The Scarsdale School Budget: Every Dollar Counts

$1.5 Million. That’s the estimated shortfall in the 2012-13 Scarsdale School budget if Scarsdale complies with the New York State 2% tax cap. $1.5 Million, you may shrug. Surely they can cut here and there to get to that figure. It’s practically a rounding error when it comes to a $134 million budget for the school district. (I’d search which countries have smaller GDP’s, but Wikipedia is down today. Thanks, SOPA).

When you listen to residents’ comments about how cuts in the budget this year have already affected their children’s education, it’s starting to look like every dollar counts.

That was a big theme at Wednesday’s Board of Education Community Budget Forum. Individually each grievance expressed at the meeting may have been a frustration or a set back for the student or family involved, but taken as a whole, it’s a troubling trend that will likely get worse if there isn’t a tax cap override.

The Scarsdale School District has cut 13.2 teaching positions since 2008 from attrition and has not replaced staff. These eliminations were across the board at all of the schools -- but the High School has felt it the most.

This is the case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. Last year parents of elementary school children came out in droves to oppose increasing class sizes. So, the high school, where parents were perhaps not as vocal, bore the brunt of the reductions.

Several parents at Wednesday’s meeting lamented that class sizes in the high school are getting out of hand. They talk of not enough desks for the kids in certain electives forcing students to sit on the windowsills during class. One mother said her child got shut out of AT Physics. The parents blamed these problems on the district’s failure to replace retiring teachers. “We shouldn’t be applauding that we were able to save all this money from attrition,” said one woman, “it’s coming at a cost to our childrens’ education.” Dr. McGill said he was going to look into the matter of the AT class to determine whether it was closed due to the limited number of teachers or for another reason. But the feeling was that it was due to the teacher losses.

Therein lies the essential argument either for or against the tax cap override. Since $1.5 million is relatively low compared to the initial estimated $8 million gap, a resident may figure these are problems we can learn to live with. As one resident at the meeting said, the tax cap can provide some discipline to our budget process and spur some serious discussions about teacher pay.

While he was in the clear minority in the room on Wednesday, he may speak for many others in town.

Alternatively, it becomes a death by a thousand cuts. Larger classes, students shut out of advanced courses, the loss of music programs or FLES, and so on.

There will be a lot of complaining and frustration but life will continue. But that’s 2012.

And the tax cap isn’t a one-time thing. The loss will be compounded. We are down just over 1% if the override doesn’t pass this year but that can be 2-3% the following year and so on until it snowballs into something much larger.

There was a lot of preaching to the choir on Wednesday morning. Many who attended were involved in the PTA or other organizations that support the schools. If the budget vote (which is slated for Tuesday May 15th) happened in that room on Wednesday, the override would win by a landslide. It’s unclear if the larger community feels the same way. Most people move to Scarsdale for the schools. The district’s commitment to excellence and the statistics that McGill and the Board present are nothing short of remarkable. Even with this high tax rate the numbers are extraordinary. 99% of last year’s graduating class went on to 4-year colleges, 62% of which were rated “most competitive.” That puts Scarsdale in the top fraction of 1% of schools in the nation. The teachers are clearly doing their job and doing it well.

Still, these are tough times and living within our means isn’t just a platitude it’s a necessity. Governor Andrew Cuomo has been vilified at these meetings for bringing about this ‘draconian’ tax cap plan. I think that Cuomo may have thrown the baby out with the bath water with this bill, but he has done a lot of good for the state. I know I’m in an ever shrinking minority today, but I’d like to think I can have a different opinion from someone without thinking they are evil or an idiot. I know, I’m nuts.

I see the point of having stricter discipline when it comes to school spending, but if you look at how the board lays out its case for where the money goes, any more cuts and your kids will start to feel it and will continue to. With very young children, and one who hasn’t even started school, that gives me a sinking feeling.

Many of the people at the meeting on Wednesday are pretty plugged in to what’s happening in Scarsdale and in the schools. Others in town, due to work, or their life stage or by choice are decidedly less informed. That’s fine.

If you want to know more about what’s at stake, check out the district’s plans and educational approach on its website Even if you don’t have children in the schools you will not only be impressed but likely proud of where you live. Scarsdale is a unique town. The schools are truly superb. Even if you don’t agree with a tax-cap override, read up on what the schools are doing and are planning. At least you won’t wave your hand and say, bah, they take enough of my money. You’ll see where the money is going. It may not change your mind, but hopefully it will.

Jen is a freelance journalist who has covered the economy and markets for over a decade at a major financial news outlet. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband and 2 children. Jen has yet to bake a successful batch of cookies.

(Photo credit top: Nan Berke)