Budget Saving Ideas
Community Funding Question
All ideas shared focused on reducing costs without taking away from our high academic programs at each school and were developed by a concerned group of active parents with children from grades K through 12.
1. Run a full day Kindergarten program out of Washington Drive Primary that parents pay for as done in other schools.
Response: Under the Education Law, the District is obligated to provide a free public education to all persons between the ages of five (5) and twenty-one (21) who reside within the District, have not received a high school diploma, and are entitled to attend school. Payment for full day kindergarten is not permissible.
2. Give credit for PE class for students participating in a JV sport in the quarter they participate as done in other schools. Students would not have PE in that Quarter. The child is practicing everyday anyway and this will lessen the amount of PE classes needed.
RESPONSE: The Section 135.4 of the Commissioner’s Regulations requires a school district to provide a physical education curriculum meeting the specific regulations or an alternative curriculum approved by the Commissioner of Education. The proposed alternative does not meet the Commissioner’s requirements.
3. Increase High School Busing distance to 2-3 miles along with adding pressure in negotiations with Busing Companies.
RESPONSE: In order to change a school district’s transportation mileage policy, it must submit the matter to the voters for their approval. Appeal of McColgan, et al., Decision No. 15,650, 47 Educ. Dep’t Rep. ___ (2007) citing Education Law § 3635(1)(a).
4. Lower the heat in HHS and OMS. Several students and parents complain during the year.
RESPONSE: There is a Minimum Temperature for Schools that is required to be maintained. The minimum temperature in occupied buildings is 65 degrees and it must be maintained from September 15th through May 31st. This is a requirement of the Property Maintenance Code of New York State, Section 602.4. Buildings with ongoing construction projects must also meet this requirement for occupied portions of their buildings where there are students and/or staff. (http://www.p12.nysed.gov/facplan/Newsletter/Newsletter_66.html)
5. Eliminate Library at the High School level only.
RESPONSE: This is not legally permissible because the Commissioner’s Regulations at Section 91.1 provide: “A school library shall be established and maintained in each school.”
6. Consider only 2 counselors at OMS.
RESPONSE: Staffing is at the discretion of the Board, subject to a demand for impact bargaining.
7. Privatize the Custodial responsibilities.
RESPONSE: The District may be obliged to negotiate the subcontracting of work typically performed by members of one of the various bargaining units. To determine whether the subcontracting of unit work constitutes a mandatory subject of bargaining, the District must first inquire as to whether the work to be performed had been done by unit members exclusively. Second, the District must determine whether the reassigned tasks are substantially similar to those previously performed by unit members. “If both questions are answered in the affirmative, an employer is obligated to negotiate the transfer of such work.” Matter of CSEA and Garden City UFSD, supra.
Although we have not conducted a complete analysis, it is likely that custodial services have been performed exclusively by UPSEU employees for at least seven years and that this same work will be performed by a private contractor hired by the District. The parties’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) gives the District the right to “transfer operations”. However, it does not expressly address “unilateral contracting” by the District. Art. III. We would have to perform further research on the CBA issue. However, it is likely that this item would have to be bargained with UPSEU.
8. Replace student clubs taught by teachers at TJL by reputable organizations that charge admission. Maintain before school timing and lottery system, if necessary. Examples would be Chessmates, Mad Science, and independent art courses. Review similar opportunities at OMS and HHS.
RESPONSE: Extracurricular and extra pay positions are listed in an appendix to the Teachers’ contract. Additional research is required before we can opine as to whether subcontracting must be negotiated.
9. Cut school concerts at TJL to once per year reducing morning practice to half the year. Perhaps Orchestra in December and Band in May.
RESPONSE: This is at the Board’s discretion.
10. Redefine class parent roles at primary and elementary level to include volunteering hours in class to compensate for increased class size. Request Library volunteers - parents or retirees. Provide ½ day training on rules/ regulation and confidentiality agreements. Allow teachers to evaluate progress.
RESPONSE: This would have to be negotiated with the Teachers’ Union. (See response to Number 7). More information is required with regard to the role of the volunteers (e.g. are they acting like teaching assistants or aides).
11. Eliminate teams at the 7th and 8th grade levels. Provide similar structure as in HS. However, there was a strong feeling that 6th graders still needed the team environment.
RESPONSE: We would need to investigate this issue to determine whether negotiations are required.
12. Work with Get the Vote Out Committee to start a letter writing campaign for our District and Long Island Schools to get our fair share.
RESPONSE: We would need to review the specifics of any letter writing campaign before we can render an opinion as to whether this is a proper use of District funds.