Gap Elimination Adjustment Links

\ I've talked before about the HamiltonCentralOptions: Gap Elimination Adjustment and I'll go on talking about it. This is just a set of links, really. Watertown Daily Times | Senators pushing bill to end GAP Elimination Adjustment

Legislative sponsors of Bill 5452, calling for the end of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, are pushing to have the state take a serious look at ending the tax as soon as possible. State Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, said if there is a surplus in the state budget then there is no longer a need to continue the implementation of the penalty tax on public schools.

“This bill was originally proposed last year. This year there is a whole new dynamic,” Mrs. Ritchie said. “This bill amends the education law, requiring the state to pay down the gap elimination adjustment.”

Mrs. Ritchie and her legislative colleagues are hoping to take the bill before legislators to have the GEA’s conclusion be included in the final 2014 budget.

Bill 5424 is reported at S5452-2013 - NY Senate Open Legislation - Requires the state to pay down the gap elimination adjustment in three years - New York State Senate

Feb 4, 2014: REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
Jan 8, 2014: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
Jan 8, 2014: returned to senate
Jan 8, 2014: died in assembly

Note that Valesky is a co-sponsor.

There's a lot about it at the "Statewide School Finance Consortium": SSFC Responds to Gov’s State of the State | SSFC

The system for distributing state aid to schools is broken and needs to be fixed, says Dr. Rick Timbs: “We need relief and reform. First and foremost: Do away with the GEA!’’

And of course it's not just upstate; Long Island complains, and is trying to reduce the 2014 GEA impact before April 1: Legislators: Gap Elimination Adjustment short-changing Long Island’s school districts - News 12 Long Island

Local lawmakers say they will fight to increase that amount before the state budget is passed by April 1.

So, how to "fight"? Mostly send letters, I guess.

• Watertown Daily Times | General Brown launches letter writing campaign to end Gap Elimination Adjustment
• Freeport Public Schools

  All residents are encouraged to join in the district’s efforts to eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) by participating in a letter writing campaign.

• Averill Park Central School District

  Below are a number of advocacy resources, contact information for our representatives as well as others in position of power within the state. You will also find sample letters as well as talking points to create your own letter.

• ADVOCACY / Home

  The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District’s Board of Education and administration are instituting a letter-writing campaign NOW to eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) from our school budget for the 2014-15 school year. It is NOW that we need to make our voices and numbers heard in Albany.

• Legislative Action Committee

  Click here to print a letter that may be signed and mailed to legislators. You may also copy the text from the letter and paste it into an e-mail. Legislator mailing addresses and e-mail addresses are provided below.

The list goes on. A lot of people in a lot of communities are doing what they can to say that the GEA is not a good way for the state to save money. The deadline, assuming that a budget passes on time, is April 1st.

Notes on January 29th "Community Leaders" Meeting

These are very raw notes on what went on in the meeting; corrections appreciated. Some tentative corrections in red, but that does not mean this is complete; I've seen some corrections in email which I (Tom Myers) haven't entered. I'll try to go over it this weekend, but comments/emails would be good. Thanks to Astrid, Heather, Amy et al. 

Community Leadership Meeting

January 29, 2014 @ 5:30pm

Hamilton High School Library

Diana opened the meeting:

New fiscal advisory committee

Not a discussion center on what may not be possible.

School has handcuffs.

Sharing what the school's restraints are.

Last week new state runs.

Unfortunately, surprised..... as the worst happened....

Combined wealth ratio for next year: We are above 1.0

HCS is above Cazenovia and New Hartford

Due to salaries, properties

Deficit is about $250,0000

Cutting some program and 4-5 full-time equivalents.

Diana writing letter to Senator Dave Valesky.

Total additional almost $19,000 received, 0.44% increase.

GEA this year $515,000

GEA is due to a gap 5 years ago. Why still GEA if there's a surplus now and no longer a deficit?

Five years of this GEA, so the noisier we are the better.

Teacher contracts expired last year. So lots of question marks.

Diana is giving the word to Matt Crumb:

Matt provided packet. Files accessible at HCS site???

Revenues and expenditures.

Revenues:

First page is a summary of executive budget proposal and the impact on MO-Boces.

Second page unofficial overall results.

Third page anticipated wealth ratio. HCS jumped from 0.958 to 1.007

Note by Diana: HCS more students in poverty than Cazenovia yet we have a higher wealth ratio.

RWADA Aid ratio? Resident Weighted Average Daily Attendance.

https://stateaid.nysed.gov/boces/pdf_docs/boces_rwada_report-sams1213.pdf

Look at combined wealth ratio and RWADA ratio to see how much revenue we are getting back.

