Thank you, Superintendent Suzan Patton, for informing your community. In addition, the 2009-10 major cuts in staffing, student contact days, and frugal spending set the table for the prosperous turnaround. While cash was not free flowing, the district was able to add a part-time nurse’s aid, a College and Career Counselor, and a Kindergarten Transitions classroom. All three positions directly impacted K-12 students. However, since our current budget was built in July, a pall has been cast over Kansas’ finances. Currently, $64,000 has been cut out of our general fund state aid. The general fund pays for all...
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Block grant would fail to keep up with costs in Newton, elsewhere
Here’s the block grant perspective from Newton. “So, a reduction during our current year followed by some modest increases, right? Well, yes…if you just look at the totals. The legislature has touted that a benefit of the block grant method is taking off the weightings and allowing districts more flexibility in how they use their funds. This is misleading, however, as paying the KPERS obligation is no more an option for local districts than it has been for the state. In order to get a clearer picture, then, I offer you the same information included above, but minus...
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Leave a Comment Block grant bill hits poorer districts harder
The legislature continues to ignore the courts. They took credit for the court-ordered equalization aid during campaign season and appear to be backing out of it now. “Controversial block grants unveiled this week appear to take operational and maintenance funds from most of the state’s poorest school districts, while shielding most of the richest. “An analysis by The Topeka Capital-Journal found that poorer school districts are more likely to see budget cuts next year under the proposal. This is because many of the reductions in the plan are achieved by reducing equalization aid — dollars that those districts...
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Leave a Comment Block grant proposal not simple solution
“It is hard to see much evidence that the new bill will deliver the dollars that districts actually will need to educate their growing student enrollments between now and 2017. GOP lawmakers boasted about restoring a $28 million cut to base aid that Brownback ordered last month, but they neglected to mention that their plan cuts $51 million in other current-year funding. “As the legislation makes its way through committees and to the full chambers of the Legislature, lawmakers and the governor must be certain that it meets, rather than sidesteps, that constitutional mandate. And school district leaders,...
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