B U F F A L O N E W S www.buffalonews.com
Cuts to education spending at the state and federal levels have caused widespread fiscal woes in Western New York. Grand Island is no different.
Highlighting Monday’s meeting of the School Board was a discussion of the Grand Island district’s budgetary situation, which has been negatively affected by the current economic downturn.
Like many other school districts in Western New York, the present fiscal pains and potential future cuts to services and personnel have been attributed to a decrease in school aid from the state and federal governments. The Grand Island school district is anticipating a $1.5 million shortfall in state funds for the upcoming school year’s budget.
“This could potentially be a very different school district next year,” said Superintendent Richard Christmann. “It’s unfortunate because the students will be the ones getting the short end of the stick if we have to make major cuts.”
Grand Island is preparing for a budgetary gap that could reach as much as $3 million. The district is also bracing itself for significant reductions in education spending in the proposed federal stimulus package before it clears the Senate.
“That federal money could have been incredibly helpful to school districts like Grand Island throughout the state,” Christmann said. “But as it stands, the money is not there.”
The Board began preliminary discussions of possible cuts to be made, emphasizing that no ideas were currently set in stone. Such ideas included cuts in staffing, increases in class sizes, and reductions in the duration of athletic seasons.
“These issues are not just in this district, it’s all over the nation,” said board member Neil Seaman. “We have to plan for the worst-case scenario.”