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Avon Advocacy Letter To ·Y\.von Centra{ScfiooCs 191 Clinton Street ·Avon, New York 14414-1495 Bruce D. Arney, Superintendent (585) 226-2455 Rodney George, Board of Education President Kristen A. Murphy, Business Manager William LaBine, Vice-President Barbara F. Zelazny, High School Principal James Colt Jennifer K. Miller, Middle School Principal www.avoncsdorg Robert DeBruycker Robert T. Lupisella, Primary School Principal Kristi Hughes Kerstin Wheeler, Director of Pupil Services, Curriculum, and Instruction December 5, 2011 The Honorable Andrew Cuomo New York State Govemor NYS Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo: I am writing on behalf of the children in my district and all NYS children who reside in lower wealth districts. We are in desperate need of your position and influence to drive some changes home. In your first year as Govemor, you have made significant imoads into some long-standing sacred cows; I implore you, on behalf of the children to address another sacred cow ... that being funding for public education. Since the 2008-2009 school year the budget within my district has increased a total of $225,279, which translates into an average aruma! budget increase of0.4%. My Board of Education strives to provide the children of our community the best possible education and program opportunities the "community can afford." In the difficult fiscal times, the Board has done its best to hold the line on spending increases while being confronted with mandated increases in pension contributions, mandates in Special Education along with their associated costs that exceed those required under federal law, and increased costs in employee benefits. Over the past two school years, to cover the costs of our budget, the tax levy has needed to increase on average 5.1 %. During those years we also had Federal Jobs Act.money and ARRA funds to help offset even greater tax levy increases. Since the 2008-2009 school year our State Aid for Education has not increased at all; it is the exact same amount this year as it was in 2008-2009. My Board and I understand your commitment to bring State spending under control and, frankly, we applaud it. We understand that there is no additional money that can be allocated for education. However, what is a travesty borne solely ofpolitical expedience and amoral greed is the manner in which State Aid for Education is distributed. The children who live in lower wealth distdcts need you to use your bully pulpit to force the change necessary in the funding fonnula tlu·ough the Legislature so that Education Aid flows to the districts that need it and not to the wealthy districts. I do not receive food stamps mid I would venture to guess that you do not either; you and I do not qualify for them and so we are not entitled to them. Food Stamps and other fonns of public assistance were designed for those who truly need them. Our culture is rife with those persons who will try to get what they don't deserve by means of deception a11d :fi·aud. State Education Aid was designed to help the State meet its constitutional responsibility to ensure that all children have the opportunity to receive a "sound basic education." Whereas the definition of what a "sound basic education" truly requires, the fact is, a district whose combined wealth ratio (CWR) is 1.8 (Northp01i and Rockville Centre) or 2.0 (Tuckahoe) or 5.1 (Sag Harbor) shouldn't receive any State Aid; they shouldn't be entitled to it because £earning for a Lifetime they clearly do not qualify for it. These districts can provide a "sound basic education" without the need for State Aid. There are many districts whose CWR is less than 1.0 ... these are the districts that should be receiving the aid. I envy districts that can provide for their students four AP Art classes, AP Music Theory, Intemational Baccalaureate programs, multiple perfonning arts groups, four AP Science courses, five AP Social Studies courses, science electives such as genetics, oceanography and marine biology, multiple technology and business education strands ... but if districts can offer these, should they qualify for State Aid? My district cannot afford to offer these kinds of programs to our students. Again, I think it is wonderful that some districts can provide for their children at this level ... but if they can, do they then still qualify for State Aid ... for public assistance ... for food stamps? In these tough fiscal times, wealthy districts might have to cut back on a modified sports team or some field trips while' many low wealth districts are considering canceling kindergarten. The entire "shares" legislation for distribution of State Aid is unconscionable home from greed. Geography within the State should have no bearing on the amount of aid received; the formula should be based on wealth and