1. 2014-15
Superintendent’s
Proposed Budget
Presented by:
Ray Sanchez, Superintendent of Schools
Alita McCoy Zuber, Assistant Superintendent for Business
Board of Education Meeting 2.12.14
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2. 2014-15 Budget Strategies for Ensuring Student
Achievement with Equitable Outcomes for All
O Avoid educational insolvency by continuing advocacy
efforts to increase Foundation Aid that Ossining is
legally entitled to receive, which is projected to be an
additional $7M in 2014-15.
O Continue to maintain transparency through surveys,
informational meetings and Community Budget
Advisory Committee efforts.
O Continue to evaluate opportunities for sustainable
budget savings and slowing expenditure growth.

3. Ossining Pride
O
O
O
O
O
O
Recognition by Intel as having the top High School for math and science in the nation in 2012.
Commitment to Early Childhood education through:
Privately funded First Steps program has served 2,400+ children ages 0 – 3 years old since 2002.
O
Grant and locally funded Pre-K program that educates over 250 students per year.
O
Grant funded literacy program that has served 600+ adults during a four-year period.
O
Dual Language programs available in all district schools.
Plan to partner with local universities to develop curriculum aligned with the P-Tech model.
Reputation as the “Best Community for Music Education” for three consecutive years.
Supportive student-focused community- the Ossining Matters Education Foundation has given
approximately $750,000 to support District programs and technology initiatives.
O
ATHLETICS: 2013 NYS Girls Basketball Champions, 2013 NYS Champion Wrestler, 70 ScholarAthlete Teams over the past four years
O
Developing Community Learning Center intended to offer students and community members with
a perpetual learning environment that leverages partnerships with local businesses, municipalities,
not-for-profit organizations and the availability of district facilities to provide a financially selfsustaining learning center isolated from school budget & tax levy implications.
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4. Continuum of Insolvency: Impact of NYS Tax Cap
Adapted from NYS Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS)
EDUCATIONALLY
SOLVENT
Both mandated & nonmandated programs
provided for a sound,
basic education
Field Trips
TIPPING POINT
EDUCATIONAL
INSOLVENCY
Systemic erosion of capacity
without structural redesign;
elimination of both mandated
and non-mandated programs
Insolvency is exposed and verified
by consistently poor ratings using
the state accountability system for
five or more years.
OHS Health Elective
Teaching
Assistants
EROSION OF CAPACITY
Funds restricted to fulfilling
mandates & contractual
obligations; elimination of nonmandated programs begins
Elementary
Enrichment
Library Media
Specialists
After School
Programs
CONCEALED
INSOLVENCY
Technical fiscal solvency but
educationally unsound basic
education as reflected by
state testing, standards, &
graduation rates.
Modified Sports
ELA / Math
Coach(es)
FISCAL INSOLVENCY
No funds available to make
payroll, pay debt, or keep
other contractual
obligations

5. Significant, Sustainable Savings*
$15.6
Transportation
Health
General Govt.
$11.4
$12.4
$11.2
$11.1
$10.7
$8.7
$6.6
$6.9
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
We have dissected every non-instructional area in search of efficiency, economies of scale
and expense reductions. We successfully reversed the trajectory of health, administrative
and transportation expense growth back toward 2009 levels.
*Source: www.openbookny.org
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6. More Significant, Sustainable Savings
• Identified $4.6 million in Capital improvements with no
budget impact through an Energy Performance Contract
(EPC).
• Received $1 million in competitive grants.
• Negotiated Tri-borough for Teacher & Administrator
Contracts including no increases in upcoming years.
• Saved $1.2 million over 12 years by re-financing bonds.
• $45 million capital project with no increase to the tax levy.
• Re-structured and reduced Central Administration positions
with savings of over $250K
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7. Slower Tax Levy Growth
14%
11.70%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
2.92%
0%
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
Tax Levy growth has declined sharply over the past eight years;
resulting in significant program cuts.
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8. Foundation Aid Per Pupil
$4,000
$3,000
$3,800
$2,343
$2,000
$1,000
$1,546
$1,550
$0
-$1,000
-$793
-$2,000
-$2,259
-$3,000
Year
2008
2009
Actual
2010
NYSED
2011
2012
2013
Lost FA per TAFPU
2014
If Foundation Aid was funded in accordance with the last phase-in
schedule, Ossining should receive an additional $7.5 million in the 2014-15
school year.
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9. Governor's 2014-15 Budget Proposal:
Ossining’s Needs not Addressed
Foundation Aid (FA)
O
O
O
Despite significant advocacy efforts from the community & the Budget Advisory
Committee the Governor’s budget proposes no change to FA
Ossining Foundation Aid per pupil will decrease to $1,546 per pupil in 2014-15, which
is lower than the 2007-08 FA per pupil allocation.
Lawsuit against NYS expanded with large groups throughout the State1
Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA):
O
Intended to provide districts with increasing student needs and enrollment only gives
OUFSD an additional $60K .
Ossining Aid Increase ($812K):
O
O
O
O
O
1Class
BOCES Aid (Aid ratio and anticipated expense increases)
High Cost Excess Cost (Aid ratio and anticipated expense increases)
Transportation aid is decreasing year-to-year due to lower estimated expenses.
Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) Restoration: $395K ($211k for new GEA formula +
$184k for enrollment increases. Net change to the GEA Restoration line is $64k.
Building Aid (Aid ratio and anticipated expense increases)
Size Matters * NYC Parents Union * NYC Community Education Council 5 * NYC Community Education Council 6 * NYC Community Education Council 28 * NYS Association of
School Business Officials * NYS Council of School Superintendents * NYS Parent Teachers Association * NYS School Boards Association * Parents for Public Schools of Syracuse, Inc. *
Reform Educational Finance Inequities Today * Rural Schools Association * Statewide School Finance Consortium

10. Budget Priority Considerations to
Address Revenue Needed
The 2014-15 budget includes the
following priorities identified from
2013-14 last year’s survey:
O
Maintaining the current
teacher to student ratio.
O Keep the current number of
teaching positions.
O Maintain the current elective
courses at the HS level.
The following priorities are being
considered to address lack of
Foundation Aid funding:
O
O
O
O
O
O
Space Changes, Class Sizes:
Brookside, Leasing of Admin.
Space/ Roosevelt,
Safety Issues: (Classroom
door locks, Cameras, Access
Control)
K-12 class size
Modified Sports Restored,
Library Media Specialists
(add),
After School Programs (add)

11. Questions, C
omments,
Concerns
For More Information go to www.ossining ufsd.org
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