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Folks: USD funding could drop to 1992 levels
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| By Ryan D. Wilson, Staff Reporter |
November 03, 2009 |
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Superintendant Mike Folks told the USD-379 board that state funding for schools will drop to 1992 levels, according to information distributed at the Kansas Association of School Boards fall regional meeting.
For USD-379, that means a loss of about half of a million dollars over the next 18 months.
Board member Brad Mason said the loss of funds was "very discouraging."
"It's very discouraging to go from discussing how we can do better things for the kids right back to what can we cut?" Mason said.
Reauthorizing the capital mill levy was discussed, which the board can do after 40 days after publication or no earlier than Nov. 24.
Folks said it didn't make sense to levy mills for capital outlay until after they maximize the local option budget because they receive 52 to 54 percent of the LOB in equalization funds from the state.
However, Folks said he supports the resolution that would allow the district to raise up to 8 mills for capital outlay if needed.
"In this fiscal climate, we owe to our students and to our community to protect (our funding), to be able to generate funds if we need to.
The School Resource Officer came up as a possible cut. Currently the position is vacant, however Sheriff Chuck Dunn reported two applicants are interested and one of those is academy-certified to be a law enforcement officer in Kansas, assistant superintendant Sherri Edmundson said.
Edmundson asked if the district should let applicants know the position may not be there in six months or if the board would commit to having it longer. Board members told her to let applicants know it may be cut.
"My thought is that it's a really good program," Mason said. "But if we have to go back to '92 funding, we'll probably have to do without a lot of things I think are really good programs."
"Let them know it might not be there even though we want it to be there," board member Jeff Cannizzo said.
"I don't like that at all, but I don't see we have a choice," Mason said.
"In all fairness I think we should be up front about the reality of the situation," Folks said.
Board members asked if the sheriff's department would be able to absorb it in their budget. Edmundson said they've already asked that, and Dunn indicated he'd have to talk to the county commission, but it was probably too large for them to absorb with the difficulties they're facing.
The board talked about the impending School For Fair Funding lawsuit, which larger school districts have joined at $2 per pupil, plus another $3 per pupil for any kind of action. Of the 450,000 students in Kansas, 115,000 or about a fourth of those students are represented by that lawsuit, board member Jeff Cannizzo said. USD-379 is not among those districts represented by the lawsuit.
The problem with the lawsuit is that the last one took six years to win, Folks said. It forced the state to put $750 million into school in three years, but in three years that funding was removed, and assuming the next lawsuit is successful, it will take another six years for it to be successful.
Budget planning and cuts will be the primary topics of the strategic planning meeting scheduled for 6 p.m., Nov. 17, particularly how it relates to personnel, extended contracts, possibly making athletics "play to pay," facilities and technology.
In other district business:
--The district gave consensus to allow extension of Early Head Start's mobile dental program into preschool and kindergarten classes at Lincoln school. The program provides screenings for children that qualify for Medicaid.
--Folks reported that availability of the H1N1 vaccines will be limited.
--Twin Lakes Director Steve Joonas reported that approval of Project Promise will be on the agenda for the strategic planning meeting.
--The board heard a report on the audit, which auditors gave their highest opinion on and said they found no major violations.
-- The board accepted resignations of Marty Wallace as freshman girls basketball coach at CCCHS, Brandon Pfizenmaier as assistant wrestling coach at CCCHS, and Ron Hedberg as a substitute bus driver.
-- The board hired Cathy White as Twin Lakes social worker, Dayna Jones as Twin Lakes speech-language pathologist, and Jenny Cook as assistant cook at Wakefield.
--The board hired as substitute teachers Katherine Boyer, Delbert Lee and Karen Thompson.
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©Clay Center Dispatch 2009
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