District 24 budget hinges on state aid

District 24 school officials are hoping that the state comes through with more aid next year, after disappointing numbers in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s preliminary state budget, which was released in January.

The budget is expected to be finalized on April 1, and the District 24 Board of Education would adopt its budget on April 9. Until then, Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale said, the proposed 2014-15 spending plan is in limbo. “I wish I knew more at this point,” he said.

Under the governor’s proposal, District 24’s state aid would rise by less than 1 percent. The district would receive $5.36 million next year, an increase of $47,000. Fale said that is significantly less than what district officials were expecting, and also far below the increases given to the other Valley Stream districts.

Fale said that a boost in state aid is needed to stave off program reductions. Traditionally, the State Legislature has always given more to schools than the governor, so, Fale explained, waiting for a finalized budget before moving ahead is a prudent move.

“Not having the state aid that we expected would result in various cuts throughout the budget,” he said. “There is a gap between our actual projected revenue and what we would need revenue to be to continue to run the educational program that we would like to.”

Last week, Fale went to Albany and met with Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages (D-Elmont) and a representative of Assemblyman Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook). Elected officials will also be in Valley Stream on Saturday for the annual PTA Legislative Breakfast. Fale said he is hoping they come through for the children of District 24.

Board of Education Vice President Donna LaRocco said she is concerned about the prospect of making cuts. She noted that in her five years on the board, she has never seen a year in which the financial situation is as perilous as it is this year in District 24.

“We’re hoping for more state aid,” LaRocco said. “The more state aid we get, the less things we have to cut. We just want to try to maintain all of our instructional programs.”