By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo's School District is bracing for possible layoffs. It is facing a $34 million budget shortfall. Schools superintendent James Williams has called on the city to increase funding. But as WBFO'S Eileen Buckley reports, Williams says even if the city and state come through, it won't fix the problem long term.
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Williams has repeatedly called on state lawmakers to change the structure of how school districts operate. City Schools rely on the state for about 80-percent of its funding. Districts across the state and even nationwide are struggling.
The District might be forced to cut 700 jobs to manage the massive deficit. But Williams warns without structural changes, they will be back in the same spot a year from now.
But State senator Antoine Thompson of Buffalo says democratic state senators are working to try to restore some school funding cut by the Governor.
Superintendent Williams says state lawmakers need to step up and declare it a broken system that must be repaired.