SYRACUSE -- Syracuse School District Superintendent Dan Lowengard will present a budget plan on Wednesday that will call for the elimination of 220 jobs. Lowengard initially said last month his budget plan included and $18 million dollar gap that, at the time, he hoped would be made up with a combination of State and Federal aid. The 220 jobs are so far the largest number of staffing positions on the line in any district in Central New York as every district deals with a tough budget environment.
The plan for major cuts also comes as the district deals with a new state report that finds it has a 27% drop out rate. Lowengard told CNY Central, "It's unfair. We are going to lose a lot of good people, at a time when we are starting to see good results and a time when the standards are about to get tougher."
Lowengard also says he will leave funding for the Say Yes To Education program untouched. He believes the program that provides free college tuition to qualifying students is something that can be a huge benefit for the city school system.
