Batavia schools look at $2.2M deficit after cuts

By cutting the full-time equivalent of 18 teachers and hiring a new, cheaper bus service, the Batavia school board anticipates having a deficit of $2.2 million in its operating funds in the 2011-12 budget.

That’s compared to the initial $5 million operating deficit projected when budget talks began in January and less than the goal of $2.5 million then set by the board. The operating funds do not include capital improvement and debt repayment funds.

For all funds, the district expects to take in $72.97 million and spend $80.41 million.

Those 18 FTEs come at the cost of eliminating Spanish-language instruction in the elementary schools (6 FTE). Eight positions are being eliminated by raising classroom sizes by two students across all grades. The final budget will be put on public display July 26. A public hearing will be conducted Sept. 13; the budget has to be adopted by Sept. 30. The fiscal year begins July 1.

Parents from Alice Gustafson Elementary School pleaded, again, for its fourth grade to be divided into three classrooms, not two. There are nearly 60 students expected next year.

According to Dianne Peterson, spokeswoman for the group, they are worried because they believe there are a high number of special-needs and English-language learner children in that group. Combining their extra needs with having more children overall in the class will overburden teachers and spread their attention too thin, parents believe.

The board did not respond to her comments, per its policy of not responding to comments on items that are not on the agenda. It believes discussing items not on the agenda would violate state law.

However, board President Ron Link did speak at length about the board’s desire to stop deficit spending. If it balanced the operating budget immediately, “we would really see some catastrophic movement in programming,” Link said.

Trustee Joseph Purpura, who sits on the finance committee, suggested the board adopt a multiyear plan to reach that goal, and Link agreed.

“Is it prudent financial management for this board to deficit spend? Absolutely not,” Link said. “But it is good for the kids, it is good for the community and good for Batavia. We are taking a calculated risk (that the economy improves so that property taxes increase, and that the state improves its payments to schools).

It is as bothersome to us as board members as it is to the community.”

Monday night’s presentation is available in the Board Book for the meeting, on the district’s website, bps101.net.