BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Buffalo Public School District is approaching a "financial cliff" and is anticipating a $90 million budget shortfall next school year.
The $90 million hole, which comes from American Rescue Plan funding, is set to run out by the end of June. This would mean the school board has to find new ways to fund things like after-school programs and 310 full-time employees who were hired with the funds.
Mark Bruno, a BPS parent, teacher and union representative at Riverside High School, said there is chatter and concern over potential job cuts at each school. Bruno said this is devastating.
"We're doing so much more here than just teaching math and social studies and English. We are, you know, kind of a quasi-family unit for many of these students," Bruno said. "They're talking about at Riverside, you know, us losing a school counselor, social worker, an attendance teacher going from full time to a .2 which you would be here you know, like barely at all."
He said the COVID money provided a false sense of security.
"There's never been a year I've worked here that we're not talking about you know, not having enough money, budget cuts, people getting cut, you know, it's, it's unstable," Bruno said.
Board members have been discussing how to cut millions in spending for months now. BPS Chief Financial Officer Jim Barnes told 7 News at a school board meeting last month that board members are considering multiple options to cut costs.
"One of the goals is to not have layoffs. That's not a promise but it's a goal," Barnes said.
7 News reached out to BPS about the concerns and was provided with this statement:
"BPS is utilizing several strategies to avoid any layoffs, including funding from vacant positions, a hiring freeze, and using a portion of the district's general fund, retirements, transitioning and sunsetting some positions, and a number of one-time items don't require funding for the next school year."
The board will meet next Wednesday to discuss the funding. Meantime the district says there are no final decisions about staffing until the state budget passes.
"I hope the district would do everything possible, which I hope they would, to make sure they don't have those cuts," Bruno said.
