Posted may 17, 2011
South Colonie Residents Approve 2011-2012 District Budget 1,548-1,061
South Colonie Central School District residents went to the polls on Tuesday, May 17th, and approved an $91.1 million budget for the 2011-12 school year by a vote of 1,548-1,061. The budget continues to support South Colonie’s key educational initiatives despite a projected $531,000 cut in state aid to the district over the current school year.
Complete 2011-2012 Budget Summary - May 2011 InFocus Newsletter (pdf)
2011-2012 BUDGET EXPENDITURES & REVENUES CHART (pdf)
Overview of Budget Reductions and Program Cuts (pdf)
In what was yet another challenging budget development process again this year, the school board adopted a proposed budget in April totaling $91,177,000. The budget represents a 1.99 percent spending increase over the current school year.
Though equalization rates will not be known until August, the district estimates about a 2.93 percent school residential and business property tax increase next year based on the budget submitted to voters. This means that the average Colonie homeowner whose property is assessed at $150,000 will pay an additional $105.79 in school property taxes next year or about $8.82 more per month to finance education. This is a base increase and does not reflect any STAR exemption savings a homeowner may be entitled to.
A variety of factors hampered the 2011-12 budget development process, which got underway in January with several public planning sessions. Due to the recession and New York State’s current fiscal crisis, 2011-12 will mark the third straight year the district experienced a downturn in state support for education. This includes another state aid loss in 2011-12 of nearly $531,000, on the heels of a $3.7 million state aid loss for the current school year, and flat state aid in 2009-10. Making up for those lost revenues has been very challenging for the district as costs continue to rise.
As a result of the massive loss in state funding for public education, the district was forced to make about $2.3 million in reductions to overall expenses for next school year (see list below). This includes cutting administrative positions, reducing teaching positions and restructuring support positions. The district will seek to reduce most of these positions through attrition and the shifting of personnel. Additionally, the district will continue to carefully apply part of its fund balance next year to offset rising expenses and possible further reductions in state aid.
What was eliminated in the 2011-2012 budget?
A total of $2.3 million in budget reductions and program adjustments were made for next school year. This includes the elimination of 27.43 positions: 6.8 FTE teaching positions, 4.0 FTE administrative positions, 1.0 FTE teaching assistant positions and 15.63 FTE support staff positions (13.63 library and building monitors and 2.0 bus drivers).
Other budget reductions and program adjustments for next school year include:
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Additional reduction in the Athletic Department budget
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Elimination/restructuring of Literacy Coach position
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Elimination of AV/TV position at CCHS
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Elimination of school psychologist internship position
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Additional reductions in Operation and Maintenance budget
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Forego scheduled replacement of an Operation and Maintenance vehicle
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Elimination of After School Assistance Program
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Reduction in Substitute Teaching costs
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Salary savings based on Social Worker retirement
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Reduction in BOCES special needs expenses
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Reduction in library book purchases
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Savings realized by adjusting school bus routes
There is good news
Throughout this difficult time, South Colonie has stayed “student focused” in its budget decision making, said Superintendent Jonathan Buhner, maintaining quality programs that will help students perform academically. This includes maintaining reasonable class sizes, Univeral Pre-Kindergarten and Full Day Kindergarten at their current levels, Academic Intervention Services and support for students with special needs. The district will also provide early literacy/reading support for K-4 students during the summer and implement new after school support opportunities at the elementary level next school year to encourage youngsters to explore future studies and careers in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Looking ahead
South Colonie is already bracing for another difficult budget planning process for the 2012-13 school year. The Federal Education Jobs Funds aid, which is a federal grant that totals over $1.1 million, will expire in 2011-12 and state funding for education could again be reduced in the next New York State budget.
“Due to the overall uncertainty related
to the economy and state aid, the District will need to take a
multi-year approach to budgeting,”
Buhner said. “During this recession, and despite losing million
of dollars in state aid, we have worked very hard to keep our
tax rate as low as possible. Going forward in these difficult
economic times, we must continue to be thoughtful about how we
use every resource.”