It is most disturbing that the Glen Cove School District is one of four school districts in Nassau County scheduled to receive less state aid next year, according to the governor's budget proposal published in Newsday, Jan. 18.

In the hope that our state legislation will reconsider the Glen Cove School District's requirements, I have compiled the following analysis of the facts and data pertaining to our state aid.

1. The bulk of state aid is calculated by the "Combined Wealth Ratio," consisting of two factors: the total income of Glen Cove as measured by tax returns filed with New York State, and the total real estate valuation of Glen Cove. Because there is a small population of extremely high wealth individuals and high wealth residences within Glen Cove, this throws off the combined wealth ratio and inaccurately reflects the needs and resources of our school district.

2. The needs of the Glen Cove School District are significant. Our low-income student population, as measured by the percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, and our English language learners population (students for whom English is a second language) are twice that of the average Nassau County school district. Yet the state aid allocation for Glen Cove is less than the average Nassau County school district. What does this mean to Glen Cove? If we compare the Glen Cove School District with the Long Beach School District, Long Beach has a somewhat less percentage of low-income students and lower percentage of English language learners than Glen Cove. If Glen Cove were to get the same allocation of state aid that Long Beach receives, we would receive $5 million more in aid. (Data used per the NYS Education Department, Statistics for Public School Districts, for 1997-98 school years, most recent data available.)

3. The Glen Cove School District has an extraordinarily high cost in school tax certiorari refunds. During 1999-2000, the school district paid out $2.793 million for refunds, which is 6.3 percent on the total budget of $44.3 million, and 7.9 percent on the total tax levy of $35.5 million. Nassau and Suffolk Counties pay all other school districts' refunds. This creates a tremendous drain on our schools and on our taxpayers.

4. The inadequacy of aid is also demonstrated by the fact that the Glen Cove School District has operated on an austerity budget for two out of the previous four years. Last year the budget failed with a proposed tax rate increase of 6.2 percent. More aid means less burden on our taxpayers.

5. NY State law requires that districts operating on austerity must charge for all use of school facilities by outside agencies and groups. This requirement would have eliminated La Fuerza Unida de Glen Cove's before and after school programs at Deasy Elementary School, if the school board had not honored the contract that was in place before the budget defeat. Funding for this program does not come from the school district. One parent stated at a school board meeting that without this program, she would not be able to work, and would have to rely on Welfare support. To serve the needs of our community, these types of services and programs must be expanded in our schools, but they cannot exist on austerity budgets.

6. The allocation of state aid should be based on the current needs of school districts. In a Feb. 14, 2001 New York Times article "What New York Schools Get in Aid Often has Little Connection to Needs," it was reported that Half Hollows School District in Dix Hills gets $6 million more in aid than the state aid formula provides; because it falls under a "Save Harmless" provision. What this means is that in the 1980s, Half Hollows had 12,000 students, dropping to 7,000 students by 1994. "Save Harmless" prevents schools from getting less aid than they received in the past.

In order for our district to provide a quality education to its diverse student population in a safe and secure environment, Glen Cove needs adequate support from the State of New York, if only to bring it up to a par with similar schools with similar needs on Long Island. My fellow candidate, Natheley McElrath and I have provided the above information to both Senator Marcellino and Assemblyman Sidikman. Assemblyman Sidikman, in turn, has provided copies of the information to the chairmen of the Education Committee, the Ways and Means Committee and the speaker.

I urge you to contact these state legislators and send them the message that not only is the education of our children negatively affected by the inadequacy of state aid, but that every Glen Cove taxpayer shoulders this enormous burden.

Janet Bates-Wilkins

Candidate for School Board