Taking the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School Budget figures and comparing them with a budget from 1982, there is a rise in the cost of education, but comparing it with the cost of living over the years, and today's higher expectations as a result of new technology, some increase could be expected.

Figures show that in 1982 the budget was $11,519,605 with a cost per pupil of $6,915. With the proposed budget for the '08-'09 school year of $45,888,056 and a student body (using last year's figure) of 1615 kids, the cost per student would be about $28,413.

Using the Internet to do a little research for a comparison, in 1982, with Ronald Reagan as President: the cost of a first class stamp was 20 cents (today they cost 41 cents - and will be 42 cents in May); a gallon of gasoline cost $1.30 (today, it is from $3.27 to $3.69); a dozen eggs cost 84 cents (today, 2.29 to $3.69), a gallon of milk cost $2.24 (and today it is about $4.20 to $4.79). In 1982, the Dow Jones Industrial average was 1,070 at its high, while as of last week, it was 12,233.

Comparing figures is always difficult. There are so many variables that have an impact on how much things cost and why. Economics change and costs are escalating. It costs more to run a household. Grocery bills are significantly more. It also costs more to go on vacation; more to heat homes; more to go out to eat; more to take the family to the movies.

In 1940 it cost 5 cents to go to a movie and now it costs about $10.

While all of the costs around continue to increase, so too do the demands - now and in the future. It was only a few short years ago when many didn't have cell phones. Now, not only does just about everyone have one, but so do children. Today, they are a necessity.

For some, it was a challenge to figure out how to use the extra features of cell phones but to young people, it all comes naturally. Their world is filled with the technologies of iPods and iTunes, cell phones and text messaging, computers and the Internet. The changes are exponential.

Consider the computer itself and how it has changed. In the beginning computers were only available for businesses and took rooms to house, today they are able to fit into the hand held phones of everyone.

So what will the children of this community be ready for when they graduate? At what age should they be exposed to technology that seems to update itself constantly? Added to that, today's youth must be able to compete in a global economy where other countries have already demonstrated that they are willing and able to take their jobs.

In a recent phone conversation, OB-EN Board of Education President James Robinson said, "Public education is a civic responsibility that our state and federal government have placed upon us. Whether you're a parent of a child within the district, a parent of a private or parochial school student, whether your children have grown up and graduated or you have no children at all, public education is our responsibility as a community." Mr. Robinson continued, "I am very concerned that our state government continues to choose to move more State Aid money off Long Island to fund other school districts both upstate and in New York City. I'm not sure residents truly understand what that means, that we are paying more in our state taxes, but receiving less - far less in return [in the form of State Aid]. So basically, Long Island is being used as a funding source for other geographical areas of the state. I understand that there are many educational issues statewide that need to be addressed, but should it come at such a severe expense to Long Islanders?" he asked.

Mr. Robinson said he had come across one of his grandparents' tax bills. "It was for the year 1935. It was for $1.30. The bill itself was hand written and I believe it was just for a half year. I'm not sure what they were preparing kids for back then, but I think it's safe to say the world was a different place. I don't think school children or their parents then were thinking about how to work or communicate with computers or what technology-based careers they would be looking for after they graduated. I am sure that the tax bill in 1935 might have been a hardship for some even at that amount, just like it is a hardship for some now."

At the Feb. 9 Budget Forum meeting, the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education and the School District Administrators took the time to review literally every line of the '08-'09 proposed budget. Residents had the opportunity to raise questions on all budget items. In response to one question that was asked regarding $19,000 for digital cameras, OB-EN Board President Robinson said, "Education is changing, included in that cost is not just digital cameras, but printers and a host of other support materials and equipment for those courses." He said, "Here's a class students have the opportunity to take that allows them to utilize up-to-date equipment and can prepare them for a profession. A person in the audience asked why the students couldn't purchase that equipment on their own? Before the board or administrators responded, another person in the audience raised their hand to rebut: "If that were the case, would we make students taking an AP class buy their own textbooks just because not everyone in the school is taking that class? Don't be ridiculous."

"We are trying to prepare them for as much as we can. We live in a very different world. How can we not prepare our students for that world to the best of our ability," said Mr. Robinson.

He said of the budget forum, "All was explained in great detail. There were great questions that were asked. Sometimes the answers came from the audience, even before the board began to speak. This is just the beginning of the process. The budget that was presented is only the initial proposal and there is still a great deal of evaluation and discussion that needs to and will take place at our public meetings over the next few months. It is a significant challenge to try and prepare our students for a future that is continually changing and at a faster and faster pace. Judging by the dialogue that took place Saturday, at the Feb. 2 forum, it's clear that there are many in the community who understand why the district is budgeting the way it is."

In talking about the relationship of the business of "education" vs. the business of "business," Mr. Robinson said the two are very different. "The need to educate children exists even when the economy hesitates. Costs are increasing for everyone everywhere, in our businesses and in our own homes. The same is true for the school districts. I think one of our students said it best at our board meeting back in January. Her comments came towards the end of our meeting and she explained that she had done the research on per pupil expenses and agreed that it seemed high compared to other surrounding districts, but that was because the formula that is usually reported in the newspapers simply takes the budget and divides by the number of students enrolled. She pointed out that there are other important variables that go into that equation. 'One' - she outlined was 'simple math'. As she put it, 'If you take a school district of our size, and you add up all the opportunities that one student can benefit from in our school district, of course it's going to cost more than a larger school district with more students.' She explained that she had benefited from the same, if not more opportunities here in Oyster Bay than other students may have had at larger districts."

Mr. Robinson added, "That is an accomplishment that I know many in our community accept with pride, not criticism."

He continued, "However, there is still a need to slow the rate of growth in our budget. This is a very clear message that Dr. Phyllis Harrington, our superintendent of schools, received and accepted from the board of education about four years ago. Since assuming the superintendent's position, I think Dr. Harrington has done an admirable job at constantly evaluating our budget process, the execution of our budget and figuring where we are able to trim. But that task is a constant. It's not one I think you can ever say you have accomplished and you're done. But it has to be managed while maximizing our educational benefits and opportunities which is an extraordinary task."