North Babylon School District is asking for more tax money from local residents, but not that much, explained Dr. Robert Aloise, Superintendent of Schools.

An average resident - with a home assessed at $3,700 — currently pays $5,755 in school taxes and would see an increase of $168.25, or 2.92 percent. The tax rate in the district is currently $155.56 per $100 of assessed value. Under the proposed spending plan for 2009-10 it is expected to increase $4.55 or go to $160.11.

Thedistrict's state aid package for the coming year is $647,775 or 1.45 percent lower than what the district received in 2008-09.

"Although we are cognizant of the economic times, we did not start with the premise to cut the budget, said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aloise. "We started with the idea of examining the needs of the children, our programs and practices." This year's proposed budget is $104,526,908 which is actually down from the 2008-09 budget of $105, 737,467.

The tax increase on residents is low compared to other districts, Aloise said. "We want to meet the needs of students at a rate the taxpayers can afford," he said. According to Newsday, the average tax levy on Long Island went up less than 2.8 percent. North Babylon's tax levy will go up 1.89 percent, said Aloise.

North Babylon made a few cuts for the next school year. An alternative program for high school students will be reconfigured to allow only full-time students, instead of part-timers who wish to take electives. This will save the school an estimated $60,000.

Earlier in the year, the district already decided to increase class sizes to bring them in line with the numbers in surrounding districts. Approximately 36 teachers were let go as a result.

Citing "programmatic parity," the school district also cut seven paraprofessionals from the kindergarten programs. Now each kindergarten class has the same amount of assistants: a halftime paraprofessional.

Much of the money saved will be "repurposed," said Aloise. There will be a new program at the middle school called AIS, academic intervention services, to help struggling students. He explained that 24 percent of the middle school population is classified with special needs. "We are trying to build supports and avenues to bring those numbers down," said Aloise. Thisprogram will cost the $94,000 for each of the three grade levels at Robert Moses Middle School. North Babylon High School will also add a testing center at the high school, a room that would allow students with special needs a private testing space.

For a price tag of $178,000, the district will also add to its technology infrastructure, which will pave the way for future improvements at the school such as security cameras, SMART boards, better telephone systems and computers. The North Babylon School District is also beefing up its library resources to the tune of $70,000.

Other expenses include: $120,000 for a new bus and van and $50,000 earmarked for staff development (up from $20,000).