School Budget Voter's Guide

June 15 is the second go-round for Katonah Lewisboro voters. Following the defeat of their first budget on May 18, the board of education adopted a modified spending plan which totals $109,281,408, represents a 1.36 budget-to-budget increase and shaves off an additional $1.75 million in cuts.

The modified spending plan includes an overall tax levy increase of 1.86 percent, representing a tax rate increase of 7.45 percent in Bedford, 1.22 percent for Lewisboro, and .56 percent in Pound Ridge. The tax rate drops in North Salem by 2.75 percent.

The proposed budget

The board of education addressed voter concerns about administrative costs through the reduction of one teacher supervisor position. The district reorganized existing administrative staff to include three assistant principals at the high school, two at the midde school, and one each at Lewisboro and Katonah Elementary School. Meadow Pond and Increase Miller Elementary schools will have teacher supervisors supporting their principals next year.

Other administrative savings wrapped into the previous budget include the deferred hiring of a Director of Technology position, which will be performed by the assistant superintendent of human resources, and the elimination of the principal for cultural arts and Project SAVE.

Classroom cuts amount to some 22 teachers across the district. Some cuts were a reflection of enrollment adjustments, given the more accurate data available to the administration later in the budget process. Some elementary class sizes were increased; the range is now 18-25.

Other cuts were a result of programmatic changes including the elimination of the elementary foreign language program. Reductions at the middle and high school were made across disciplines--including English, math, social studies and world language. About three positions are cut across the district from art, music and physical education.

Other teacher support positions are reduced, including 3.5 positions in academic coaches and staff developers, whose responsibilities will be assumed by building administrators, as well as about 9 clerical positions.

A major savings was realized through adopting a triple-tripping bus system. The plan reduced ten buses from the rotation, and eliminates six school bus driver positions.

Middle schoolers will start their day 15 minutes earlier, at 7:30 a.m., with a 2:07 p.m. dismissal. Pick-up times will remain about the same. High school students will arrive 30 minutes later than they do now, at 8:15 a.m.; dismissal will be at 2:57 p.m. The elementary bell shifts to 9:15 a.m. and 3:40 p.m.

If it fails

If the budget is defeated, a contingency budget will be adopted. The contingency for this year is set by the state at $107,679,070, and would require an additional $1.6 million in cuts.

Final decisions would not be made unless the budget was voted down, but potential proposals include cutting the middle school team teaching, further reductions in elementary music and art instruction and the elimination of sixth grade foreign language. The special education chairperson could be eliminated, along with a secondary guidance counselor.

The teacher supervisors would likely be cut, along with the modified sports program at the middle school. Non-required maintenance would be deferred, and salary increases would not be awarded to non-union employees.

Bedford would still see a tax hike under a contingency situation, of 5.68 percent, while rates in other towns would go down: Lewisboro by .45 percent, North Salem by 4.36 percent, and Pound Ridge by 1.10 percent.

See our previous coverage here:

• K-L Superintendent Proposes 2.58% Budget Increase
• Parents Raise New Questions on School Budget
• Discussion of Administrative Costs in District
• Board Adopts Budget with 2.98% Increase
• K-L Budget Meeting Preview and Exit Survey Results
• One Step Closer to a Revised Budget
• Board Adopts Budget with 1.36% Increase
• Letter to the Editor: Tripple Tripping

Polls will be open on Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Increase Miller Elementary School, Katonah Elementary School, Lewisboro Elementary School and Meadow Pond Elementary School.