LI school districts hardest hit by cuts

Here are snapshots of the three school districts in each county that were hardest hit as a percentage of their budgets by state-aid cuts.

The state defines wealth as a 50-50 combination of taxable income and property divided by enrollment, which is weighted for various types of students, such as those kindergartners who attend school part-time. The average "combined wealth ratio" statewide is 1.00. A district with a CWR of 2.00 would be twice as wealthy as the average; a district with a CWR of 0.50 would be half as wealthy as the average.

SUFFOLK

Sachem

Budget: $280,711,665

2010-11 enrollment: 14,821

Combined wealth ratio: 0.973

Change in state aid as % of overall budget: -4.9%

School board President Robert Scavo said Sachem expects to lose about 87 positions, including 55 to 60 teachers, social workers, psychologists and literacy coaches, mostly through attrition. The school is considering axing some programs, including its Gifted and Talented Education program for high-achieving students.

"We're doing the best we can, given the situation," Scavo said. "This has been a tough year. Certainly, the governor's budget cuts pose a lot of problems for us."

Middle Country

Budget: $207,877,471

2010-11 enrollment: 11,013

Combined wealth ratio: 0.868

Change in state aid as % of overall budget: -4.45%

Superintendent Roberta Gerold said officials had hoped the legislature would restore about $3 million of the $10.6 million reduction in aid proposed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. But lawmakers in Albany restored just $1.4 million. Next year, Middle Country expects to lose about 22 jobs as enrollment drops.

"We couldn't imagine that Middle Country would be hit so hard," Gerold said. "We were just really thrown by this."

NASSAU

Freeport

Budget: $146,286,027

2010-11 enrollment: 6,462

Combined wealth ratio: 0.757

Change in state aid as % of overall budget: -3.67%

Superintendent Kishore Kuncham said aid cuts are particularly hard on low-wealth districts. He said Freeport already made changes to its pre-K program, inviting an outside, not-for-profit agency to teach its children -- a move that saves the district about $800,000 annually. Freeport also has dipped into its reserves in past years, he said.

"We are softening this very hard blow the best we can so our students are not shortchanged," Kuncham said. "It's been very difficult."

Uniondale

Budget: $155,933,010

2010-11 enrollment: 6,438

Combined wealth ratio: 0.942

Change in state aid as % of overall budget: -2.58%

Bancroft Burke, the district's assistant superintendent for business affairs, said the aid reduction will mean cuts to staff, supplies, transportation, capital repairs and contractual expenses. Teachers and administrators already agreed to wage concessions, he said.

"This is an extremely difficult time, especially when you talk about cuts in staff," Burke said. "We are doing everything we can to have a minimum impact on programs for kids."