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Written by: Sharon Higgins

Published: 05 December 2024

Created: 05 December 2024

Last Updated: 05 December 2024

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On the evening of November 20th, the Scarsdale Middle School orchestra room slowly filled up with teachers, administrators, and parents to hear an update on the district’s practices on grading, grading reporting, and more specifically, the Rolling Gradebook from Scarsdale High School’s Principal Kenneth Bonamo. Bonamo was joined with faculty and additional SHS administrators including the SHS Assessment Committee to address not only the attendees in the room but a parental audience viewing on a webinar. There was a twenty five minute presentation and a thirty minute question and answer session where the panel took questions from both in the room and webinar audiences. As Bonomo began, he emphasized that he along with his colleagues “are committed to their (students’) success and development” and he hoped parents would recognize this commitment demonstrated in his presentation.

Principal Bonamo led the review along with his panel that consisted of Assistant Principal, Andrea O’Gorman, Director of Counseling, Oren Iosepovici, Dean of Students, Michael Hiller as well as teachers, Science Teacher Joseph Vaugh and Social Studies Department Chair Jennifer Maxwell. Together, they represent the SHS Assessment Committee that works and collaborates with teachers, students, and parents on all things regarding assessments. Bonamo began the session with the how, when, and why the SHS Wellness Committee first looked into changes made to grading and grade reporting in the district.

How Was The Program Developed?

The district began its research and various pilot programs to figure out the healthiest way for students to be academically assessed over seven years ago. With the “growing mindset” in mind, the SHS Wellness Committee started researching and teamed up with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program. In the Spring of 2016, a school wide survey addressing key issues on how students used time as well as understanding pressures and stresses students felt in the academic environment was administered. The next changes made were based on the survey results, along with input from the Challenge Success partnership. It included the following three policy revisions. First, the district adopted a new no-homework policy during vacations and no large assignments due right after breaks. Second was a revision of the schedule to include the common tutorial sessions in lieu of homeroom three times per week and third was the elimination of designated testing days at the end of marking periods/quarters and replaced with individual classes determining the best days for assessments based on the natural endings of subject units.

As student wellness became more and more the focus of the district, information in books, conferences, and studies were looked at especially in the area of grading and assessment. In 2021, the Tri State Consortium, of which Scarsdale School District is a member, held a Tri-State Study Group that discussed the book Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman. Also that year, the Scarsdale Teacher Institute (STI) offered a course on the book, On Your Mark by Thomas Guskey. The following year, Guskey was invited to speak in front of the district’s teachers. Bonamo wanted to clarify that although both authors delved into new ways of looking into assessing students as well as reviewing historical testing practices that may now be viewed as flawed, neither made an outright recommendation of a rolling gradebook.

Rather, it was the Scarsdale teachers who made the connection from the authors' views in their works and Guskey’s visit that the rolling gradebook would satisfy a new and different approach to assessments that would fit the growth mindset as well as a common system for how grades would be reported across the school. In Fall of 2023, the rolling gradebook pilot for all departments was rolled out. And at the end of the school year, in late spring of 2024, a survey was sent out to students and teachers on the rolling gradebook to see how the pilot worked.

Pilot Program

Based on the results, the SHS assessment committee recommended moving forward with the rolling gradebook, starting Fall 2024. Bonamo pointed out that over the summer they continued their work with the wellness and assessment committees and he noted that from a student-authored Scarsdale10583.com article the administration became aware that parents had concerns about the rolling gradebook (RGB). One of the concerns received from the comments of the article was that parents were omitted from the Spring RGB survey and Bonamo agreed that this was a ”misstep”. He clarified that moving forward parents would be included in future rolling gradebook surveys, the next one being Spring 2025.

Additionally, Bonamo commented that the RGB allows students to look at long term yearly achievement as well as to have an accurate idea of how the student is doing at any point during the school year. He continued to argue that the RGB would allow teachers to give assessments at the end of units instead of having them fall at the end of the quarter and this would alleviate overwhelming students with clusters of exams and projects due all at the same time. He also added that the weight of the tests would be in relationship to each other as opposed to a specific marking period which may or may not be evenly distributed throughout each quarter.

