Heights School Budget Means $238 More for Average Taxpayer

Hasbrouck Heights Board of Education approved a $28 million budget Thursday night that will cost the average taxpayer roughly $238 more on the school portion of their tax bill for this year.

The budget supports curriculum advances along with meeting changes required by the state such as the newly mandated teacher evaluation program and anti-HIB programming, explained Mark Porto, superintendent who gave a detailed presentation to the public Thursday night.

Porto explained the formula for tax levy cap which includes the previous year's tax levy up by 2 percent plus adjustments for enrollment increases and health care costs. 

To the average taxpayer whose home is valued at $350,000 the budget means $238 more for calendar year 2013, or $19.84 per month. Porto also gave figures for the fiscal year of June to June of which the increase would be $273.82 per year, or $22.82 per month, for the average homeowner.

Increasing enrollment continues to be an issue for the district which has led to the elimination of the pre-K program at both elementary schools in order to allow that class space to be used to reduce size at other grade levels. Enrollment has increased 8.98 percent from October 2011, according to Porto's presentation.

Two of the pre-K teachers will now teach other elementary grades to help reduce class size, Porto explained.

Curriculum advancements support literacy as a priority in the district. The district is working to implement a readers/writing workshop model into the classrooms over the next three years. Porto says the district is working with Teachers College and Columbia University to bring this model into the district beginning with K-2.

The district will add one additional special education teacher to support current programming. They will also bring on one new social studies teacher so the district can add AP US Government and other career-based electives. Another additional teacher will expand world language programs at middle school and high school, according to Porto's presentation.

The Heights district will also expand its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum to now include biomedical engineering and sports medicine at the high school.

Porto said he was proud of the district and proud of the budget callling it "fiscally responsible" enabling the district to meet the needs of its students and state mandates.

See the attached PDF to view the budget presentation or download it from the district's website.

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