BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — After months of questions and concerns, the Buffalo Public School District now has finalized and approved the budget for the 2024-2025 school year.
Budget battles have persisted in districts throughout Western New York, including in Buffalo where they had to make several adjustments to cut $90 million from the budget.
It had to cut the funding from the budget because, by June 30, funding received through the American Rescue Plan (ARP/ESSER} will run out.
In February, the Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education discussed the options it had to cut the funding.
WATCH: BPS Board of Education shares potential plans ahead of ARP funding expiration
Earlier this month, 7 News learned 30 staff members would be laid off, 42 staff members would retire and 187 vacant positions would not be filled.
WATCH: 'In a difficult situation': Roughly 30 Buffalo Public School employees to be laid off
The budget was approved by the board of education Wednesday night.
BPS Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams gave kudos to leadership for the tedious decision.
"His small team that's here tonight that has left no stone unturned, looking at grants to see. When we met with the board members. They went back and found ways out of no way for us to give what was asked for," Dr. Williams said.
Earlier this month, Chief Financial Officer Jim Barnes stated the district's financial struggles had not been addressed by prior superintendents and were then magnified by the ARP/ESSER funding when additional staffing was brought in.
"If it's not addressed, as your enrollments go down, you get less foundation aid, which represents along with the other aid, 85% of our revenues and your costs go up. So, you'd be eventually heading for a financial disaster," Chief Financial Officer Jim Barnes said.