How Does It Work?

At this point in the presentation, Bonamo clarified the difference between the traditional gradebook and the rolling gradebook in a chart. He summarized that the way to view the rolling gradebook is “to think of the academic year as one long quarter. Each report card grade represents that students' performance to that point in time from September and not just from the previous 10 weeks”. He added “that teachers can adjust the point values or weightings of individual or types of assessments depending on their overall course design and the needs of their students”.

He talked about the numerical rolling gradebook GPA conversion to a letter grade for grade reporting and explained that the letter grades “reduces the number of breaking points” which alleviates stress and unhealthy comparisons.

At this point, Mr. Bonamo turned the presentation over to Mr. Vaughan, a veteran Physics teacher who has been using the rolling gradebook for close to two decades, to discuss the unbalanced quarter grades. Mr. Vaughan demonstrated through a chart of test grade examples over four quarters, how “the rolling gradebook prevents the timing of a test from affecting the outcome of the final grade.” He added that some students like the snapshot the rolling GPA grade provides at any given time throughout the year while others prefer to see achievement for a single quarter. And other students commented that they felt “tied” to an early quarter despite doing better in later quarters.

Jen Maxwell, the Social Studies Department Chair, chimed in that her department historically weighted the first quarter at lower percentages to help students adjust to the school year and understand how teachers grade first assessments. She argued for the flexibility of the RGB rolling gradebook as it allows teachers to assign lesser weights to early assessments and then adjust to more points in later assessments. The flexibility of adjusting points allows the teacher to adjust to the classroom and manage student anxiety. Maxwell also forecasted changes to the New York State education system with examples of optional Regent exams and the use of AI technology. In both instances she argues that the flexibility of the RGB would not be affected by these changes.

On a whole, the panel was very supportive and positive toward the new grading system. However, there were a few cons highlighted as well. Bonamo brought up the fact that with quarterly grading, fluctuation in grades are seen more “sharply” from quarter to quarter. With RGB there is a “smoothing effect” where, if students grades dips, there will be missing flags on the grade reporting which is alarming.

What Do Parents Think?

Parents, though not included in last Spring’s survey, will be included in the future. They voiced concerns about motivation, grade flattening and student’s feelings of being “tied” to early grades. Parents also had concerns on the timeliness of returned assessments if RGB is not confined to quarterly marking periods. (There was a misunderstanding on the rolling gradebook and college applications and how it impacts universities requests for first semester grades, however, Bonamo was able to clarify that this really was not an issue). And lastly, it was mentioned that parents need to be part of the communication process and participate in surveys and other assessment discussions. Bonamo explained that the assessment committee is currently working on addressing each of these issues..

There was a little hesitation from both audiences when the floor was opened for questions. The first parent to step up had a comment rather than a question. She informed the administration that her child was very happy with the newly implemented rolling gradebook across disciplines.

From here, parent’s questions were more about misunderstanding and shortcomings of the new system. The panel was to clarify how “each assessment was equally weighted throughout the year?” Mr. Vaughan explained that the RGB was not structured on equally weighted assessments but rather each point was equally weighted throughout the year. He went on to give the example that in the beginning of the year he might offer 400 points in the first quarter as students ease into the subject matter and the class. In quarter three he would allocate 800 points, as the students have adjusted to the classroom environment and assessment expectations. Mr. Vaughan is an experienced teacher with many years using the rollingrade book. Ms. Maxwell also commented that there is a lot of “math” to the rolling grade book but is in general an easier tool for teachers to keep a better record of students’ activity and achievement.

However, other teachers, who are new to the system may not know how to fully use it. Bonomo agreed that both new and experienced teachers need more education on how to use the flexibility of RGB. There were multiple questions about putting flags on the report card, or changing the letter grade to the RGB numerical gpa on the quarter report cards. Bonamo responded that he didn’t like putting numerical grades on report cards since he feared it promoted unhealthy comparisons. Bonamo also said they are working on how to flag slight dips in numerical grades that dont show up when converted to letter grades. However, Vaughn added that “nobody wants to be surprised”, so they are also working on advising teachers on how to recognize these flags in their gradebooks so they can communicate and contact parents of a dip in a grade that would be overlooked by the “smoothing effect” of RGB.

