Schools See Pain Ahead if the State Cuts Aid

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/nyregion/13schools.html?ref=education

In this article, “Schools See Pain Ahead if the State Cuts Aid”, schools in New York staff reductions, larger class sizes, and fewer sports and extracurricular programs due to the governor’s proposed midyear reductions in state aid.

Under the proposal all of New York’s 697 districts would see a reduction in their expected aid from the state. The actual amount is based on a formula that takes into account each district’s wealth, the number of students receiving free and reduced-price lunches, and the portion of the district budget already covered by local taxes.

The New York City schools had been expecting a $705 million increase, but under the proposed 3.5 percent reduction would receive $450 million — or $255 million less, for a total of $8.1 billion.

Mayor Bloomberg said at a news conference that the city’s Education Department had already reduced spending by eliminating 350 positions, mainly in administration. “But at some point in time you have to have administration,” he said, “and we’re getting down to the point where it’s very difficult.”

“So you can see the wiggle room is small,” he said, adding that midyear cuts would most likely have to come from not filling vacant staff positions, and curtailing or deferring purchases of supplies, equipment and maintenance repairs.

Even districts that were in relatively good shape because of conservative budgeting expressed concern about what could be very lean years ahead.

With the tough economic times, and the need to reduce spending in all aspects of life, education is a tough pill to swallow. The problems that face with reducing the spending is the large classroom sizes which lead to poor learning on the students behalf, less administration which leads to more violence possibly and less class offerings and less school supplies which leads to poor education. Cutting costs in schools is an issue that is delicate because changes need to be done and the consequences are not always good.