Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Buffalo Board of Education unanimously passed a $1.4 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year.
It includes elimination of 51 positions in the Central Office and closure of schools, in order to deal with an $80 million deficit.
"We have been hearing over and over that we need to close schools," School Board member Larry Scott told WBEN.
"We botched that earlier this year and it's something that is absolutely going to be necessary for next year, going into the following budget year, or else we're going to continue to incur a deficit and be drawing from our savings and getting to a place of insolvency."
Has the decision been made on which two schools will close?
Scott said a decision has not yet been made.
"We're expecting to hear more as a board in the fall. The district has decided internally to do its own study and make determinations and recommendations to us on schools that could close. There is conversation about it being, potentially, more than two schools."
The board also cut 51 positions from the Central Office. Scott said 36 of the positions were vacant.
The new budget also addresses class size,
"In some schools, class sizes were quite low. As a result, the average class size will move from 19 to 21," Scott explained.
The new budget invests $8 million dollars in Special Education.
"I'm very proud of this. We are adding 58 Special Education staff and beginning a therapeutic program at School 27 to meet the growing need for students with autism. The growth has been significant over the past few years. Over 120 classrooms are currently serving students with autism."
Scott recently wrote an op-ed in The Buffalo News about the need for a state of the art therapeutic school for students with severe disabilities and mental health needs.
"There is conversation about it being, potentially, more than two schools"
"There is conversation about it being, potentially, more than two schools"
