The Roslyn Board of Education conducted a public review of the 2002-03 school budget at its meetings on March 14 and 21 and at a special budget meeting on March 25. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank A. Tassone began his presentation on March 14 with a description of some of the accomplishments of Roslyn students, which reflect the value of public education received by the school community in return for the strong support it provides.

The superintendent then outlined some of the many challenges the district faces, including continuing increase in enrollment (111 additional students since the beginning of the school year alone), significant increases in insurance costs, increases in the special education population and related services and the first repayment on the bond approved in 2000. Insurance increases and the bond repayment alone amount to a 4.5 percent budget-to-budget increase before any other factors are considered.

A historical review of the district's growth in the last 10 years reveals dramatic expansion in the number of students (a 25 percent increase, or the equivalent of an entire school), teachers, teacher assistants and students receiving special services. Concurrently, the district has greatly expanded its technology program, nearly tripling the number of computers in the district. The number of building administrators has increased over this period, which reflects a much larger student body in all schools, while central administration has been reduced in size.

Dr. Tassone highlighted several new and ongoing cost-saving measures which are being implemented in this challenging budget year, all of which are intended to reduce costs without directly affecting children: reduced travel and conference expenditures; reduced use of consultants; additional duties for administrators; no additional capital improvement projects; increasing the share of health insurance premiums paid by employees, which has already saved in excess of $1.7 million over seven years; cooperative bidding and shared services, which saves hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, and alternative funding, such as the gifts from the two local foundations which will total about $50,000 this year. The far-sighted facilities program has been highly cost effective, with the two bonds in 1994 and 2000 accomplishing expansion and renovations in all of the district's buildings for a total of $34.8 million. By contrast, a new school would have cost in excess of $50 million and would not have addressed pressing facilities needs in existing buildings.

The superintendent also outlined some of the major priorities in the current budget cycle, including additional teaching positions to maintain class size; support for the research, life skills, elementary foreign language and community service programs; new state mandates for English language learners, the all-Regents high school and testing; academic intervention services; professional development for all staff; and expansion of the Advanced Placement program in which nearly 500 exams were taken last year.

The parent associations will continue to host informational meetings open to all residents about the school budget as the administration continues to seek ways to reduce the budget without adversely affecting children and programs. Dr. Tassone and the board welcome invitations to address civic groups and other organizations in order to provide budget information, as long as such meetings are publicly advertised and open to all district residents (as required by commissioner's regulations).

The Roslyn Board of Education will conduct budget review meetings on April 11 and 18 and is scheduled to adopt the 2002-03 school budget that will be presented to the voters on May 21 at its meeting on Tuesday, April 23.