Editor,
The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused global
economic devastation not seen since the great depression with business closures
and historic unemployment in the U.S. Some estimates predict that 20% or more
of small businesses will fail. Consumer confidence has plummeted. A deep
recession is unavoidable.
New York State revenues have and obviously will continue to
be exponentially less than pre-COVID-19. The Governor himself has stated that
the State’s budget has been shattered.
State school aid in the recently approved NYS budget is
essentially flat from last fiscal year but includes provisions that gives the
Governor unilateral power to adjust local district state aid payments depending
on State revenues. Various media have recently carried pieces in which several
area school administrators expressed concern over anticipated state aid for the
2020-2021 school year. Only the most oblivious would believe that state school
aid will remain at historic levels.
Rural NYS public schools that are heavily dependent on state
aid obviously must make dramatic reductions in their proposed budgets to be
presented in the delayed budget votes now scheduled for June. Inter-scholastic
sports and administrative positions occupied by people with many letters after
their name must be eliminated. Teaching positions that exist due to the
perpetuation of the myth that ever-smaller class sizes improve educational
outcomes also must be eliminated. Any potential capital projects and capital
projects previously approved but not yet bid must be stopped.
In the longer term, novel approaches such as a three-day
school week with work from home by electronic means the other two days must be
explored. Also, regional consolidation of rural public schools must occur to
further reduce administration and excess facilities as NYS rural school census
counts have plummeted over the years.
These changes will be a bitter pill for many to swallow.
Welcome to the new reality.
--s--Thomas E. Bower
Fillmore, NY
