State budget continues to hurt education

|tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

The Missouri General Assembly gets an "A" for meeting its constitutional deadline to approve a state budget. But as far as education funding is concerned, the budget itself gets an "I" for incomplete.|ret||ret||tab|

The state legislature approved the $18.9 billion budget May 9, including $4.48 billion for elementary and secondary education. |ret||ret||tab|

The House used the 2001 budget as a starting point for the 2004 budget because general revenues totaled $7.5 billion in 2001, close to the $7.8 billion projected for fiscal year 2004. While the budget is $400 million higher than the 2001 budget, cuts to schools across the state still will be dramatic.|ret||ret||tab|

Before the final budget approval, schools were expected to receive $337 million less than last year.|ret||ret||tab|

Now that reduction has dropped to around $212 million, but the budget does not address where an additional $150 million in cuts will fall.|ret||ret||tab|

"Don't feel too good, too soon," said Nixa School Superintendent Steven Kleinsmith. "This is a $162 million reduction to the (foundation) formula, but with other reductions to transportation and gifted, etc., that pushed the total reduction to $212 million. Then there's the fact that of the budget being $150 million out of balance, which means there must be an additional $150 million withheld even if this budget is adopted," Kleinsmith said. |ret||ret||tab|

"The K-12 share of this ($150 million) withholding would appear to be about $100 million which puts the reduction not at $212 million but at $312 million, so we are getting very close to the original withholding number of $337 million."|ret||ret||tab|

In Springfield, cuts to the funding formula mean a $4 million loss, said Superintendent of Schools Jack Ernst. |ret||ret||tab|

Twenty-seven percent of the district's funding comes from the state, and Ernst said the funding mechanism needs to be overhauled.|ret||ret||tab|

"We're in a difficult situation. The state's got to decide if we're going to either have to reduce services and if we are just going to keep cutting programs. There's got to be a more appropriate funding mechanism for schools," Ernst said.|ret||ret||tab|

Springfield plans to cut 17 teachers from current staff, mainly those with limited certifications. Ernst said these cuts are not solely based on budget, but also depend on lower anticipated growth for next school year. Ernst said no full-time regular classroom teachers will lose their positions at the elementary level based on budget cuts.|ret||ret||tab|

Typically the district hires between 125 and 175 new teachers per year, but Ernst said this number will be significantly lower next year. Several existing administrative and staff positions will be cut, but the actual number of positions has not been finalized. The school system currently employs 3,000 people.|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Around the region|ret||ret||tab|

State reductions will cause Nixa to reduce its budget by $1.5 million. Kleinsmith also said the district plans deficit spending of $500,000 next year. Nixa typically hires 20 new teachers each year, but those hires are on hold for next year, reducing the future teaching force, which Kleinsmith said is just as detrimental as cutting current positions.|ret||ret||tab|

In Ozark, Superintendent Leo Snelling said the school has prepared for the worst as it plans to lose $1.6 million in funding. |ret||ret||tab|

Snelling said with the state budget $150 million out of balance, there is no guarantee that additional cuts will not continue to come from education. |ret||ret||tab|

"We have to budget on worse case scenario," Snelling said. Ozark schools have a freeze on hiring in place.|ret||ret||tab|

Willard also will not add positions while dealing with cuts.|ret||ret||tab|

Willard is cutting back by $1 million. Dale Houck, superintendent of Willard schools, said even though the cuts are difficult for the school, they are inevitable.|ret||ret||tab|

"I believe the state financial crisis is real and the governor held off in K-12 education as long as he could, and if there is politics involved then I am not seeing it," Houck said. "It appears to me that everyone is trying their best to work things out, but if the money isn't there, it isn't there." |ret||ret||tab|

Cuts for the Republic school district also will be about $1 million, $684,000 of that in state funding. Pam Hedgepath, superintendent of schools, said the district also will absorb about $350,000 in increased insurance costs.|ret||ret||tab|

Staff reductions include a counselor and a librarian. Program cuts include driver's education and some upper-level foreign-language classes. Hedgepath said this year's cuts leave the school with nothing to cut in the future.|ret||ret||tab|

"This is a lot of money. It just cuts us down to bare bones; we have nothing else to cut. If we have another year like this next year, without hurting our programs we can't cut anything. They have got to come up with a revenue package to offset this," Hedgepath said.|ret||ret||tab|

Kleinsmith said he just wants a decision so he can prepare for the next year sooner than later.|ret||ret||tab|

"Frankly, I hope the governor signs the budget. I hope he does not veto it. I think it's time to fish or cut bait. If the governor vetoes it, it is not going to change things. All it's going to do is delay the pain."|ret||ret||tab|

While many agree with Kleinsmith, Ernst said he would respect Holden's decision to veto the budget.|ret||ret||tab|

"If (Holden) is saying, You've got to get the budget set, one that's workable,' I would probably applaud that. Because at this point I think it is just a stop-gap measure and (education cuts) will be right back at it next year," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Public vs. private|ret||ret||tab|

With cuts to education still possible, teachers may be looking for positions in private schools where there is less concern about losing a position.|ret||ret||tab|

Anne Meese, director of schools for Springfield Catholic Schools, said she has not noticed an increase in student interest, but she has noticed a significant increase in teaching applications.|ret||ret||tab|

Tim Siebert, president and CEO of New Covenant Academy, said teaching at a private school has many benefits.|ret||ret||tab|

"We were able to give a number of faculty and staff increases this year, and that is a definite plus I think. There are not the ups and the downs based on governmental decisions that the public school might have," Siebert said.|ret||ret||tab|

Plans to add staff are made as the student population grows. Currently there are more than 450 students at New Covenant K-12. Tuition and fees make up 78 percent of the operating funds, with the remaining funds coming from private donations.|ret||ret||tab|

Springfield Catholic has 1,250 students in grades K-12. Despite this year being one of the worst years in public education cutbacks, Seibert said the impact of these cuts might not be felt in the private school for some time.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's too early for us to tell precisely what our enrollment is going to be. Frankly, I don't know if the actual ripple effects of the budget cuts, though they know they are coming, that they are not actually felt yet. It may be too early to tell what is going to happen there."|ret||ret||tab|

Ernst said even with the cuts he does not believe people will turn to private schools.|ret||ret||tab|

"Frankly, I haven't heard of a lot of private situations being that plush right now. I think money is difficult for everybody. That's just part of the times." Ernst said.|ret||ret||tab|

[[In-content Ad]]