Hearing on Proposed Port Chester School Budget Tonight

The Port Chester school board is set to hear public comments at 7 tonight on the proposed 2013-2014 school budget.

The board meets at Port Chester High School in a public session at 7 p.m., with the board expected to meet in a closed-door executive session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss legal matters.

In addition to hearing feedback on the budget plan, the school board is expected to recognized students and staff members for achievement. Among the staff noted tonight will be those who have newly been granted tenure in the school system.

Tuesday May 21 is the public vote on the budget and the school board election. Incumbent board member Carolee Brakewood is seeking re-election, with Port Chester resident James Carriere challenging her for the one seat up in the election.

The voting takes place at Port Chester Middle School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Here is the district's overview of the budget proposal:

THE BUDGET PROVIDES FOR...

•   Increases in cost of supplies, energy, books and services.

•   Normal contracted salary increases for employees.

•   An increase in PILOT payments

•   An increase of $894,131 in costs related to the Teacher Retirement System

•   $58,330,717 representing a 2.83% increase

•   Our ACTUAL tax levy is $58,303,591, which is $27,127 (rounded) less than the state calculated cap

  THE SCHOOL BUDGET IS ABLE TO COVER EXPENSES DUE TO MULTIPLE FACTORS...

•   A $1,265,203 increase in State Aid

•   Over $1,500,000 from Bargaining Unit settlements used to fund 2013-2014 Budget

•   Estimated $500,000 reduction in salaries resulting from 2013 Retirement Incentive

•   A cut of $150,000 from unemployment by retaining current staff that would be cut during a large deficit situation

  REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR THE 2013-2014 BUDGET...

•   Tax Levy of $58,303,592 (69%)

•   NY State Aid $17,281,312 (20%)

•   Firm Estimates from other sources based on 12-13 school year $9,601,931

o PILOT payments, Sales Tax, Rentals, and Interest Income

EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS FOR THE 2013-2014 BUDGET...

•   Instructional Services $49,428,904 (58%)

•   Employee Benefits $19,719,458 (23%)

•   General Support $8,452,408 (10%)

•   Debt Service & Transfers $4,225,973 (5%)

•   Pupil Transportation $3,360,091 (4%)

IMPACT OF REVENUE LOSSES OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS...

Districtwide Program Reductions

•   Reading support staff (-3.0 teaching positions through attrition)

•   Speech Therapist (-1.0 Speech Therapist)

•   Class Size Reduction (-10.0 Teachers)

•   Administration (-1.0 Assistant Principal)

•   Clerical Support (-1.0 Secretary)

•   Art (-0.2 Art Teacher)

•   Science (-1.0 District Science Coordinator)

•   Student Supervision (-1.0 Hall Monitor)

•   Special Education Support Services (-1.0 Special Education Teacher)

•   Science (-1.0 Science Teacher and -1.0 Teacher Assistant)

 Our per pupil costs continue to be the lowest in Westchester County

WITH ADEQUATE FUNDING WE WOULD CONSIDER REINSTATING OR ADDING VARIOUS PROGRAMS...

 Abolish PCHS study halls (4 teachers minimum required) and replace with instructional services including: HS Support Programs:

 Academic Intervention, Special Education and ESL

 Enhanced GED Programs, Career Skills, Internship Program HS Elective Offerings:

•   Economics, Journalism, Theatre, Computer Science, Psychology

•   Humanities: Theatre, Journalism, Writing Workshop, additional Foreign Languages, Introduction to

Research, Public Speaking/Speech

 More courses for college credit: Accelerated College Experience (ACE) Forensics course through Westchester Community College.

Districtwide
 Reinstate select program and personnel cuts from the last 6 years
 Reduce elementary class sizes
 Provide new instructional spaces and staff
 Enrich student support services
 Increase social worker and guidance support
 Restore 25% of the instrumental program by providing string instrument and orchestra instruction  Improve instructional practices with K-12 directors for ELA, Science and Math
 Install building-wide WIFI in all schools
 Create universal classroom learning stations utilizing technology like iPads or Tablets using our WIFI  Expand dual language program to all elementary schools

IMPORTANT DATES...

•   May 9 Board of Education Budget Hearing

•   May 21 School Budget Vote at PCMS 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.

  WHAT IF THE BUDGET IS DEFEATED ON MAY 21?

 If the budget does not pass on May 21st, the school board may: o adopt a final budget with no growth in the tax levy

or
o resubmit a budget to the voters for approval in June

•   If a resubmitted budget is defeated, the district must adopt a final budget with a tax levy that is no greater than the levy of the prior year.

•   If the school budget is defeated by the voters twice and a contingency budget is adopted, the district will need to cut $1,578,097 in programs for 2013-2014.