Wantagh UFSD 2021-22 Budget Re-vote/Contingency

Board of Education Planning SessionMay 21, 2021

12:00 PM

Budget Results May 18, 2021

Votes Percentage

Yes 1,202 50.8%

No 1,165 49.2%

The budget vote did not receive the 60% supermajority required to pass.

Budget Survey: Re-vote/Contingency

Budget Survey Results

Budget Survey Results

Contingency Budget vs. Re-vote vs. Staying Below the Tax Cap

• A contingency budget would require an additional $2.4 million in cuts to the budget below the proposed budget.

• A budget that stays within the district’s negative tax cap would require an additional $2.7 million in cuts to the budget below the proposed budget.

• The Board of Education can determine a budget level to put of for a re-vote. However, any budget that does not reduce at least an additional $2.7 million will be above the current (-0.6) negative tax cap the district faces and require a 60% voter approval.

Budget Reductions - Original Budget 2021-22

Reduction of 19 full-time employees that include:• Administrative restructuring to reduce two full-time administrative positions• Reduction of two secondary instructional staff members in grades 7-12• Increasing elementary class size guidelines (Kindergarten - no change; Grades

1-3: currently 24 students moving to 25 students; Grades 4-6: currently 26 students moving to 27 students)

• Reducing 10 non-mandated classroom aides and health office aides

• Combining 7th and 8th grade athletic teams in sports that currently have separate grade 7 and 8 teams (Baseball, Boys and Girls Basketball, Football, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Boys and Girls Soccer, Softball, Volleyball)

• Reductions in the technology department in some BOCES support services and subscriptions

Total Reductions: $1,236,640

Additional Budget Reductions for Consideration for a Re-vote

• Additional Administrative Restructuring• Additional Support Staff Restructuring: Clerical• Reduction of Security Guard Staffing Levels• Reduction of Planned Technology Infrastructure Projects and

Technology Support Staff• Mental Health Staff Reduction - .5 Social Worker WMS/WHS

Administrative Restructuring2020-21 Administrative ReductionsSupervisor of World Language and BusinessAssistant Principal WHS2021-22 Original Proposed Budget ReductionsSecondary Supervisor of MathematicsElementary Director of Humanities2021-22 Re-vote Additional Proposed ReductionsElementary Director of STEM

This will be five full-time administrative positions cut out of the Wantagh school budget in the past two years.

Clerical Restructuring

District Office Clerical StaffElimination of Secretary to the Superintendent PositionWantagh High School Clerical StaffElimination of Secretary to the Principal Position

Security Guard Reductions

2020-21 2021-22 Reduction

WHS 6.0 5.0 1.0

WMS 3.0 2.0 1.0

WES 2.0 1.0 1.0

FL 2.0 1.0 1.0

MES 2.0 1.0 1.0

Total 15.0 10.0 5.0

Technology Projects and Support Staff

Aging Interactive Panel ReplacementsThe technology project to replace aging interactive panels in the classroom will be removed from the budget. Only panels that are currently non-functioning will be replaced.

Technology Support StaffElimination of a technician position that repairs and supports technology infrastructure in the district.

Mental Health Staff Reduction

.5 Social Worker Serving WHS and WMSTwo years ago this position was added to WHS and WMS to provide mental health program and support.

Revenue Adjustment For Use of Reserves to Mitigate Retirement System Costs

Retirement System CostsEach year the district has significant retirement system contributions that it is required to make. If the district is ultimately reimbursed by a Federal grant for some of the COVID related expenses from 2020-21, a recommendation to offset the tax levy with the use of some reserves will be made.

Contingency Budget

Contingency Budget Restrictions What is a contingency budget?When a district’s voters reject a school budget, a contingency budget is developed and adopted by the school board. A school board may choose to first place a budget to a second vote before adopting a contingency budget. However, once a budget is defeated twice a contingency budget must be adopted.

Contingency Budget Restrictions• Tax levy must remain at the

same level from the previous year.

• Non-contingent expenses must be removed from the budget and include items such as equipment, public use of school buildings and grounds, nonessential maintenance, capital expenditures

• Authority to determine items in a contingent budget rests with the school board.

Contingency Budget

How much with the current budget need to be reduced on a contingency budget?

• The current budget would need to be reduced by $2.4 million to get to a contingency level.

• This is In addition to the $1.2 million in budget cuts proposed in the initial budget.

Additional Items That Would Be Cut from the Budget with Contingency

• Elementary special area programs (FLES, STEAM)

• Elementary music program reductions

• Reduction of full-day kindergarten to half-day

• Elementary guidance counselors 2.0 FTE

• High School Guidance Counselor 1.0 FTE

• Middle School push-in AIS reading support 2.0 FTE

• Horizons Program .6 FTE

• Non-mandated aides at elementary schools 8.0 FTE

• High School elective courses/increase class size at secondary schools

• Junior Varsity athletics and associated costs

• Remaining middle school athletics

• MS/HS music lesson reductions• Additional administrative

reductions• Extracurricular clubs/activities• Psychology/Social Work Staff 2.0

FTE

Wantagh UFSD 2021-22 Budget Re-vote/Contingency

Board of Education Planning SessionMay 21, 2021

12:00 PM