Transcript Potsdam Central School District

State of Our Schools
2014-15
Governor Cuomo & State
Budget
Gap Elimination Adjustment
(GEA)
Employee Benefits
Lack of Mandate Relief
Tax Cap Law
Common Core Implementation
Annual Professional Performance
Review (APPR)
Data Privacy
Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act
 Governor Cuomo’s Plan would increase school aid by
$807 million or 3.8% but year-over-year increase for base
education aid is actually 3.1% or $607 million (rate of
personal income growth)
 Freezes Foundation Aid and provides $323 million to
reduce the $1.6 billion Gap Elimination Adjustment
 Tax Rebate Plan—provides property tax rebate in first
year for municipalities which stay at or below tax cap;
second year rebates based on municipalities reducing
budget by at least 1% through shared services and
consolidations.
 The Board of Regents requested $1.3 billion in
additional school aid
 The Educational Conference Board (comprised of the
major statewide education associations, including
NYSSBA) determined that $1.5 billion in new state aid
would be needed for school districts to meet the
requirements of the tax levy cap without gutting
educational programs and services
 Joint group of 80 members of the State Assembly and
Senate joined together to call for an additional $1.9
billion in state education spending this year
 The State Budget added $1.1 billion or $500 million
over Governor’s proposal for aid to education. Overall
a 5% increase in aid to schools with a larger share to
reduce Gap Elimination Adjustments.
 Foundation Aid increased by $250 million while GEA
restoration was $602 million. However, there remains
$1 billion in GEA which is shortchanging schools.
 For Potsdam Central School, the additional state aid
amounted to approximately $301,119 over the previous
proposal from Governor Cuomo. The GEA restoration
is $355,470 compared $680,139 in 2013-14. PCS’ GEA
will remain at $1,229,351
 PCS still receives less aid from the state than in 2008-
09 by approximately $430,000.
 Does not overcome the over $10 million that has been
lost to the District over the last six years due to the
GEA.
 Using $2,096,420 in fund balance and reserves which
is up $491,420 from last year; otherwise we would need
to cut this out of our budget which would be 7-8
employees.
 State budget contains $300 million for full-day
prekindergarten expansion in New York City and $40
million elsewhere in the state.
 Full funding of BOCES, Building, Special
Education and Transportation Aid at an increase
of $267 million.
 Does not include the education investment tax
credit sought by private school advocates.
 Tax Rebate checks will be provided next year to
residential property taxpayers with incomes of
up to $500,000 in districts which adopt tax
increases within their levy limit.
The freeze would continue for a second
year. Districts would again be required to
adopt a levy increase within their levy limit
and submit a plan demonstrating three year
savings equal to at least 1 percent from
consolidation, shared services and other
efficiencies.
Budget proposes a $2 billion "smart schools"
referendum in November to provide funding
for technology upgrades.
The Potsdam CSD has lost over $10 million in state aid since the
advent of Gap Elimination Adjustments, resulting in per-pupil
cuts that are among the highest in the state:
GAP/Deficit Reduction Assessment
School Year
GEA Reduction
2009-10
$919,632
2010-11
$1,927,095
2011-12
$2,562,183
2012-13
$2,264,960
2013-14
$1,584,821
2014-2015
$1,229,351
Total
$10,488,042
Per-Pupil Cut
$7,856
$13,000,000
$12,500,000
$12,000,000
$11,500,000
$11,000,000
$10,500,000
$10,000,000
$9,500,000
$9,000,000
$12,146,540
2008-09
$11,712,962
2014-15 (proposed)
Change in School Aid 2008-09 to 2014-15: (-$433,578) or (-3.56%)
(excluding Building Aids)
Source: New York State Council of Superintendents
2013-14
2014-15
(Projected)
Cost of Various Plans
Individual-$8,064
Two Person- $16,128
Family- $20,952
Individual- $8,628
Two Person- $17,256
Family- $22,416
Administration Costs
$180,853
$190,042
#/Cost for Employees
181 / $2,473,782
181 / $2,797,028
#/Cost for Retirees
184 / $2,169,528
184 / $2,361,845
Cost of Medicare Part B
$222,871
$251,969
Employee Contributions $ $240,991
$283,683
Value of additional 1%
premium contribution
$27,347
$29,994
$563,827
$615,120
Estimated Value of Plan
Change
 Directs the Commissioner to impose restrictions on
pre-kindergarten through grade 2 testing and a cap on
total time spent testing.
