22 Teachers Face Layoffs in Adopted Budget

Story updated at 4:40 p.m. Thursday.

Story by Nicole Murphy.

The Levittown Board of Education adopted the 2013-14 budget Wednesday evening, a budget that features 22 potential teacher layoffs district-wide.

Board members said they struggled with the proposed tax levy, knowing that the maximum levy of 3.54 percent would be best for education, but not for taxpayers. The final budget draft of $195,590,207 was sealed with a proposed tax levy of 2.98 percent.

The adopted budget of $195,590,207 is a $5,593,626 increase from last year. Total employee benefits have increased $6.39 million or 14.92 percent, with health insurance increasing about $1.75 million or 10.32 percent. Other increases include teacher salaries in K-6, with a $1.36 million increase, and teacher salaries in 7-12, with an increase of $2.41 million, according to the budget posted on the Levittown Schools website.

Twenty-two teachers district-wide were notified last Friday, April 19 of potential cuts that could take place in the upcoming year.  Superintendent Dr. James Grossane blamed the need for layoffs on declining enrollment and tough economic times.

"We are a K-12 district, and things that happen on the elementary level effect the secondary level and vice-versa," said Grossane. "Over all, we're down about 75-80 students in kindergarten, so enrollment is down at the elementary levels."

"The board has come to the decision that we're not going to run classes under the enrollment of 17 at the secondary level unless there are space limitations, it's IEP driven or there's prior board approval to have that course run," the Superintendent added.  

The majority of notices that went out were a result of the tightening of classes and schedules on the secondary level. While the cuts could impact all areas of instruction, the greatest impact appears within mathematics and music.

Jay Jones, a father to three children in the Levittown School District, a seasoned teacher at MacArthur HS for more than 25 years and a teachers union representative, urged the board to reconsider. After seeing 110 teachers lose their jobs in just five years, Jones said he is concerned for the future of education in Levittown.

"I recognize that you all have had to make tough decisions based on this difficult fiscal environment," he explained. "As a Levittown taxpayer, I am also fully aware of the difficult tax burdens its residents are under. But at this point, after five years of cutting, I can't stress enough that any further cuts, I believe, is threatening the integrity and the strength of our system. Our students and their educations, I believe, are at a breaking point."

MacArthur High School music student Alex Dempsey approached the board, devastated at the thought of losing two of his beloved instructors.

"We are all devastated, completely," said Dempsey. "The immediate response was 'Why? Why do you need to get rid of them?' We don't see the reason for it. We have all these brand new things, like smartboards and computers when we don't really need them. Any of the students would give up plenty of these things to save our teachers right now."

The board thanked the community for voicing their opinions and assured them that right now, nothing is definite, and changes in staff or enrollment could potentially save jobs for next year.

The second budget hearing will be held on May 14, with the budget vote taking place on May 21.

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Steven Nicastro contributed to this story.