How will state funding cuts affect schools reopening?

Reopening schools is going to be complex.​ Schools are still waiting for guidelines from New York State.

Those new guidelines will come with a cost at a time schools are facing state funding cuts.

NEXT TONIGHT, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS ISKEEPING IT'S EYE ONEDUCATION...SUMMER VACATIONMAY HAVE JUSTBEGUN...BUTDISTRICTS ARELOOKING AHEAD TOTHE FALL..AND HOWCAN THEY SAFELYRE-OPEN SCHOOLS...BUT AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTEROLIVIA PROIAREVEALS..

IT'S NOTJUST ABOUT SAFETY..IT'S ABOUT COST..CROFT: WE ALL WANTSTUDENTS BACK HERE.IT'S GOING TO BE ASCHOOL YEAR LIKENOTHING WE'VE EVERSEEN.REOPENING SCHOOLSIS GOING TO BECOMPLEX.RUSSO: THIS ISCOMPLICATED.

ITINVOLVES LOTS OFMOVING PARTS.

IT'SGOING TO INVOLVERESOURCES.

AND IT'SSIGNIFICANTPLANNING.DR. THOMAS RUSSO ISTHE CHIEF OFINFECTIOUS DISEASEAT THE JACOBSSCHOOL OF MEDICINE.HE SAYS PLANNINGNEEDS TO HAPPENNOW.RUSSO: IT'S CRITICALTHAT WE MAKE EVERYEFFORT TO MINIMIZETHESE CHILDRENGETTING INFECTED.NOT ONLY FOR THEIROWN SAKE BUT FORTHE SAKE OF LOVEDONES.DR. SEAN CROFT ISSUPERINTENDENT OFTHE STARPOINTCENTRAL SCHOOLDISTRICT.

HE'S ALSOON A STATE TASKFORCE THAT'SESTABLISHINGREOPENINGGUIDELINES.HE SAYS THE STATEWILL RELEASE ITSGUIDELINES BY MID-JULY.CROFT: WE CANT WAITTHAT LONG.

IT'S GOINGTO BE A TIGHTWINDOW.

YOU'RETALKING MID-JULY.

YOUHAVE TO BE READY TOGO BY MID AUGUST.

SOTHAT'S A MONTH.STARPOINT HASALREADY LAUNCHEDITS OWN TASK FORCE -WITH 8 SUBCOMMITTEES.RUSSO: IT'S SOCRITICAL AT THIS POINTTHAT IF PLANS HAVEN'TALREADY BEGUN THEYNEED TO BEGIN ASSOON AS POSSIBLE.STAND UP: THESE NEWGUIDELINES COMEWITH A COST.

AT A TIMEWHEN SCHOOLS AREFACING A SIGNIFICANTCUT IN FUNDING.CROFT: SCHOOLDISTRICTS ARE FACINGA HUGE CUT IN STATEAID FROM GOVERNORCUOMO STATING ABOUT20 PERCENT.

I DON'TKNOW HOW WE OPENSAFELY IF YOU CUT 20PERCENT OUT OF OSTATE AID.THAT MEANS THESTARPOINT SCHOOLDISTRICT WILL HAVETO MAKE THESECHANGES WHILE ALSOHANDLING A 2 POINTFOUR MILLION DOLLARCUT IN FUNDING.CROFT: SO OPENSAFELY FOR CHILDRENBUT DO IT WITH 2.4MILLION DOLLARSLESS.

THAT WOULD BEA DISASTER ACROSSTHE ENTIRE STATE.DR. CROFT SAYS HEHOPES THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT WILLPROVIDE STIMULUSMONEY SO SCHOOLSCAN REOPEN SAF