Education aid is staying at about the same level as last year, and school officials worry that cuts may be the only answer.

While the majority of state aid is flat, East Ramapo Central School District Superintendent Ira Oustatcher says proposed cuts in state aid have been restored.

Limited help from the state, rising costs and a harsh economy, however, mean the budget will be difficult this year.

The school is already battling a multimillion-dollar budget gap and declining enrollment, and it is considering shutting down schools. Oustatcher, meanwhile, is hesitant to use $6 million in federal stimulus help with the budget, since it is only temporary and leaves the question of what to do in two years, after the stimulant money has disappeared.