Lawmaker sees $100M for LI schools to hire teachers

While a federal lawmaker says Long Island could obtain nearly $100 million to restore teachers' jobs next month, local school officials want to see the money before they start rehiring.

Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), a member of the House education committee, estimated Friday that a new federal aid bill could provide $65 million for Suffolk County schools and $34.6 million for Nassau. The $26-billion measure passed the U.S. Senate Thursday and is expected to win House approval this week.

The $99.6-million estimate assumes Long Island's share of the money will be distributed under a state formula, rather than by the federal Title I formula. The latter would drive more money to New York City. A spokesman for the State Budget Division, Erik Kriss, confirmed Friday that the state's formula would apply.

"Working together we can ensure that our children receive the education they deserve and that we save as many teacher jobs as possible in this difficult economy," Bishop says in a letter addressed to state officials. The letter is cosigned by Reps. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola).

The federal money would replace more than half of the $172.6 million in state aid lost by the Island's schools when Albany legislators adopted a final, tardy budget package. The prime purpose of the federal money is to preserve school jobs, including those of teachers laid off in June.

Local school leaders generally welcome the federal legislation, but note they probably won't know until next month exactly how much aid will be available.

"I'm very curious to see how the feds are going to allow us to use those funds," said Brian Conboy, superintendent of Seaford schools, which recently shed 10 full-time staff positions. "I haven't seen anything specific . . . "

"We're hopeful we can bring everybody back," said Rick Belyea, a spokesman for the Brentwood district, which lost 60 teachers. "But we've got to wait and see."

Fiscal conservatives, on the other hand, object to using taxpayer money to save public-sector jobs, at a time when many private-sector workers face layoffs and pay cuts.

"They can't do this forever, and they're doing it with borrowed money besides," said Andrea Vecchio of East Islip, an activist in a regional taxpayer group, Long Islanders for Educational Reform.

One question still to be answered is whether federal funds can be used, not just to rehire laid-off teachers, but also to bring in new staff for remedial tutoring. Many Island educators voiced frustration last month that they lacked funds to do this, after Albany announced dramatic increases in the number of students failing state English and math tests.

"What I hear overwhelmingly from superintendents is, 'We have an obligation to get extra help to them,' " said Robert Lowry, deputy director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.

With Denise M. Bonilla and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher