CITY BUDGET INFO

EPP ALERTS
2005

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCED FY 2006 EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROPOSAL

On May 5, 2005 Mayor Bloomberg announced his budget proposals for the city. The proposed FY 2006 operating budget for the Department of Education provides an increase of $302.6 million over last year. Roughly half of the proposed increase is directed to school bus transportation for both general education and special education students. Transportation increased costs are as follows: $126.2 million to cover the cost of new contracts providing transportation to general and special education students + $13.8 million for the increased cost of instruction and transportation for special education pre-kindergarten students attending private facilities + $15.4 million for the increased cost of transportation and instruction of school-age special education students attending private facilities.

According to Mayor Bloomberg the budget includes an additional $5 million to continue and expand funding for early grade academic intervention services; additional $10 million to expand academic intervention services to at-risk middle school students (8th graders in danger of not being promoted); and $10 million to ensure average class size is maintained in grades K-3. (No definition or data is given of what constitutes "average class size" in grades K-3. )

Budget summary materials include an additional $95.9 million for mandated special education services as well as for inclusion models, ensuring that schools are adequately funded for these services. At this time EPP does not know if the additional funds represent a reallocation of instructional funds or new money.

The city contribution to the Department of Education budget is $5.7 billion--- out of its total $14.07 billion proposed operating budget that includes state and federal dollars. The city's proposed contribution reflects $113.5 million more than required by the state imposed maintenance of effort provision of 2002.

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