PLATTSBURGH -- Soaring fuel costs have school officials worried they might run out of gas.

Actually, they must cover their fuel costs, so, as always, it is sports, arts, extra-curricular activities, advanced-placement programs and more that face the prospect of cuts.

And with New York state in a fiscal crisis, the situation would become more dire if state-aid projections that the districts factored into budgets aren't fully realized.

"As far as aid, that is pure speculation," said Saranac Central School Superintendent Ken Cringle. "But from what I have been reading, both the Senate and House are frowning on making any kind of cuts to education, particularly as they are starting to fund pre-K and smaller class sizes, but that is still not to say that won't take place."

RISING FUEL COSTS

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer released a report this week that indicated upstate New York school districts will spend a projected $43 million more in fuel costs this year than last school year.

In the North Country, districts will spend about $4.35 million more on fuel expenses and will face $4.84 million in transportation budget shortfalls, according to Schumer's figures.

School boards statewide have increased transportation budgets for the 2008-09 school year by an average of 23 percent.

Schumer is introducing an enhanced Hybrid Tax Credit proposal that would expand a current law to allow districts to consider a greater percentage of the cost difference between regular and hybrid buses when calculating credit.

That would reduce emissions, Schumer said, and upstate districts that implement hybrid fleets could save millions in fuel costs.

The senator is also introducing the School Energy Crisis Relief Act of 2008, which would authorize the U.S. secretary of energy to provide emergency energy grants to school districts struggling with soaring fuel costs.

"No school should have to make a choice between books and transporting kids," Schumer said in a press release. "Diesel-fuel costs are slamming school districts and placing too heavy a burden on our schools' budgets."

DISTRICTS CONCERNED

AuSable Valley Central School budgeted a 16-percent increase in fuel costs.

Cringle didn't have that information immediately available but said, "We hiked it a very good percentage."