HFM BOCES news

HFM BOCES and local school districts tell governor not to spend another dime

Lawmakers urged to recalculate state aid formula so all school districts receive the same 2.7 percent reduction in their state aid

JOHNSTOWN – HFM BOCES and its 15 component school districts sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday asking him not to add any more money to the proposed state budget.

It would be fiscally irresponsible to do that, school officials wrote in their two-page letter to the governor.

“We think your proposal to reduce overall school funding by 2.7 percent is both reasonable and appropriate,” their letter said. “We agree that school leaders should be asked to make prudent fiscal decisions and to find efficiencies wherever and whenever possible.”

The letter, which was signed by HFM BOCES District Superintendent Patrick Michel and the 15 superintendents of the component schools within HFM BOCES, acknowledged that New York State is facing unprecedented fiscal challenges. (Read the letter to the governor here)

“We are not asking you or the Legislature to increase the state budget for next year,” they told Cuomo. “What we are asking you to do is recalculate how state aid is distributed so that the schools in greatest need are not being forced to bear the largest cuts.”

'No such thing as an average school'

The governor said in a press conference on Thursday that school districts should be able to absorb the reductions in school funding that he included in his proposed 2011-12 state budget.

“Manage the school system. Reduce the waste. Reduce the fraud. Reduce the abuse,” Cuomo said, noting the average school district would see a 2.7 percent aid reduction in his budget plan.

School officials in the HFM BOCES region said they would be happy with a 2.7 percent reduction in their state aid for 2011-12. Although that’s the percentage the governor is telling the public that school funding is being cut, Michel said, the reality is “there’s no such thing as an ‘average’ school district. While some schools may see less than a 2.7 percent reduction, most will see more. Far more.”

Such is the case for the HFM BOCES area schools, where their average reduction in state aid under the governor’s budget far exceeds 2.7 percent.

“Try 11.71 percent. That’s what our schools would lose, on average, next year under the governor’s plan,” Michel said.

It only takes looking at the numbers for a handful of school districts to illustrate the inequities of the governor’s statement that schools are being asked to absorb only a 2.7 percent decrease in state aid.

Gloversville would lose $1,543,152 under Cuomo’s plan, which equals a 5.2 percent reduction in state aid next year. While that’s far more than a 2.7 percent cut, Gloversville would actually see the smallest percent decrease among HFM BOCES component schools.

“Among the districts in our region that would lose the greatest percentage of state aid are Wells, which would see an 18.4 percent reduction; Lake Pleasant, which would lose 17.81 percent; and Mayfield, which would lose 15.69 percent,” Michel said.

Devastating for poor, rural upstate districts

For poor, rural upstate districts facing these kinds of losses in state aid, devastating cuts to programs would be inevitable.

In Northville, for example – which is slated to lose $370,194 or 11.55 percent under Gov. Cuomo’s proposal – kindergarten could be eliminated beginning in September 2011.

“That may seem like such a drastic measure,” said Northville Superintendent Kathy Dougherty. “But in Northville, we are pretty much running out of options. In addition to the proposed state aid cuts for next year and the cuts in state funding from this year, we’re also grappling with the loss of more than $650,000 in tax revenue because of the Hudson River-Black River Regulating District’s inability to pay its taxes.”

Dougherty, along with her colleagues at the other HFM BOCES component school districts, is urging lawmakers to recalculate the governor’s proposed state aid formula so that every school district in New York State receives the same 2.7 percent reduction in their state aid.

“Every one of our school districts would agree to an actual net reduction of school aid of 2.7 percent,” the educators wrote in their letter to Cuomo. “Can you make that happen? Can you reapportion the state aid cuts evenly, with each and every district receiving the same 2.7 percent decrease in state funding?”

School leaders are hoping to hear a response from the governor soon.