Bedford School Budget Has 30.9 Job Cuts; Activities Get Axed

When students in the Bedford Central School District return to their classes next fall, they could be confronted with fewer teachers and programs.

A preliminary version of the proposed 2013-14 budget was unveiled Wednesday night at the school board's meeting. It has deep cuts in staff, with a total of 30.9 in job reductions, with much of them being from layoffs. The figures include both part-time and full-time positions.

The cuts include 10 at the elementary school level, 12.4 at the high school level, 3.5 at the middle school level and five district-wide positions. Roughly half of the cuts will come from eliminating teaching jobs at various levels.

Additionally, district-run clubs for students at Fox Lane High School and Fox Lane Middle School are set to be cut by half. The situation also looks bleak for middle school students into sports, as roughly half of modified athletic programs are on the financial chopping block.

“We have a very ambitious program at the middle-school level," said Superintendent Jere Hochman. However, in facing the financial situation, he said that areas have to be looked at where “the sport is already available somewhere else.”

In place of the student activities cuts, the intent is for outside groups to assume some of the functions, along with accepting private support for extra-curriculars.

The cuts are coupled with a proposed budget that calls for a 1.25-percent spending increase, the district announced, from $122,698,040 this year to $124,229,131 for the following year

The district also has to keep the budget under the annual tax levy cap. Although the cap is technically 2 percent, when adjusted for exemptions such as some pension costs and change to the tax base value, the most the levy can be raised is 3.37 percent. District officials, who did not provide a specific levy figure because details on cuts are not firm right now, are proposing cuts that will bring the figure under the cap. In order to come in exactly at the cap, cuts of $3,726,480 are needed, but a total of $3,884,000 in cuts are proposed.

When the savings are broken down by category, they include: $1,018,000 for high school staffing; $315,000 for middle school staffing; $670,000 for elementary school staffing; $515,000 for district-wide staffing; $93,000 for other secondary costs; $560,000 in professional development support cuts; $198,000 in student programs; and $515,000 in other types of changes, such as energy efficiency anticipated during a 2-week holiday break.

Other changes include cutting field-trip funding and moving the ACES alternative student program to Fox Lane High School. For the ACES move, Superintendent Jere Hochman cites low enrollment as a reason for doing so. ACES students will also take some regular classes, which accounts for part of the teaching job cuts.

Teachers will also take a hit for professional development programs, which are slated to receive cuts.

The deep cuts are being made in response to soaring costs. The major factors include state-mandated pension contributions, which will be up by about $2.8 million, and salaries, which will rise by around $2.3 million. Other large factors include health costs, at around $500,000, and transportation at $130,000.

There may also be some minor schedule changes, such as for the structure of the ninth-grade humanities program. However, no major changes, such as school-day length, are planned.

The pension rises are sharp, according to data presented. The Teachers Retirement System's rate, for instance will jump as a percentage of payroll by 35 percent from this year. The same metric for the Employee Retirement System - it's a fund for non-faculty employees - will rise by 13 percent.

Given that the budget is preliminary, there is still time to change what is being cut. Hochman noted that “we have a little bit a wiggle room here” to look at some things more closely, and welcomed public feedback for keeping items. However, he cautioned that if folks want to save items, then there would need to be a change to something else to achieve savings.

School board members, certainly not happy with the nature of the cuts, supported the way in which the administration has handled the budget process.

Board President Susan Wollin said, “This has been particularly difficult,” but thanked officials for their work.

Board member Jennifer Gerken described the situation as "unfortunatey" while also being appreciative of the strategy.

Fellow board member Suzanne Grant, felt the cuts were "tough," but added that they seem “even handed to me.”

One of the few bright spots, however, was non-property tax revenue, which is expected to come in at around $9.6 million, above a figure of about $9.1 million that was previously anticipated. Non-property tax items include things such as state aid and sales tax revenue.

While changes to the proposed budget can be made in the next month or so, the school board is slated decide on April 10 on sending a budget to the voters. A referendum on the budget, along with elections for three school board seats, is scheduled for May 21.

Photos of presentation slides showing the specific job cuts are attached.