400,000 to continue with the next phase of the district-s technology plan. It includes creating a wide area network that will allow the four district schools to connect with one another and the addition of a technology specialist. The proposal also includes $200,000 for a new roof over the James A. Dever School auditorium and the replacement of that school-s main entrance doors. Lison said these capital improvements could not be put off any longer.
Also included on this year-s ballot is a referendum to change the mileage limits for busing students. If it is passed, students in kindergarten through third grade would be eligible for transportation only if they live more than a mile from their school. Currently, those students are bused if they live more than a half-mile from their school. There would be no change in the district-s transportation policy for fourth- through sixth-graders. They would still have to live more than a mile from their school. If passed, the change would decrease the district-s transportation costs.
District 24
District 24 has proposed an 11.5 percent budget-to-budget increase. The $20.6 million budget would cost the average homeowner an additional $255, in addition to the $260 increase in the high school portion of the tax bill.
The district has proposed spending $300,000 for the second phase of roof replacements at the William L. Buck and Robert W. Carbonaro Schools. This is money we have to spend, said Dr. Ed Fale, superintendent of schools. If we don-t spend the money to fix these roofs, the buildings will suffer structural damage.
The district also included $50,000 for library automation in all three of its buildings. And, Fale said, the tentative budget includes plans to start offering a hot lunch program. He said the startup cost of the program would covered be by the sale of the lunches.
District 30
The proposed budget for the 2004-05 school year in District 30 is just under $22.6 million, an increase of 8.24 percent over last year. For the average homeowner, that translates to a $240 increase on the elementary school tax bill, in addition to the approximate $238 increase on the high school portion of the tax bill.
Less than 10 people attended last Tuesday night-s hearing at the Clear Stream Avenue School. Lawrence McGoldrick, superintendent of schools, noted that when he prepared the budget, he kept two goals in mind, goals he said he has had throughout his 13-year tenure as superintendent.
We strive to maintain a solid education for all students while simultaneously attempting to present a responsible budget to our taxpayers, he said.
One new initiative in this budget is one additional special-education teacher, who will work with inclusion students.
Voters will also see a special referendum on the ballot that asks them to give the Board of Education permission to purchase 44 percent of the building that the district-s administrative offices now occupy. The district currently leases space at 175 N. Central Ave., at a cost of about $100,000. The building-s purchase price is $550,000, which the district already has set aside in a general fund account. Therefore, the purchase would not have a negative impact on the tax rate.
