Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Let me start off by saying I DONT WANT TO START DRAMA.....ok I have no knowledge about where the money goes and I would like some insight....for example My district passed a $44million dollar budget....now at first glance that seems really high to me and not sure why that amount is necessary (that is a 5% jump from last year) I mean i want to do the right thing but just wondering why such a high percentage increase is needed in only a year.....and why when budgets dont get passed why are sports and music always first to be cut...Thanks guys

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

If you go on your district website it will give you the complete breakdown to where every penny is being spent. I want to say that 5% is just a couple of dollars a month. Your school taxes only make up a small portion of your property taxes. In general the reason for the increase it to meet the demands of everything else that has increased. The district I work for also allocated money for a new math program so we can continue to meet the new pressures of the New York State Standards. The district I live in budgeted for an opening of full day kindergarten because New York State is mandating full day kindergarten. So sometimes the increase is just to meet the new pressures that NYS puts on our schools.

I do not agree that the kids are the first ones to loose if a budget doesn't pass. I feel that the "higher ups" in administration should loose first!

But to answer your question you really need to look on your school website and I am sure literature was sent around to you can understand specifically where monies go. Also every district has sessions at night to talk and explain the budget to the community. Fliers are sent around to every household that announce dates and times. You should look into attending so that specific questions could be answered. You can also go to board meetings and listen. I believe at the February board meeting is when budgets are discussed in depth.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

I don't know all the ins and outs of budgets, and i am sure there are more things districts can do to be more fiscally responsible, but let me shed some light on some things that tax payers don't always think of when budget time comes around.

1. Schools feel the crunch too.... people complain about heating their homes, think about schools. All that oil to heat, all the electricity to run the school, the computers, the printers, the Smartboards, etc. The cost of energy has gone up like crazy and of course it effects schools as well. Water would also be a large bill.

2. Teacher's Salaries and Benefits
It has to be done and like everywhere else health care has gone up and so the district's feel that too. Many are requiring to teacher's to pay more out of pocket than ever before, but it's still a HUGE cost. Teacher's pension... districts are responsible for paying 3% of a teacher's salary to Albany to be put in the state pension system. After 10 years of service, the district puts in 6% of teacher's salary into the pension system. That is a LOT of money right there.

3. Updating facilities: you thought updating your kitchen was bad? Think of all the schools on LI that were build over 50 years ago. It's time for updates. Many of which are being done to be more energy efficient (timed lighting, new windows, etc.) Because of the size and scope of the projects as well as having to ensure it's done by code, updates costs tens of thousands of dollars.

4. Special Education services. I am a special educator and this cost is huge. Things like resource room or a self-contained class require more staffing and salaries. The main kicker here though, is a district is REQUIRED to pay for a child's education, EVEN IF the child cannot attend its schools. For example, a profoundly retarded child for example, would need a special school. Or the child that is severely emotionalyl disturbed and can not function in a school setting. These children deserve a setting that best meets their needs. Often, this is a private school designed specfically for severe special needs. The district must pay for the tuition for any program they cannot reasonable provide in their schools. This can be over $25,000 a year PER KID!

Things like sports, music classes, etc. in my opinion are a drop in the bucket to the above costs. The above 3 is what really eats up the budget.

I am in a dsitrict in which i see as being extremely fiscally responsible and I think most Boards of Ed. really do try to do this. Sure, could some of the cream be pulled off the top, of course, but I don't think it can be done so substantially that you would feel it as a tax payer.

I firmly believe districts in Nassau and Suffolk should consolidate and share resources, buildings, etc. Same can be said for all the towns and villages... why do we need the Town of Hempstead, the Town of this... which has layers and layers of stupid beauracracy that the tax payers end up shouldering.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

The reasons for the increases are inflation. Things cost more. Heating the schools next year is going to be a HUGE budget increase! Then staff usually gets a 2-4% increase in salary (we are talking everyone from teachers, aides, secretaries, custodians). There could also be bonds that your district proposed - money to build an extention or fix a school, etc


The reason extracurricular activities are cut first is just that. They are extra. When a district is on austerity, you just have the bare minimum to educate the students. My district was on austerity a few years ago and the booster club and the alumni association did huge fundraisers that paid for the sports to continue.


on a side note, full day Kindergarten has been state mandated for years - districts (like mine) that don't have it are fined, but that fine is a lot less than the additional salaries and classrooms needed for it.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

http://longislandindex.org/index.php?id=2

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

5% is the average increase for schools each year. considering inflation and the cost of transportation and programs - I think 5% is a very small increase.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Message edited 5/23/2008 8:42:08 AM.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Another reason school taxes are so high are b/c of the school admin. that retire at $100k a year and than go and work for another school district making $200k which is insane and should NOT be allowed.

I have no problem in paying $9,000 a year in school taxes if the money is going towards the teachers, the curriculum, computers, etc. but not to pay people who are greedy.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Posted by jellybean1420

Another reason school taxes are so high are b/c of the school admin. that retire at $100k a year and than go and work for another school district making $200k which is insane and should NOT be allowed.

I have no problem in paying $9,000 a year in school taxes if the money is going towards the teachers, the curriculum, computers, etc. but not to pay people who are greedy.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Message edited 5/23/2008 9:30:46 AM.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Thanks for all the answers..I never knew the schools website had info on where all the money goes.....I definately will look into this so I can become more knowledgeable ....I guess for right now my concern was that property values are going down regardless of the tax increases....I feel like the "middleClass" is slowly getting squeezed out....it makes me sad and I know it is not all about the school budgets each year, its everything combined I guess its just one more thing to add to the "pile"....I wish things could change but not sure how I can help that happen...

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

I pay $10,000 in taxes and $7500 of it goes to my district. It drives me nuts!

With that said, I am also a teacher and almost always vote "no" to the school budget. I see how much money gets used and sometimes abused. There seems to be so much waste and excess between having administrators who overlap their responsibilities as well as needless money being spent (ie. a cover for the orchestra pit in an elementary school) as opposed to not having text books in content area classes. I am often told, "You have 10 minutes to spend $500...use it or lose it" and I am expected to blow through it. I also know that some friends of mine are all given $500- $1000 each year to spend on classroom materials. I understand this is necessary for newer teachers or teachers who are teaching a new curriculum but truely this is excessive in most cases. My school alone as close to 100 teachers, its mind blowing to me how much waste I see.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

I also want to say that transportation is a huge cost for districts. Our transportation contract was up this year and the new bid made our budget increase by 2 MILLION. Think about how it hurts to pay $60 at the pump for your car - now have a district filling up buses that transport thousands of children per day.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Posted by neener1211

Posted by smdl

Posted by jenheartsrob

I also want to say that transportation is a huge cost for districts. Our transportation contract was up this year and the new bid made our budget increase by 2 MILLION. Think about how it hurts to pay $60 at the pump for your car - now have a district filling up buses that transport thousands of children per day.

Well, I am all for the safety of our children, but when a school bus stops evey 4 houses to pick up a kid and the parents are with the kids, I wonder if we could not combine some stop areas. I am sure the mileage is not that great when you have to stop and accelerate every 200 feet.

Thank you!!!!
Why can't the buses combine stops? Walking a an extra 100 steps never hurt anyone for the bus.

Not to mention, the amount of children on the high school buses around us is ridiculous!!! My mother works at the HS, and she sometimes sees buses pulling in and out with 4 or less kids on the bus. Combine the stops the bus ha s to make, you'll save gas and the cost of the bus itself!!! So annoying!!!

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets

Message edited 5/23/2008 3:58:03 PM.

Re: Teachers Can you come in and explain School Budgets