Another big concern parents brought up in the Q&A session was the fact that some teachers do not return graded assessments in a timely fashion due to the flexibility of RGB. The parent commended the two teachers on the panel and wished more teachers followed their strategies. Bonamo agreed that this is indeed an issue and something that needs to be addressed regardless of RGB. He added that there is a “guiding principle that before a student takes an assessment or turns in a paper/project, they should receive the previous assignment/assessment of the same kind with enough time to process and integrate the feedback into the work they are submitting”. Bonamo was adamant that he would like to target and guide the teachers who may be doing this. It may be a number of teachers but he hoped that it is not all the teachers. He welcomed feedback to help the teachers who need it.

Parents asked teachers to be more communicative with students and one complained that with the elimination of designated test days, her children still had multiple tests and assessments due on the same day, increasing stress and anxiety. There was a brief mention of “regrading” and how this was used in RGB but this was not clarified.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Bonamo concluded the session by explaining that he welcomes all feedback. He said that he understands that this is just the second year of the rolling gradebook and made sure to point out that in the first year the objective was to educate the community. He recognized that in its second year, teachers are still learning and there is a definite need for professional development on best practices that will make the system cleaner and fairer to students.

It was very clear from the discussion that the administration intends to keep the Rolling Gradebook but that there is work to be done.

You can view the session on Vimeo here:

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Written by: Wendy MacMillan

Published: 27 November 2024

Created: 27 November 2024

Last Updated: 27 November 2024

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Levin sorting food for Grassroots GroceryAfter learning that only one in four New Yorkers who experience a food emergency access a food pantry, citing both physical barriers – such as transportation and inconvenience – and emotional ones, including stigma, discrimination, or even just dignity, former teacher Dan Zauderer founded Grassroots Grocery which works to removes those barriers by bringing the pantry to the people. According to their website, “Every Saturday, we rescue over 10,000 pounds of produce from our amazing Hunts Point Produce Market partners and distribute it to more than 1,100 families. Each drop-off site has a community leader, or grassroots grocer, who is committed to getting this food to people in their neighborhood. Our volunteer drivers help deliver this harvest to places it’s never gone before: hanging on a doorknob for someone who can’t leave their home, or in a community fridge where anyone can access it without having to ask.”

Last year, Scarsdale High School Junior Jack Levin volunteered one Saturday morning to help sort produce. Seeing what an incredible impact Grassroot Grocery has made for some of our neighboring communities, Levin kept returning on Saturday mornings to volunteer his time. Now, Levin works as a Student Ambassador and helps to ensure that the Saturday food sorting, packing and distributing runs smoothly. Levin also works to rescue excess food from SHS.

We recently interviewed Levin to learn more about this remarkable work and how others can get involved with Grassroots Grocery.

Q: How would you describe your work with Grassroots Grocery?

A: I am a part of the Grassroots Grocery Student Ambassadors and student food recovery task force so my main goal, in addition to being a core volunteer on Saturdays, is to try and get support for and people involved in grassroots grocery through fundraising and spreading the word. As part of the student food recovery task force I became interested in trying to start rescuing excess food from Scarsdale High School. My friend, Arman Amin, and I spoke to Principal Bonamo and Ms. Cook, the Director of Dining Services, about collecting excess food and donating it. They were both very supportive and we were able to make our first delivery of food from SHS today. Thanks to Ms. Cook and the food service staff, Arman and I collected a whole car load of food that would otherwise have been wasted over the Thanksgiving break and we delivered it to the Coop City Community Fridge in the Bronx. The food included fruit, vegetables, bakery items and sandwiches. Most of the food was taken quickly from the fridge which shows how much need there is for food.

Q: Why is this work important to you?

A: This work is important to me because I don't think anyone should go hungry, especially our neighbors. Food is the number one thing in US landfills - we waste 40% of our food which equals 130 BILLION meals and 218 BILLION dollars of food waste per year. So when I know that in the Bronx, only 20 min from my house, 40% of people and 1 out of every 3 kids are hungry I have to try to help.

