Lawrence draft school budget includes cuts

In a spending plan Lawrence education officials say follows the fiscal recommendations of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, school administrators have presented a 2011-2012 draft budget they say cuts staff, consolidates positions and uses reserve funds to close a $2.2 million gap without touching programs or raising taxes.

The $93-million budget represents a $1.1 million decrease from this year's budget.

While other Long Island districts contemplate personnel cuts, Lawrence already has made trims. This budget year, the district has cut 42 civil service positions, including secretaries and security personnel, and trimmed 19.7 academic positions, including privatizing more than 10 special education teachers assigned to private schools. Officials said more special ed students will be integrated into classrooms with two co-teachers. The budget does not cut elementary classroom teachers or subject teachers.

The board also is trimming four administrative positions.

The budget uses more than $2 million in reserves to maintain the current tax levy. Over six years, the average levy increase has been 0.06 percent.

Board president Murray Forman called the spending plan a "continued commitment to educational excellence" and "a paragon for fiscal responsibility."

District officials said Lawrence is slated to lose $1.5 million in state aid and $700,000 in federal stimulus money in 2011-2012. Cuomo has proposed $1.5 billion in state school aid cuts and suggested districts tap reserves to cover losses.

Lawrence started its budget presentation Tuesday night using audio from Cuomo's speech on education spending.

The board will consider the budget for adoption on March 22; it goes to voters May 17.

"This board has been fiscally responsible for years and years," deputy superintendent Gary Schall said.

Some critics have said Lawrence board members, the majority of whom are Orthodox and do not send their children to the public schools, have cut programs and services for public school children in the past.

District officials said no programs will be cut in 2011-2012, but noted that summer school now will be offered through an online credit recovery program where students complete the coursework at home.

Jay Silverstein, who has two children in the district, said the budget does include program cuts and the board continues "to dismantle the public schools . . . You can't fund a budget with no budget increases," he said. "It's not desirable. Nobody can do it."