It’s budget season for Long Island’s 124 school districts—the yearly ritual where spending plans for the next school year are proposed, massaged, presented for discussion at meetings and finally put up for a public vote.

The school budget issue is key for Long Island parents. Quality public education is a hallmark of the Island’s reputation, and the reason many young families move to the area. All parents who care about their children’s education should be actively involved in their district’s budget process. 

The 2012–13 budget process is proving to be even more challenging than last year’s, when districts cut deeply into educational programs, including the layoff of about 1,200 teachers in both Nassau and Suffolk counties to keep tax increases down. Several school systems, including West Islip, North Bellmore and Smithtown, have already put school-chopping proposals on the table. Similar to last year, schools are faced with rising costs, the threat of decreased aid from New York State and increasing demand that they keep tax increases to a minimum. In 2011, the average proposed school tax hike was about 4 percent, but a number of school districts proposed increases as high as 9 to 12 percent.
           
School taxes make up more than half of local property tax bills in Nassau and Suffolk counties, which have among the top 10 highest tax bills in the nation. Last June, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the 2 percent tax cap legislation into law in an effort to provide relief to taxpayers. It will become effective during the 2012–‘13 school year, and it will prevent school districts from increasing property taxes by more than 2 percent or the rate of inflation; whichever is lower. This is the first time New York State has had a tax cap on property taxes and its importance as a school issue for parents is enormous. The good news for homeowners is that this legislation will limit the amount you pay in school and property taxes. The bad news is that all New York State school districts are worried about how this legislation will impact their finances.

Expect to be hearing and reading a lot about it in the news and from your district this school year. Indeed, your district may ask voters to override the cap. Districts will be permitted to propose budgets that exceed the cap if 60 percent of voters agree. 

The weak economy, coupled with the tax cap, will likely engender much debate in school districts this year about cost savings. Be aware that your district can put anything on the table to be cut, including full-day kindergarten, sports, electives, music or busing.

Parents are their children’s best advocates, but you can’t be effective unless you’re informed. Here are some practical tips to help you navigate the budget process in your school district:

• Know your school district’s budget calendar, which will give you a list of meetings and topics. Attend these meetings if you’re available. If you can’t attend, check your district’s website for information and read budget brochures that are mailed to your home. Carefully read the fine print so you’ll understand if your children’s school experience will be impacted. Keep up with local media reports of budget meetings.
• Know when PTA meetings are held. Your PTA president should have the latest budget information.
• Know when and where Board of Education meetings are held, attend them and feel free to voice your opinion during the public participation part of the meeting. You must sign up to speak before the meeting. This is the time when you can join together with other parents to protest proposed reductions that you oppose, such as full-day kindergarten or increased class size.
• Know the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the Board of Education members and the district clerk. In public school districts, trustees are elected by the residents and should be responsive to their constituents’ opinions and problems.
• If you’re upset by a proposed cut, you may circulate petitions to the board, discuss the topic at PTA meetings, write letters to the board and to the newspapers and come to board meetings en masse. Impassioned and organized efforts sometimes have the desired results.
• Make sure you register to vote. Check with the district clerk for procedures and deadlines if you’re not sure if you’re registered.