Q: What is your favorite part of volunteering?Arman Armin and Jack Levin rescuing excess food from SHSArman Armin and Jack Levin rescuing excess food from SHS.

A: My favorite part of volunteering is delivering food into the community and seeing it get to families who need it.

Q: How can others get involved with Grassroots Grocery?

A: I hope people will join the Saturday Produce Parties - if they come, I know they will enjoy it and appreciate what a big difference they can make for the community. Here is the link to volunteer at a Produce Party

Students can apply to become an Ambassador and join the Food Recovery Task Force to start rescuing and donating food from their school. Arman and I would love other SHS students to join us in rescuing food from SHS and it would be great for students at SMS and the elementary schools to start food donation programs too.

Q: Can people help if they aren’t able to volunteer their time on Saturdays?

A: People can also get involved by donating to grassroots to help double their impact on hunger and food waste. This year I am fundraising to help Grassroots double its impact on hunger and food waste. Hopefully, Grassroots can expand from rescuing 13,000 to 26,000 pounds of produce every week, increase to two weekly produce deliveries and, most importantly, provide healthy food for over 3000 families every week.

Here is the link to my donation page where I am attempting to raise $7500 and beat last year’s $5400.

Whether it's through volunteer work, making art, science research, or entrepreneurship, many Scarsdale students work hard to make our community, and the world, a better place. If you are a student in Scarsdale who is making an impact, we’d love to share your story in our Student Spotlight. Please reach out to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.

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Written by: Wendy MacMillan

Published: 21 November 2024

Created: 21 November 2024

Last Updated: 21 November 2024

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Whether it's encouraging residents to email, speak during public comment, or joining them at a Board Coffee meeting, the Board of Education works hard to garner feedback from the Scarsdale community. In addition to these opportunities, On Monday November 18th, the BOE held a special Budget Forum designed specifically to invite public input into the development of a budget proposal for the 2025-26 school year.

The forum began with a brief welcome from Superintendent Dr. Drew Patrick, who provided a little background about the school budget and reminded attendees, “ We utilize the budgetary resources this community provides to support the educational and extracurricular programs at each of our seven buildings, and to fund our strategic priorities, all in an effort to fulfill our student-focused vision and mission. The strategic plan goals are organized into three big ideas - Learning, Living, and Leading.”

He went on to say, “The work of our school district is largely organized into three spheres, with students and student learning situated in the center of it all. Importantly, our budget is structured to support all three areas of the organization, with teaching and learning held up by the operational and student support functions. Of course, the Board of Education and community encompasses all of our work through governance and budgetary support.”

Patrick also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of the school budget in supporting our small class sizes, extracurriculars such as Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Education, and Spanish instruction in our “encore” programming, and “the breadth and depth of course offerings which define our High School programming. high school students are provided with opportunities that go beyond the state mandated course requirements, allowing them to dive deeper into content that aligns with their interests.”

Lastly Patrick explained that, “At all levels we are committed to meeting the needs of students with special needs. Legal mandates related to student ratios, and eligibility for specialized programs or services drive our special education programming. Our special education programs are dynamic, as we work to meet the ever changing individual needs of our students each year.”

Andrew Lennon then spoke about some of the key components of the budget including: Employee Benefits, Contractual Obligations, Principle and Interest, Boces Services, Supplies and Materials, Utilities, and more.

Lennon went on to discuss some of the important considerations of the current budget including: Tax Levy Limit, Inflation, TRS/ERS Rates, Health Plan Experience, Collective Bargaining, and Staffing Needs/Retirements.

Lennon also outlined the Long Range Plan 5-year Expense and Revenue Forecast which you can see here:

Members of the community were then invited to share their thoughts with the BOE. The first person to share his thoughts was a Fox Meadow resident who urged the BOE to consider upgrading the playground and basketball hoops on the lower field at Fox Meadow elementary school.

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

Next, Dalya Khan spoke on behalf of the League of Women Voters and read from a long list of prepared questions. Some of the questions include:

-How has development of the Long Range Financial Plan and Fund Balance and Reserve Plan affected the budgeting process of fiscal year 2025-26 and beyond?

