On March 1 the federal government may make across-the-board spending cuts as budget law allows to reduce spending over the next 10 years by $1.2 trillion. These automatic cuts will reduce federal education grants to school districts by 9%. This reflects an $87,000 loss of funding for Islip. These monies are earmarked for programs and services for students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students and English-language learners, all of which are mandated services. To maintain the mandated services, another program may be lost.
Attached is a form letter that you may wish to use to let your legislator know that the impact on our students is unacceptable.
A prompt reply is necessary as the March 1 deadline is approaching.
Legislator Contact Information
Congressman Peter King
1003 Park Boulevard
Massapequa Park, NY 11762
Email:
Pete.King@mail.house.gov
Congressman Steve Israel
534 Broad Hollow Road, Suite 302
Melville, NY 11747
Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
155 Pinelawn Road, Suite 250 North
Melville, NY 11747
Web Form:
www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/
Senator Charles Schumer
145 Pinelawn Road #300
Melville, NY 11747
Web Form:
www.schumer.senate.gov/Contact/contact_chuck.cfm
See Sample Letter Below
[Legislator Name]
[Legislator Address]
Dear ___________________:
The failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Super Committee) to produce a bill identifying budgetary savings of at least $1.2 trillion over ten years had triggered an automatic spending reduction process (called sequestration) to take effect on January 2, 2013, currently postponed to March 1. For FY13, these cuts will be applied to most programs, including all discretionary education programs, except Federal Pell Grants. The depth of the cuts is estimated to be 9%, which would reduce funding for the US Education Department by billions of dollars. These cuts would affect millions of students and lead to potentially significant job losses and program eliminations for the nation’s schools, the educators who run them, and the students they educate. I am asking you to take immediate action, as a member of Congress, to work with your colleagues to avoid these deep cuts which would be devastating to our district and students.
The Islip UFSD receives approximately $974,527 annually in federal grant funds, which enables our District to provide programs and services for students with disabilities, students who require intervention services, students who are economically disadvantaged and English Language Learners. The sequestration reductions could result in a loss of $87,707 for mandated services. The result for a modest district like Islip would be the loss of staffing and program. Although we understand we all must be fiscally responsible, we cannot harm children.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]