Local Schools Grapple With Proposed Funding Cuts

In mid-November, Governor David Paterson proposed a $838-million cut of the state’s public education funding. In the ensuing weeks school administrators, parents, and advocates have grappled with the implications of the cut while beginning to brainstorm possible responses.

According to a Nov. 17 press release from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity—a nonprofit educational advocacy group—Paterson’s proposal would cut $6,371 from the average classroom, or $277 per pupil, statewide. In New York City, the average cut would be $252 per pupil.

While 2008-2009 state aid for public education will total $20.7 billion—a $1-billion increase from 2007-2008—districts created their budgets based on the expectation of a $1.8-billion increase, the New York Times reported.

At the New York City level, public schools had anticipated a $705-million funding increase, but Paterson’s proposed 3.5 percent reduction would allot them only a $450-million increase for a total budget of $8.1 billion.

Julia Heath Gil, Parent-Teacher Association president for P.S. 163, located on West 97th Street, said the cut would inevitably affect the school, but could not provide extensive details on how.

Heath said remedial and accelerated programs may suffer the most. These offerings have been managed by the school administration, but in light of the funding reductions, the PTA will have to maintain them instead.

P.S. 163’s budget has already been cut and earlier this fall, it also lost its federal Title I funding for “Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged.”

The PTA is responsible for all of P.S. 163’s arts and enrichment programs, which total $65,000 per year plus incidentals.

In the wake of Paterson’s announcement, Heath said, school volunteers will organize large fundraising events in addition to regular bake sales. She acknowledged, however, that in light of the poor economy, “it’s not the best time to ask people for money.”

“We want to continue what we’re proud to have achieved at the school,” Heath said. That means maintaining scholastic, extracurricular, and enrichment programs to give students the “all-around school experience.”

An administrator at a local middle school, who requested anonymity because the principal had not made a formal announcement, said officials are grappling with “how to continue to uphold the vision of the school with a big chunk of the money no longer there.”

The administrator said the cut came suddenly, and the school is in the process of understanding the implications and revising its budget.

“It’s confusing because we have a plan and suddenly it needs to be tweaked,” she said. “We have to align our vision with the loss of funds.”

Despite the difficulties the cut will cause, the administrator acknowledged that it was to be expected in light of the economic crisis.

“It’s the nature of the beast,” she said. “We all feel education should be at the forefront, but people have an understanding that it’s the times we’re living in.”

news@columbiaspectator.com