Buffalo School Board member on deep cuts in new school budget: 'It was the most challenging budget to be a part of'

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "We began quite early, at the beginning of the school year, recognizing that all of the federal funds that we received from the pandemic had to be used by this June." Buffalo School Board member Larry Scott told WBEN on Friday that the situation resulted in a $90 million deficit.

"This is my fifth year on the board, and it was the most challenging budget to be part of," he said.

To close the gap, the district tapped into some reserve funding and found
grants to cover other positions.

"Up until a month ago, I was quite concerned," added Scott. "But Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams was able to restore about 100 positions."

The district was looking at 40 mental health professions being cut, most were restored including nine-and-a-half counselors, 17 social workers and five-and-a-half psychologists. In addition, the district restored most reading specialists and music teachers that were slated to be cut.

In the end, 30 teachers and staff will be laid off at the end of the school year. But Scott said the number could change over the summer, depending on more retirements.

Currently 42 staff members will retire and those positions will not be filled.
In addition, 187 vacant positions will not be filled.

"We heard a lot from schools, that if there were going to be cuts, that they should also occur in the district's central office. "We made sure," Scott added, "that reductions were made there." Up to 50 positions were cut in the Central Office, several of those positions are filled, as opposed to unfilled.

The $1.2 billion budget was approved unanimously by the school board Wednesday night.

Scott noted that this is a two-year plan.

"We didn't want to be too drastic this year. We anticipate there will be far more retirements next year and enrollment continues to decline. It's all about rightsizing the district. Through attrition, we're going to have to have more reductions next year and the following year."

Buffalo's school population has been declining and currently stands at about 30,000.