Please help explain this further...... (Astrid's note) From what I heard, the amount the state reimburses for BOCES services are determined by the RWADA which has gone down to .554.

Page 4 HCS almost $300,000 restored to us in 3 years. Much less than other districts.

Last column percentage GEA restored compared to tax levy.

HCS compared to other districts way higher tax burden.

In summary: Wealth up, enrollments down.... less money

Diana's note: Our reassessment means that in a year or so we will take an even greater hit.

Matt on expenditures:

We will be in negotiations with every district employee. District wages possibly 1.5% increase. Health insurance 8.5% increase. See page in packet for the remaining numbers. Tax levy: 2% allowable tax levy increase $130,000.

Summary: Projected deficit with 1.5% wage increase $210,000 and with wage increase $262,000.

Based on Susan Marafino's question regarding wealth ratio, the response was: 28% free and reduced lunch at HCS versus Caz at 16%.

Ferdinand Von Muench asked question. Technology-type funding. Voted on in November. Smart schools. These funds would not help us this coming year. Does not help with salaries.

Aaron Robinson: Tax on true 17%. Missed this question/ answer....

Matt and Diana: Our tax on true is actually not that high in comparison to other districts.

Diana Bowers explained last page in packet:

Methods of supplementing our Annual Budget to allow for financial stability:

59 FTE - versus 75 a few years back - back in 2007.

Cost per pupil $10,154 per student, tad bit higher than surrounding schools.

$19,286 total expenditure per pupil including instructional costs.

Where HCS excells: $22,624 for special ed which is lower than other schools surrounding us and state average These savings are due to servicing students in–house rather than sending them to get services and the implementation of RTI.

Diana on what has been cut regarding staffing:

We started with 3 sections in each grade. Now mostly only 2 sections. Most departments at first 4 teachers and now only 3.

To what extend are we allowed to advertise? Hands are tied in many ways. Sports boosters can collect money and Emerald Foundation as well. It’s illegal for schools to solicit donations.

Susan brought up again getting a complete HCS alumni list to request for money for Emerald Foundation.

Diana: About 5 year’s back when we started the Annual Alumni Chicken b-b-que we compiled a list of alumni, it may’ve not been complete but it was substantial.

Stephanie McClintock: What funds can Emerald provide to schools?

Heather Cigeroglu: We can provide funds for special projects, technical items, teacher grants, student scholarships but no salaries. Donations can’t be earmarked for a specific item but donors can request an area they would like to support.

Hamilton Initiative was mentioned.

Colgate help was discussed briefly.

Ellen Larson: Can we make money by offering distance learning for Latin to other schools as HCS is the only school in 100 miles to offer the language. Diana said that one of the problems is different bell schedule. But with tablets you can solve this timing issue Ellen said.

Diana: What about offering distance learning of our AP classes which Morrisville-Eaton lost due to budget cuts. Again bell schedule an issue. Also, unless teachers are hovering over a student shoulders while completing on-line course work, the success rate of such distance learning is low.

Aaron: Could ME send students over to take a half day for our AP classes. Would that work? Could that give us money.

Ellen: What about seminar type afternoon sessions for money - Ag, science groups? Lot of organizing.....

Stephanie Fadale: Longer school days and four days per week? Does it change the state aid? Are their contractual limitation?

Ferdinand: Does this benefit our kids?

Astrid: Several Governors proposed longer school year and school day. However, where's the funding coming from?

David Hollis:

Downtown businesses are already funding so much. Colgate Inn donates $30,000 per year to HCS. ($30,000 for local donations, not just HCS?) Hamilton asks already for so much.

Morgan Larson: Can we raise taxes to fund this $250,000 deficit. Yes, we can but with risks.

Stephanie: Can HCS rent out classrooms at night? Can't be to for-property organizations says Diana. Can we bring Boces here? Can we be our own Boces? Diana says moving or starting our own just hasn't happened.

Ellen: School budget for dummies. Graph in back NYS highest expense and lowest state funding.

What is this reason? Diana does not have the answers. Can we do away with Regents?

Astrid: I'm all for doing away Regents.

Heather: In response to David Hollis comment, unfortunately I believe this is going to continue to be the new normal. Schools will continue to receive less and less and their communities and/or corporations will have to subsidize the gap. I just looked over Commissioner King’s presentation of the 2014-15 budget and it’s grim. The majority of the budget is slated for testing, making tests, preparing for the tests, testing material. There is very little going towards actual instruction. Assessment so much time we have little left for instruction but yet the state and federal government wants us to increase scores?!@#!

Aaron: Write letters to our politicians.

