The $130.7 million 2016-2017 budget approved by the Riverhead Board of Education Tuesday night stays within the tax levy limit of 0.5 percent, even as it provides for hiring new teachers to cope with the district’s growing enrollment — especially the growth in the number of English language learners in the district.
Enrollment in Riverhead has increased by more than 400 students since the 2009-2010 school year, according to data presented by Superintendent Nancy Carney at the board meeting. (Watch full meeting video here.)
In the same time period, the number of English language learners in the district has jumped from 538 to 1290, an increase of more than 239 percent. The district has had to add staff to address that increase and continues to do so for the coming school year. The adopted budget includes an English as a new language director for the middle and high schools and 4.5 ESL teachers.
The district has also seen an increase in special education students, for whom the district is mandated to provide support services, which are often expensive.
The budget calls for an overall spending increase of 3.41 percent:
- $630,222 in general support, a 5.09 percent increase;
- $2,811,892 in instruction and administration, a 3.89 percent increase;
- $228,201 in transportation, a 3.75 percent increase; and
- $1,089,308 in benefits and debt service, a 3.10 percent increase.
Riverhead’s state aid increased by $3.26 million for 2016-2017 — a 13.9 percent hike. The State Legislature this year did away with the gap elimination adjustment, a reduction in state aid to education aimed at helping to close a $10 billion state budget deficit in the wake of the 2008 economic crash. The GEA cost Riverhead $643,547 in state aid for the current school year. Getting the GEA restored was something for which Long Island school districts, including Riverhead, lobbied hard.
Retirement incentives, reserves and increased state aid enabled the district to stay within its tax levy cap, Carney said.
The adopted budget will be subject to a May 10 public hearing and a May 17 put vote by district taxpayers.
Reporting by Dawn Bozuhoski
Correction: This article was amended after publication to reflect a correction in the total budget amount. As first published it reflected an amount included in an earlier draft of the budget.
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