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Overcast School budgets are everyone’s priority
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From the highest federal offices to the most local governing bodies, we have a voice.
Our school districts are about as local as it gets, and when they propose their budgets, it is one of the few instances in which voters have a direct say on spending. We don’t have that privilege at the federal, state, county, town or village level.
This month, many school districts begin planning for the 2009-10 school year. Board of Education members and administrators have their work cut out for them. The governor is proposing a state aid reduction for every district on Long Island, ranging from 2 percent to 13 percent. In some cases, districts are preparing to lose millions of dollars. Tough decisions will have to be made.
But it should not just be board members and administrators who make those decisions. They should be made by the entire school community.
A Board of Education typically holds at least two meetings per month. The first may be called a work session or a committee meeting. Decisions are usually not made at these meetings, but they are often the forum for discussion among school board members and administrators. These meetings are public; anyone can attend and listen to what goes on.
Then the board holds its regular business meeting, where a host of items are voted on, from staff appointments and budget transfers to the creation of new programs and the adoption of spending plans. These meetings always feature a public comment period, and many boards allow input from community members at other points along the way.
This could be a make-or-break budget season for many local school districts. With hundreds of thousands of dollars on the chopping block — or millions, in some cases — the decisions school boards make will be of the utmost importance. No one wants to see programs cut or class sizes increased. No one wants to neglect the care of aging school buildings or eliminate extracurricular activities. But in tough times, something will have to go. So what is it going to be?
That’s where members of the public come in. Each school district is a reflection of its community’s educational values. Programs and services differ from district to district because residents have differing priorities. A good school board will design a plan for its district that best meets the needs of its community.
But school board trustees can’t do that if they don’t know about those needs. We encourage you to attend Board of Education meetings, especially from now through the May budget vote, and become informed citizens. We encourage you to participate in these meetings, and tell your school district leaders what is important to you.
It’s not just parents who should attend these meetings, it’s all members of the community. Anyone who pays taxes, even those who don’t have children in the district, should take an interest in the schools. It’s their money, too.
No school district will have it easy this year. Planning for 2009-10 will present many financial challenges, and require prioritizing spending like never before. Schools are a community’s biggest investment, and citizens should play an active role in these momentous decisions.
Our school districts are about as local as it gets, and when they propose their budgets, it is one of the few instances in which voters have a direct say on spending. We don’t have that privilege at the federal, state, county, town or village level.
This month, many school districts begin planning for the 2009-10 school year. Board of Education members and administrators have their work cut out for them. The governor is proposing a state aid reduction for every district on Long Island, ranging from 2 percent to 13 percent. In some cases, districts are preparing to lose millions of dollars. Tough decisions will have to be made.
But it should not just be board members and administrators who make those decisions. They should be made by the entire school community.
A Board of Education typically holds at least two meetings per month. The first may be called a work session or a committee meeting. Decisions are usually not made at these meetings, but they are often the forum for discussion among school board members and administrators. These meetings are public; anyone can attend and listen to what goes on.
This could be a make-or-break budget season for many local school districts. With hundreds of thousands of dollars on the chopping block — or millions, in some cases — the decisions school boards make will be of the utmost importance. No one wants to see programs cut or class sizes increased. No one wants to neglect the care of aging school buildings or eliminate extracurricular activities. But in tough times, something will have to go. So what is it going to be?
That’s where members of the public come in. Each school district is a reflection of its community’s educational values. Programs and services differ from district to district because residents have differing priorities. A good school board will design a plan for its district that best meets the needs of its community.
But school board trustees can’t do that if they don’t know about those needs. We encourage you to attend Board of Education meetings, especially from now through the May budget vote, and become informed citizens. We encourage you to participate in these meetings, and tell your school district leaders what is important to you.
It’s not just parents who should attend these meetings, it’s all members of the community. Anyone who pays taxes, even those who don’t have children in the district, should take an interest in the schools. It’s their money, too.
No school district will have it easy this year. Planning for 2009-10 will present many financial challenges, and require prioritizing spending like never before. Schools are a community’s biggest investment, and citizens should play an active role in these momentous decisions.
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