Heather mentioned having written letters. I’ve pulled together the contact information of key state officials for other as well as some links to resources that help explain the financial and education and also provide advocacy information. She can e-mail contacts to them to all. I know the school is not technically allowed to distribute this information but maybe the PTO can help.

Ellen: Paper letters more influential than email.

Susan: Yes, paper is better, but email and phone better than nothing. Writing is very important.

Make the letters a bit personal --like if your a teacher.

Ferdinand: What do we do if we're stuck with the budget? Mayor is here. We could ask for up to 6% tax increase. Pledge from Hamiltonians to give more due to this tricky budget situation.

Jim Ford:

As Colgate acquires property does it stay on tax roll?

Mayor says yes.

What is the Colgate amount that is given to school district?

Diana: $200,000 per year. Then went up to $500,000 per year to HCS.

How many students have we lost?

Matt: 540 down from 606 which does not include pre-K numbers.

Ferdinand: Can we issue new bonds at lower rate?

Diana and Matt: Some bonds we can some we can't

Barbara Schindler: What would this district be like if we were a charter school?

Diana: Not as easy as you think. However, maybe it’s an option looking into.

I saw Diana write this down in her notes.

Aaron: Natural gas conversion - can that be bonded.

Matt is looking into that. Conversion cost would help this year.

Susan: Resource officer cost $5,000 but budgeted $20,000. Could this be cut? Could Emerald Foundation fund this. Diana answers no. Emerald Foundation mission issue. The HEF mission is to enrich programs, support innovative ideas in teaching, student opportunities at HCS, not personnel.

Ellen: What is the out of pocket cost difference to do the 6% versus 2%.

Matt: If you stayed within the cap, you could gain back the 2% tax increase.

Amy Hurta: So if you paid the extra 4% needed, you'd benefit the school that much more.

Matt: Cannot provide firm estimate on out of pocket cost for such tax increase. Differs for every person due to personal equalization rates.

Jim Ford: Very upset over Mid-York weekly ABCs advertisement. He taught in the Madison School district and felt the ad bad-mouthed our neighbors. He had never read such an arrogant piece in the paper. He called for somebody present in the meeting to come out and say who was part of this initiative.

Silence.......Awkward Silence….
(Apparently there was a discussion after the meeting, in which Jim did not identify any particular "arrogant" -- or false -- items in the ad. I [TM] was certainly one of the group, though in the end none of my too-geeky contributions to the ABCs were used, except that I was one of those objecting to a couple of things that could be misinterpreted as Morrisville put-downs. None of them made it into the ad or even into the ABCs page so I really would like to hear more about this.)

Diana: $5000 in tuition per transfer student from other districts. 25 kids total at this point. This is not a money-maker, just breaking even. They pay at cost. We are only responsible for paying transport to students going to other schools within district - like New Life Christian.

Barbara: Negotiation with teachers is very important.

Diana will be posting on blog about the meeting. All suggestions can be posted and will be brought to next meeting.

Molly: Any fundraising going on, please let us know.

Ferdinand: Budget of districts in our league would be useful. Having board members from other similar districts come over with ideas.

Matt: It’s very difficult to compare budgets between schools.

Diana: It would be more useful to compare districts with similar wealth ratios.

Ellen: We spend a lot more on programming. Are there any other obvious cooperative ventures that may fall into place?

Diana: This can't be rushed. Gotta be done right and it may take time.

Ellen: Are we still having conversations despite merger no-vote?

Matt and Diana: Resounding yes.

Ellen and Diana: RTI: response to intervention: The sooner it is implemented the less the overall cost as support is front-loaded. Early intervention ensures an earlier and better success rate and thus we spend less as the student gets older. Conclusion: money saver.

Russ Tiffany: Business park - would it bring more revenue?

Matt: Any new construction would benefit.

Mayor: We try to market it. And there is a developer that is interested in more than just Wayne's Market.

Ellen: 4-5 teacher cuts?

Diana: 1 possible retirement only so definitely some cuts.

Heather: We should really pull together our communities and discuss various options for dealing with this fiscal challenge. Even if we don’t end up sharing services we can at least discuss what has been proven to be effective money savers in other districts and in the very least, we are all extending an olive branch to one other’s communities and hoping helping to diffuse the tensions among districts. Should we invite other concerned community leaders from other districts to join in the discussions?

Diana: That may be a good idea.

Molly: That may be something the Upstate institute may be able to coordinate.

Presentation by Diana Bowers, Superintendent of HCS, at Colgate University

Diana Bowers, Superintendent of HCS, gave a talk entitled "On the Potential Merger Between HCS and Morrisville-Eaton," held at Colgate University on 11/13.  This summary of the talk and Q&A was written by Heather Roller and edited by Astrid Helfant. If you attended this meeting as well, please post comments or additions.