those that are wealthy should not be entitled to receive the aid. The mission statement of our district is to "Develop life-long leamers and responsible citizens equipped to prosper in the global society"; key word "prosper" emphasized. Our goal is not to prepare them to get by, to do 'just enough", but to "prosper". I believe, stated in different ways, most schools have similar mission statements. I am ce1iain that this is what you envision for all the children in NYS; that all of them will be prepared to "prosper". We both know that if our next generations are prepared to prosper than NYS will once again shine as the Empire State. All children will never have all the same opportunities ... I get that. However, if the aid that the State provides for education is appropriately allocated to the districts of low wealth and not handed out to districts of higher wealth who shouldn't be entitled to receive it, more districts will be able to provide opp01iunities for more children so that more will be prepared to prosper and NYS will be more prosperous. A colleague of mine once stated that when it comes to a child's education there are no "do-overs". They ca1mot go back. We must do everything in our power to prepare all children to prosper today; our children ca1mot afford to wait another day. My Board is focused on preparing our children to prosper; my excellent staff of teachers and administrators is focused on preparing our children to prosper. However, we can only control so much. As I stated above, we have controlled our spending and our community has supported our programs. However, it is time for the inequities in State funding to be challenged and changed. I believe you are the leader who can make that happen. It will take you and your office to stand and say, "Enough is enough" with the State Aid formula. Legislators of wealthy districts do not have the will to do what is right and just if it means less for their legislative districts. Only you, Governor, can push this to make it happen. It is only right and good if every New York child has the opportunity. It will not cost a dime more in education funding to reallocate the dollars where they need to go ... from the wealthy districts to the low wealth districts. But it needs you to make it happen. Every child in this State is counting on you, Govemor, to do what is right. Thank you! Ifl can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at (585) 226-2455, ext. 1318 or at [email protected]. Sincerely, --;) "':\ ~ Bruce D. Arney ~ ~ JJ · Superintendent The Impact of the Governor's GEA on Four Similar Schools Tuckahoe Bellmore Rhinebeck Dutchess A enrollment Combined Wealth Ratio 2.082 B 185 C total budget cost/student $ 32,824.00 23,607.30 D 2011-12 State Aid $ 1,439,173 3,332,297 State Aid as a % of budget 4.53% 12.00% E 2010-11 GEA $ (738,638) $ (552,144) GEA as a % of budget 2.40% 1.99% F 2010-11 tax levy $ 21,302,660 $ 23,341,654 GEA as a % of tax levy 3.47% 2.37% G per pupil loss in funding $ 1,364.38 648.50 $ 469.51 due to GEA (E I A) 60.00% ,---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State Aid as a % of total budget 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% +---------------------~~--------------------------------------------------------- 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Cal Mum Warsaw Avon Sag Harbor Tuckahoe Bellmore Rockville Brighton Pittsford Northport Centre . I ,. GEA as a% of Budget/Levy Rich School versus Poor School Tax Cap Comparison How NY's two percent tax cap impacts two school districts Both schools have an annual budget of $20 million Wealthy School District A Poor School District B (plenty of commercial businesses, (little commercial business; above average home values; residents low to moderate home values; with significant income) residents with low to moderate income) 20% of budget from state aid 80% of budget from state aid 80% of budget locally funded 20% of budget locally funded District A can raise $320,000 District B can raise only $80,000 under the 2% tax cap under the 2% tax cap (2% of$16 million) (2% of$4 million) to sustain its considerable to support its basic educational offerings educational offerings We all agree that New York's taxes are way too high but this is not a good solution. Tell Albany to find a better way to finance schools. Protect our children's right to a sound education! The Governor and lawmakers must: • Provide a state aid formula that recognizes the community's ability to support its school district • Pass laws that eliminate costly mandates • Address the reasons for the expenses school districts face that cause budgets to escalate The state has cut school funding from both ends - state aid and local property taxes - disproportionately affecting our smaller, rural schools the most The Honorable Daniel J.
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