-Will the budget stay within the projected tax cap? Would the Board consider going above the tax cap again?

-What budget lines, if any, have significantly over/underestimated the District’s currently projected income and expenses, and how will that impact planning for next year?

-Do you anticipate costs or expenditures that would lead to a material reduction in the undesignated fund balance in the 2025-26 budget? Given that the current Long Range Financial Plan anticipates a negative fund balance in FY 2027-28, how will that affect use of the fund balance for the 2025-26 budget?

-With respect to a 2026 bond, please: (a) provide a timeline; (b) discuss the District’s process for determining which projects to include in the 2026 bond; and (c) discuss what projects will be included in the 2026 bond. Who has provided input into making such determinations?

-Does the District plan to fund a study concerning the current or potential future impact of climate change on the physical plant?

-What transportation costs will be included in the 2025-26 budget? How will the transportation study impact the 2025-26 budget? What funds will be allocated in the 2025-26 budget to begin compliance with the NY Zero Emission Vehicle mandate? Please discuss the District’s current plans for transitioning to a zero-emission school bus upgrade by 2035.

-After the additions made in last year's budget, is the Special Education department adequately staffed to provide an expanded continuum of services in all the schools, including SMS and SHS? What funds will be allocated in the 2025-26 budget for the special education program? Please provide program staffing projections for the next five years.

-What technology improvements do you plan to include in the 2025-26 budget?

-Will DEIB work be a part of the 2025-26 budget? Does the District plan to continue to work with outside consultants in connection with its DEIB work? Will responding to the belonging survey be a part of this budget?

-Will any funds be allocated in the 2025-26 budget to review the K-12 math curriculum?

-How many FTE positions will be included in the 2025-26 budget for the multivariable calculus class, which was added to last year's budget?

-Will the 2025-26 budget include funds for a summer (or other) support program related to the MVC class or other math classes? How many students would be eligible for this summer support class and what are the advantages and disadvantages of adding such a summer course? How does this summer support class fit in with the rest of the K-12 math curriculum, and in particular, with the high school math curriculum? How many students took the MVC class this year? Does the District plan to add any other additional math classes?

-What safety or security-related measures/items will be included in the 2025-26 school year budget? Will the District continue to engage with safety and security consultants? Is the District still considering allocating funds for door ajar sensors and camera expansion?

PT Council

The last person to provide their input at the Budget Forum was PTC President Meryl Satler who spoke on behalf of the PTC Executive Committee. Satler also read from a prepared statement which began by thanking the district administration and Board of Education for hosting this Budget Priorities Session for the community and stated, “We believe that transparency, and early and ongoing communication with District parents and the Scarsdale community is essential to a comprehensive and effective budget process.”

Satler went on to thank “the district administration for its forward-thinking approach. We fully support the administration's decision to look at a five-year projection to identify revenue opportunities and assess the potential need for adjustments to fund balances. Given that the current model, as outlined in the Long-Range Financial Planning presentation, projects an operating deficit in the 2027-2028 fiscal year, the PTC urges the administration to prioritize efforts to avoid a negative fund balance. While we understand that this is a future projection and that updated inputs could alter the outlook, we recognize that addressing this issue may require difficult decisions, including reassessing larger expenditures. We ask that the administration maintain the same level of transparency and provide clear explanations throughout this process. Additionally, following the 2024-2025 budget's 4.45% tax levy growth, we hope the updated future projection model will help maintain moderate levy growth, with an emphasis on keeping it below the tax cap.”

The prepared statement made note that the PTC appreciates “The district’s straightforward discussion of the challenges related to the Electric Vehicle (EV) Bus Plan. As the district moves forward with the phased rollout of electric buses to comply with New York State regulations, the PTC requests that the Board of Education and administration carefully evaluate the most efficient and responsible approaches, as outlined in the Highland Transportation Study. Whether through leasing, borrowing, or a hybrid model, the goal should be to identify a solution that aligns with both the district’s financial priorities and the needs of the school community (short and long term). We also urge the district to maintain its commitment to sustainability by going above and beyond state requirements, as demonstrated by initiatives like the EV rollout. Our schools should be adequately funded to support sustainability best practices, including recycling programs, composting, the use of sustainable materials, and the integration of sustainability education and awareness throughout the curriculum.”