Dr. Bowers used her same power point slides as in last week's PTO meeting. Of note was that Dr. Bowers brought up several points of contention from that community meeting, without any prodding from yesterday's Colgate University audience. 

For example: Dr. Bowers volunteered that sometimes state incentive money (used to promote mergers) came with increased GEA (Gap Elimination Adjustment - whereby the state takes back school aid in order to balance the state budget). What this means is that the state might give money with one hand while taking it away with the other.  She provided the example of a recent merger between the Canisteo and Greenwood Central School Districts in Steuben County, New York, in which the state gave incentive money but then required a higher GEA.

Also, Dr. Bowers acknowledged that the location of the high school was the major bone of contention during the Community Advisory Committee meetings between Hamilton and Morrisville. And although she continued to stress that the short timeline for the newly merged board would mean that they would surely stick to the recommended school configurations (the "high school will be here"), Dr. Bowers did say that it might only be kept that way for the first year or so.  Several members of the audience hammered this point home -- that it would be up to the new board, yet to be elected, with a possible Morrisville majority.  One person said he was doubtful that future boards (a few years down the line) would preserve the vision of the original districts; they might only look for short-term gains, and someone would have to lose out:  "If we were the bigger district, this would be a much more optimistic moment."  Dr. Bowers then acknowledged that elementary schools in Earlville and Oriskany Falls have closed, despite original plans to keep them open.  (For a review of recent merger outcomes in the state, see https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltoncentraloptions/home/school-mergers-in-ny-state)

The issue of transportation came up mostly in the Q&A.  One person put it this way: we would be transferring our money from one pot (teachers/staff) to another pot (transportation), and that is something she does not support -- longer times on buses, more pollution, etc.

The issue of teacher layoffs also came up.  Dr. Bowers indicated that the SES Study Team's suggestions for reducing staff would not be the ones she would follow, if she were superintendent. There was a lot of talk about what she would do if she became the superintendent of the new district. It was pointed out that this was uncertain. Dr. Bowers tried to be reassuring by stating that the current superintendent at MECS shares a similar philosophy when it comes to which teacher positions should be cut and which programs should be expanded once districts are merged.  She noted that the three men who conducted the SES study would not be applying for the new superintendent position of the merged school district! As evident from their report, these retired superintendents acted like businessmen, not like educators with the best in mind for our students.

Another issue had to do with the data on the slides, which mainly covered the bleak years of 2006-2010.  A good question was raised as to whether we are "riding out a cycle here," and whether things are going to improve (or already have improved, but we just don't have the data yet).

Dr. Bowers mentioned past conversations with Colgate administrators (Joanne Borfitz, David Hale, Jeff Herbst) about how Colgate could help support the school district. One way in which Colgate has been able to support is through the additional $300,000 (on top of its yearly contribution of $200,000), which is being used to pay off debt. This amount was strategic in the sense that once Colgate completes its 3-year commitment to this extra amount, this debt will have been paid off and HCS won't necessarily notice the subsequent reduction in Colgate's support back down to $200,000 per year. 

In general, however, Dr. Bowers seemed pessimistic about audience proposals for more local partnerships in lieu of the merger as "we've been doing out-of-the-box thinking for the past 5 years."  One such proposal was for HCS to offer fewer than its current 9 AP classes as students could simply take these at Colgate. Dr. Bowers countered this with the fact that the school had changed its schedule a few years back so as to enable high school students to take more Colgate classes. However, she had received feedback from HCS students who said that they prefer to take such advanced classes in house. Astrid Helfant argued in favor of maintaining AP classes at the high school, as the students get an incredible amount of guidance from their teacher due to the daily classes and lab sessions every other day (in the case of AP science classes) as opposed to the 14-week semester at Colgate during which classes meet 2-3 times per week with a once per week lab session for science.

Another audience member noted the "nightmare scenario" of not getting the promised incentive money and having lost control over school:  "It's so surprising that you would be doing this on the grounds of state promises," he said, that you acknowledge have been broken in the past.  Dr. Bowers' response, in a nutshell, was that she does not want us to blame her later for not at least considering the merger option, despite these reasonable concerns.  And if we vote the merger down on Dec. 10th, we should still engage in a conversation about how to deal with HCS's very real financial constraints.

Related to this was the issue of dependence on state aid.  Dr. Bowers acknowledged that we would be far more dependent on state aid as a merged district.  She thought that HCS debt was "about the same" as Morrisville's; several audience members tried to set the record straight on this, but we didn't come up with the actual numbers (that Morrisville has about 70% more school debt than we do) until she had moved on to other topics.