 Test scores will not be included in permanent student
records for grades 3-8 and students with disabilities
will now be tested at their developmental, rather than
their chronological age.
 Increases the number of questions released after each
exam.
 Calls for more educating of parents and the
community about the Common Core.
 NYSUT requested a three year moratorium on the
use of student test scores in performance reviews.
 The state did not impose a moratorium, but
Governor Cuomo appears to be reevaluating this
decision.
 Student test scores can not be used as a primary
factor in making student promotion or placement
decisions.
 APPR plan revisions attempting to reduce testing
time will receive an expedited approval process.
 SED will create transparency reports that detail all
tests administered in each district.
 The state will employ a “chief privacy officer” to ensure
the protection of student identifying information.
Parents will now have a Bill of Rights created by SED
and posted on district websites.
 The use of third party providers like InBloom was
rejected, but the Regional Information Centers of
BOCES may be used by the state to house student
data. Individual school districts may continue to
contract with third party providers, while the state is
prohibited from doing so.
 Lack of mandate relief will continue to increase
budget costs.
 The GEA, inequitable state funding, and tax cap will
reduce fund balances, cause cuts in staffing/programs,
and lead to insolvency in some districts.
 There will be continued pressure for consolidations
despite the lack of tools provided by the state to merge
schools. Ex. Regional high schools.
 Schools will continue to find ways to improve student
achievement in the face of adversity.
The Capstoner Project is not simply a Senior Project – it’s a
series of activities and tasks completed over three years that
will, hopefully allow the student to:
 Learn about themselves – their interests and their strengths
 Discover a passion
 See the relevancy in what they are learning in school
 Apply “real-world” skills
 Learn more about potential career fields
 Build their resume – students will have something real to
talk about during the college interview process!
 Provide our Seaway Tech. students with an opportunity to
showcase what they’ve learned.
 Counteract “Senioritis”
 Provide opportunities for staff to build relationships with
students
22. “The content of the curriculum, where practical, should
connect to real-life applications of knowledge and skills to help
students link their education to the future.”
24. “The academic program will extend beyond the high school
campus to take advantage of learning opportunities for all
students that support and extend academic learning.”
28. “Teachers will be adept at acting as coaches and facilitators
to promote more active involvement of students in their own
learning.”
 Guidance-related activities spread over the four years of
high school.
 Research papers each year so that students may
demonstrate research and writing skills
 A job shadowing experience to explore and practice
applicable careers and skills
 A portfolio to catalogue tasks, record reflective thinking and
insights, as well as demonstrate responsibility for learning as
work progresses through the entire process (still under
development)
 A product created through the use of knowledge and
skills in a meaningful way to accomplish a goal
 An oral presentation, during which students become a
source of information communicating their project work
before a review panel comprised of community
members, school representatives, and, possibly, younger
students
 Plan and execute an emergency drill for the HS in
collaboration with the Potsdam Police Department.
 Complete an energy audit of the High School
 Organize a photography show.
 Design a child care center to specifications
 Create and deliver an educational program on the
prevention of head injuries.
 Develop a business plan and initiate a school coffee
shop.
 Began in 2012 by parents concerned about cuts in
school funding.
 Collaboration with Clarkson University and Northern
New York Community Foundation.
 Since its inception, the group has raised close to
$200,000 to support the District. Over the last two
years, some of these fund have been distributed to
staff for various projects and equipment.
 Led to the creation of the Youth Philanthropy Council
which will distribute $10,000 per year to organizations
who assist worthy causes.