Volume 35, No. 9
April 10, 2009
Before We Wrestle 2010 Budget...
What About 2009?!
AASB has real concerns about the revised 2010 education budget proposal (story below), yet local school board members question about THIS fiscal year remains unanswered. No sequel can be written until school systems know how the 2009 story ends. Local boards have depleted their reserves, some have taken loans with high interest rates and others have only one week’s operating expenses in their budgets right now. How are they to pay operating expenses, including salaries, through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year?
Proration in the Education Trust Fund remains at 9 percent. Local boards are waiting for Gov. Riley to confirm he will release the last half of the Rainy Day Fund to bring proration to a bearable 6 percent. Riley stated the funds would be released when he announced proration last December. School systems are making requests for those funds to Gov. Riley’s office. School boards should enlist lawmakers’ help to request the Rainy Day Fund dollars flow for the 2009 shortfall.
After the revised 2010 ETF budget was presented Wednesday to joint budget committees, Sen. Hank Sanders sensibly/wisely made the status of 2009 proration his first question. Jim Main responded that the governor was monitoring ETF revenues and is now undecided about releasing the Rainy Day Funds.
School Systems Find 2010 Budget Proposal
Does NOT Work Locally
Despite assurances that teaching jobs will be preserved with the revised budget, superintendents and school boards are confused and deeply concerned because the numbers are not adding up. While state figures show a scenario where federal funds can “backfill” teaching and support jobs not saved directly, it is a messy and unclear route at the local level. And, it definitely doesn’t work for all school systems.
The K-12 budget must rely on the Foundation Program that uses formulas (divisors) to calculate and allocate state-earned teacher units, support personnel and operations (OCE). It also allocates funds for other critical needs, such as transportation. An increase in the divisors would reduce the number of state-funded teachers. The proposed budget has raised divisors for grades K-3 and 4-6.
It withdraws state funding from the most vulnerable student population that school board members most
want to protect with ETF dollars. The rationale behind the proposed budget is that federal dollars can be used to “backfill” teaching positions in elementary schools, not middle and high schools. But that only works for Title I schools and faces implementation problems with federal money that will disappear in two years! OCE and transportation, which are necessary to run schools each day, are another problem. OCE is shorted nearly $300 million and transportation lacks more than $40 million. There is no clear path to allow each local system to apply federal dollars to fill these needs. It is a case-by-case application for each school system.
AASB stands by its top priority to fund the Foundation Program first using the Education Trust Fund. The Foundation Program exists to equitably provide core K-12 programs for each school system. Until it is fully funded in a straightforward, stable and sustainable way, the revised budget proposal fails K-12’s basic purpose. Budget scenarios are being developed and studied that would allow more teachers, staff and operations to be funded by state funds, thus better ensuring they can be maintained when federal funds disappear by 2011.
Local school boards and superintendents are working on budget scenarios to share with local lawmakers to demonstrate the problems when budget theory is applied at the local level. AASB supports a funding plan where the ETF funds core education needs, shields students from the economic downturn and allows federal dollars to flow to supplemental programs.
School Nurse Law Update
Goes to Governor for Signature!!
The Senate Thursday approved H.47, the bill to update obsolete language in Alabama law regarding school nurses.
Local school boards applaud the legislature for acting to ensure that the law enables schools to provide for the nursing needs of students. Until now, the law’s language conflicted with practical needs to staff schools with nursing professionals. H.47 would provide authority for school systems to employ licensed practical nurses (LPNs) under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs). Thanks go to Rep. Robert Bentley and Sen. Quinton Ross for sponsoring this legislation.
Public Voice Says Local Choice
for School Calendars
Again, newspaper editorials are chiming in to support locally elected and appointed school board members as the voice for public education setting the school calendar. The following demonstrate support for AASB’s position to oppose state legislation proposing a school start date:
- Where does education fit in?
“It’s heavy-handed, which is bad. It’s not grounded in any academic consideration, which is worse.” The Anniston Star (4/6/2009)
- School-start bill intrusive measure
“Don’t fool yourself for one minute. The effort…to mandate when the public school calendar should begin has nothing to do with education our children. It is all about money – tourist money.” Montgomery Advertiser (4/6/2009)
One week following committee passage of S.544/H.629 in the House and Senate, the public clamors to keep local choice. The proposed legislation would prohibit school systems from starting the school year before Aug. 15 each year. Every local school system already has that option. Local parents, educators and staff, local colleges and community businesses set their school start date. Local school boards prioritize students and make a calendar that works for that community. This is local accountability in action by those responsible for public education, charged by their constituents to make the decision.
As for the effect of the legislation to result in a longer summer, Jackson County school board member Brenda Brown likened it to this old saying:
“Only the government would think that cutting a foot off the top of a blanket and sewing it to the bottom of a blanket results in a longer blanket.”
Today’s public education involves mandated measures and achievement standards through federal and state laws. The curriculum must be accomplished and students prepared for those mandated testing dates. Anything less is a disservice to our students. Oppose S.544/H.629.
Support School Calendar Flexibility
Rep. Mac Gipson Thursday introduced a bill school boards can support to allow local creativity to accommodate achievement goals and community preferences in their school calendars. H.847 would provide either 180 full instructional days , or the equivalent thereof, to enable school boards to adjust the number of hours, days or days per week in determining the calendar. The legislation provides the calendar comply with rules of the state Board of Education and would not impact teacher salaries.
Access to Local Reserves
Authorized by Senate
Today’s economy demonstrates the need for local school systems to dip into their savings. S.165 would codify when school systems may access the one-month reserve as outlined by the School Board Fiscal Accountability Act. As amended, the bill specifies, but is not limited to, use of the reserve fund when the governor declares proration or there are reductions in state funding. The Senate Thursday approved the bill which now moves to the House for consideration.
School Board Training: Support
S.220/H.182 are pending final passage in the House and Senate. The bills would require each school board to craft a policy outlining orientation and ongoing training requirements for its members.
Consolidate Bid Laws for Schools: Support
S.418/H.601 would create a new section in the Alabama code for competitive bid laws governing public education. The re-codification effort is necessary because school systems’ purchasing needs differ greatly from those of other government entities. Placing the law in Title 16 to make them applicable only for education clarifies purchasing law and enables education-related issues to be better addressed in the future.
Raise School Age to 17: Support
S.334/H.226 would raise the compulsory school age from 16 to 17 years of age. The bill applies only to public school students and expands options for students who choose to leave school.
Local Budget Flexibility: Support
S. 426 would provide budget flexibility to local school boards for 2009 and authorizes flexibility for the 2010 budget. The bill would allow the same flexibility in years when proration is called at three percent or more.
Schools Seek Bank Program Option: Support
H.143 would allow school boards to place certain funds in programs that provide full FDIC coverage for deposits that exceed normal FDIC limits.
Fix to Education Tax Authority: Support
H.253 would authorize a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would make it easier to renew the existing local one mill countywide property tax for education. It would remove the 3/5 super majority requirement and change it to a simple majority.
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Local school boards work with
legislative leaders to accomplish
the public’s highest priority -- educating our children.
11 Days remain in the
Regular Legislative Session
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Alabama Association of School Boards
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