Chambers go to bat for education funding

Leaders organize forum, say education has direct tie to

business

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

One of Republic's greatest business recruitment tools is its schools, according to city officials there. So when Republic schools lose state funding, it's a threat to the livelihood of the city's business community.

Republic is not alone. The growing communities of Nixa and Ozark also are challenged with meeting ever-increasing educational needs while staring down state cuts in education funding.

To address the budget cuts and engage the business community, chambers of commerce officials and school district superintendents from Republic, Nixa and Ozark will hold a forum Jan. 22 at Nixa's Community Center.

The Republic Area Chamber of Commerce, which organized the forum, invited more than 25 southwest Missouri chambers and their members, according to Jennifer Birkenfeld, Republic Chamber director.

"We are going to try and attack some of these issues" to build awareness among local businesses, Birkenfeld said.

It's not difficult to see the connection between schools and business, according to Pam Hedgpeth, Republic schools superintendent, who will be presenting at the meeting.

"That's one of the first things businesses look for when they come to a community. What kind of a work force are they going to be able to produce for our businesses?'" she said.

Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sharon Whitehill Gray said Nixa has experienced that first-hand in the city's recent boom years.

"The number one reason (businesses) move here is because of the growth. But the number 1 reason people live in Nixa is because of our school system," she said.

That information is based on economic roundtable sessions sponsored by the chamber last year.

"We are just concerned," Whitehill Gray added.

"The future leadership in our community and businesses is dependent upon well-educated students."

Hedgpeth fears the quality of education provided at her schools would diminish if additional budget cuts estimated to be 3 percent to 8 percent of Republic's budget are implemented. The higher-end cuts would draw about $1.4 million from the $16.9 million operating budget of last year, she said.

The Nixa R-II School District's losses could end up matching the $1.6 million that state coffers withheld last year, said Superintendent Stephen Kleinsmith.

"We continue to deficit spend over a half a million dollars," Kleinsmith said. "Even under the most optimistic projections, we will be forced to cut at least ($1.6 million) again before opening our school door for the 2004-05 school year."

Many communities are turning to their residents to make up the financial lag.

Ozark already has tapped its taxpayers, and superintendent Leo Snelling expects many other communities to do the same.

"You're going to see any number of school districts who are going to be forced to go to their voters and ask them to raise their local operating level because of the shortfalls they are experiencing in state funding," he said.

Ozark voters approved a 49-cent tax increase last August, bringing the operating levy to $3.24 per $100 assessed valuation.

For Hedgpeth, the message needs to be heard by state legislators, whom she believes have turned a deaf ear on the topic.

"The big premise behind the meeting is that our legislators are tuning us out as educators. They don't listen to us any longer about the impact on our schools. We're passionate about our kids; we see what it is doing to our kids," Hedgpeth said.

"Our hope is that there could be another focus group that would get on board; maybe they'd listen to the businesspeople because they sure aren't listening to us."

No legislators were formally invited, but Hedgpeth said, "They would sure be welcome."