Later in the statement Satler read, “As our District Facilities and Buildings continue to age and the needs of our community evolve, the PTC emphasizes the importance of addressing physical spaces at each school that require updating or renovation.” She drew attention to “the need for outdoor playgrounds at all five elementary schools have surpassed their expected lifespans and need replacement. Second, we strongly encourage the district to expand air conditioning across all seven school buildings to improve comfort of learning environments. Lastly, we recommend investigating the addition of functional kitchens at several elementary schools and exploring the possibility of a combined school cafeteria and kitchen at the middle school.”

Satler expressed that, “The PTC is impressed with the district’s ongoing commitment to effective technology usage policies in the Scarsdale schools. With the current "Off and Away" policy at the elementary and middle school levels, and the use of cell phone caddies at the high school, our practices are among the best in the region. We encourage the district to continue monitoring Governor Hochul’s priorities, particularly her focus on a “bell-to-bell” ban on personal devices, as this may have implications for future budgeting.”

In addition, “The PTC EC and Budget Study Chairs are strong proponents of maintaining small class sizes, providing comprehensive student support, and promoting teaching practices that nurture the development of the whole child,” Satler made clear that the PTC, “encourage the district to continue prioritizing flood mitigation strategies related to both our buildings and grounds.” Additionally, they “Urge the district to identify and implement a long-term solution for updating the fields, ensuring both their playability and the health and safety of the students who use them. Any improvements made should provide a sustainable, lasting solution.”

To hear each of the full statements from the Budget Forum you can watch the video here.

Before ending the Budget Forum Session, Dr. Patrick noted that there will be a document posted and regularly updated on the District Website that will work to answer as many of these questions as possible. Patrick then encouraged the public to continue providing their feedback by writing to the BOE at boardofed@scarsdaleschools.org or participating one of the next budget meetings.

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 11 November 2024

Created: 11 November 2024

Last Updated: 30 January 2025

Hits: 2329

A long-term plan shows that if projections are accurate, the district's fund balance would go into negative territory by 2027-28.A long-range financial plan for the Scarsdale Schools presented by Assistant Superintendent Andrew Lennon at the November 4 School Board meeting, paints a worrisome future for the finances of the Scarsdale Schools.

In recent years, the district has used reserves and excess revenues from prior years to help balance the following year’s budget. But this strategy has drawn down reserves, and with expenses forecasted to outpace revenues in the next few years, in just two years, a new financial model shows that the district will have used up all their reserves to balance the budget if changes aren’t made. It is important to note that these are projections, based on many assumptions. The actual figures would likely change as a result of annual budget discussions as the administration and Board would be unlikely to propose an annual budget with such low fund balances.

Specifically, Lennon’s projection shows that for the 2027-28 school budget, if the district continues to meet the tax cap and no other changes are made to revenues or expenses from the projections reserves will go into negative territory.

The district has held around $20 million in various reserve funds each year. But if Lennon’s projections hold up, the $19.5 million fund balance projected for the end of the 2024-25 school year, would fall to a negative ($740,000) by the end of the 2027-28 school year.

And without surplus funds to underwrite the 2028-29 school budget, the fund balance would decline to a negative $12.4 mm at the end of the 2028-29 school year. The deficit could cause the district to be forced to drastically cut staffing or programming.

Why the shortfall? With new programs and services, continued increases in budget items such as health insurance, and revenues that mostly come from property taxes, there has been increasing pressure on the annual budget. There are also state mandates such as the conversion to EV buses that are only partially being funded through grants and incentives. The EV buses make up a meaningful amount of additional expenses in the financial model, but even without these buses the projections are troubling. * See a note on the buses below.

Staffing is the largest component of the budget and in the past 10 years, the number of full time employees has grown by 70, from 596 to 666 with school enrollment decreasing from 4821 students in 2014-15 to 4,703 students in 2024-25.

