A DO-IT-YOURSELF SURVEY TO HELP YOU GET INVOLVED

BY GIANNA VITALE

A link to download this story follows this story.

Under Governor Patterson’s proposed budget, 99 percent of school districts in New York will receive less money for education in the upcoming school year compared to this year.

Assemblyman Robert Reilly, who represents Colonie in Albany County and Clifton Park and Halfmoon in Saratoga County, explains that the Governor wants to cut $1.4 billion from a $32 billion total education budget, a 2.1% reduction.

The Assembly wants to cut $800 million, which would mean restoring $600 million, and the Senate agrees, Reilly says.

School districts have to complete their budgets even though the State’s budget hasn’t passed, so many of them are preparing for the worst, which is a statewide cut of $1.4 billion.

“School districts around here are making painful cuts,” Reilly says.

SPEAK UP FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Caroline Boardman, the public information officer for the Enlarged City School District of Troy, says that students need to be a part of the discussion and decision process.

Boardman says districts look at numbers and statistics to see what isn’t necessary and what students are less interested in.That means we need to tell decision makers what we would prefer to cut and keep.

WHAT TO DO NOW
“Shortchanging Students: How the State Budget Crisis Will Change Our Schools,” a survey released by the New York State Council of School Superintendents and the New York School Boards Association, says the items below are possible outcomes of the proposed budget cuts.

Encourage your classmates to take this survey and give it to the adult who will vote for the budget in your district. This will help students to have their voices heard. All you have to do is rank the eight possible money-saving solutions in the order you think is best.  For example, write a number “1” next to the solution you would prefer to happen first and an “8” next to the solution you think should be a last resort.

Next, cut out the form and give it to your parent or guardian before the statewide budget vote on May 18th, and tell them how important it is to vote!

Download the survey here