Factoring in these bus purchases, staff contracts and other expenses, here’s how projected costs will outpace revenues in the coming years:

Expenses would rise from $184mm in 2024-25 to $224mm in 2029-2030 while revenues go from $182 mm in 2024-25 to $210mm in 2029-30, leaving a gap.

Lennon was hopeful that a few factors might ameliorate the dire scenario. He said that interest income might possibly grow from revenues invested during the school year. Staff retirements could decrease the overall district payroll when more senior staffers are replaced with lower paid new hires. And rather than simply purchase the buses, the district could explore financing the buses via bond offerings or borrowing.

However, if this scenario is what the modelling now shows, what should the district do now to change the economics down the line. Budget discussions are scheduled to start in just a few weeks.

Former Board President Ron Schulhof noted the implications of the report. He said, “Our fund balance is projected to run out in 3 years – that’s a big red flag. What is our plan? Even if this is off, our fund balance would be at an unacceptable level. This is a glaring red flag about this year’s budget.”

Lennon replied, “We need to look closely at expenses – how will retirements affect these numbers? We are going to have to make some tough decisions.”

Board member Bob Klein asked, “What would be a strategy to preserve our fund balance in three years? This might happen. We need to understand so that we’ll know whether we can do anything new next year. What do we need to do to turn this into a positive? We need to know this soon – we are on a path that is very concerning. I am shocked at the magnitude of this problem.”

Lennon said, “When we are asked to do something new or different, consider the long term cost of the initiative.”

The Board then asked Lennon to analyze the effects of various scenarios to fund the new EV fleet which he will present at a later meeting. See the presentation here.
In order to comply with a state mandate, the school district will need to acquire 41 EV school buses by 2030.

EV Buses:
*One item driving expenses is a NYS mandate that the district convert their fleet of gas powered buses to zero emission electric vehicles. These zero emission buses are 3-4 times more expensive than gas powered buses. By 2027 all new buses must be EV’s and by 2035 the district’s entire fleet must be electric vehicles. This means that from 2025 to 2030, the district would need to buy 17 full size EV buses and 24 smaller EV buses. Scarsdale received an $800,000 grant from the EPA for their initial purchase, but the potential expense for the entire purchase is over $10 mm, which is just one factor impacting the long term budget projections for the district.

Michael Otten submitted the following comment:

The good news is that there is an administration in place that at last takes seriously long-term planning rather than the 1-2 yr planning horizon previously used. I wish I could attend the meeting on Monday, but am committed to be at a different School Board meeting as a Board member that evening. I am truly delighted at the open communication approach being taken.

I believe that there are at least three factors that need to be seriously further examined:

1. "...in the past 10 years, the number of full-time employees has grown by 70, from 596 to 666 with school enrollment decreasing from 4821 students in 2014-15 to 4,703 students in 2024-25." This almost certainly includes a significant number of Indirect administrative staff, some of which might relate to the mental stress of the COVID years, but intuitively feels to me just like administrative bloat. As the District has had the courage to look forward more than two years, I would suggest that they also look backwards a few years (maybe two decades?), to understand better how the Directs/Indirects ratio for the District has changed, and if all the assumptions for increased indirect staff still hold.

2. Technology and Supplies: Technology should result in savings as well as expense. I suspect that some 'tools' have been added in response to marketing glitz rather than proven value-add. I also expect that there are many unused books and other prior generation media lying around with little practical use. A zero-based review might be worthwhile.

3. Unfunded State and Federal 'mandates' have been a problem of irresponsible government since the beginning of time. The Electric Bus program is probably unreasonably aggressive in terms of phasing out gas buses well before their effective life expectancy has been exceeded. What are the penalties if the District only follows a schedule supported by State reimbursements? I suspect that the penalty for ignoring mandates might be difficult to enforce and rejecting them through court action has been under-exercised as an option.

I am not sure about the Scarsdale Forum Education Committee this year, which has new leadership, but responding to the budget long-term plan challenges would seem to be an unavoidable responsibility.

Yours truly,

Michael Otten, former Scarsdale School Board Member (1988-94) and President,
and former Scarsdale Forum Education Committee Chair