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Proration forces schools to cut budgets
Published Thursday, November 19, 2009
After Gov. Bob Riley declared 7.5 percent proration in the 2009-10 education budget earlier this year, local school systems were left wondering where the cuts would take place. Now, school systems know exactly which parts of their budget will need to be amended — and most of the trimming will need to take place in the Foundation Program, which is primarily used for staff salaries.
In the Andalusia City Schools, the system was originally set to receive approximately $9.4 million from state and local funding. Under proration, the system will now receive $8.78 million — a difference of approximately $630,600.
The largest cut was in the Foundation Program (cut of $578,200); but sizeable cuts were also made in allocations for transportation ($29,500), school nurses program ($8,800) and the Alabama Reading Initiative ($5,000).
Much of the pain of proration has been blunted by an influx of federal money, primarily from the stimulus package. The ACS is set to receive approximately $2.74 million in federal funding, and that funding will remain intact even after proration.
Approximately $410,000 of that funding is from the state’s “fiscal stabilization fund,” which is money from the stimulus package to help state school systems deal with the sting of proration. However, that money will not be available after the year 2011, when the federal stimulus will be completely expended. Other budget gaps will need to be filled by dipping into system reserves.
“One thing we do have this year that we did not have last year is the fiscal stabilization fund,” ACS chief financial officer Jean Sellers said at the Andalusia Board of Education meeting Monday evening. “We will not have that after this year.”
Sellers added it is possible there could be additional proration announced for this year’s budget, but no announcement would be likely before Jan. 1, 2010.
Other county systems will also see heavy cuts to their budgets. In the Covington County Schools, the largest cuts will be in the Foundation Program ($1.09 million), transportation ($125,000) and the Alabama Reading Initiative ($25,000). The CCS is receiving $780,000 in fiscal stabilization funds.
In the Opp City Schools, the largest cuts are to the Foundation Program ($502,000), transportation ($26,500) and the school nurses program ($8,000). The OCS is receiving $333,800 in fiscal stabilization funds.
Comments
Posted by workingman (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will be glad when all of this we need, we need, we need and they do. I think that the state and federal goverenments need to stop all the waste and funnel the money back into the people. Like the governner does not need an account for a $1,000,000.00 in that he can spend for anything that he chooses, the money is to be replace without questions. We aas tax payers can not ask what are you spending this money on? If he spends the whole thing today, the money is replaced tomarrow (without questions).
The money that the schools can be found in waste.
Posted by canon09 (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I say start with the new chancelor the state department of education is bringing in; especially when our educational system is going broke. It's not right and it's not fair because other people are going to loose their jobs while this person is being well paid.
Posted by mawmawto5 (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that we should start at the top from the president down.Our children should come first in this country. I think we should lower everyone's pay.........to start off with these people that are in higher office most of them already have money. It should be an honor to hold these titles.Why not start with the top and lower everyone's pay and give it back to our country...........than they would be money for our children, our old people and for other things that our country needs.I think this would take care of alot of what's going on.
Posted by biscuitsandhoovergravy (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would love to hear more about the Charter Schools being proposed by Gov. Riley. The following are excerpts from an article on Al.com and published in the Mobile Press Register Nov. 20 2009.
Calling charter schools a "fad" that takes money away from public schools, teachers union boss Paul Hubbert said he will fight Gov. Bob Riley's proposal to bring them to Alabama.
Riley told the Press-Register on Tuesday that he would like the Alabama Legislature to pass a law enabling the creation of charter schools. It's the only way, he said, that Alabama will be able to compete against other states for $4.35 billion in education funds that President Barack Obama is giving out as part of his Race to the Top campaign.
"It would absolutely take money from the public schools and put it in a charter school, which basically operates like a private school," Hubbert said.
Riley's education policy adviser, Mark Dixon, said he's disappointed that Hubbert is already voicing opposition to charter school legislation that has not even been drawn up.
Charter schools receive public funding and oversight but are not subject to the same restrictions as traditional public schools.
For example, charter schools have more freedom in determining which teachers to hire and fire; they don't have to follow the state-approved curriculum; and they can decide how long their school days and years are going to be.
Despite the variations among charter schools, they more often outperform than under-perform traditional public schools, according to the National Charter School Research Project conducted by the University of Washington Bothell.
Now my opinion...If Paul Hubbert is against it...then I am damn well 1000% for it.
Posted by Patrick (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Charter schools out perform public schools in part because they can also pick their students. Rejecting under performing students helps the performance record. Of course if you are politically or financially connected your child will be accepted.
Posted by purelogic (anonymous) on November 20, 2009 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Richard Feynman once said that no matter how high the academic level, approximately half the students still wind up below average.
Posted by Shamrock (anonymous) on November 21, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Purelogic: I am in shock. We actually agree for once.
However... even those that are below average have great merit amongst us and with proper guidance from parents, can be proud of what they can accomplish. The perfect race is Hitler's dream, and should never be ours.
Posted by towncryer (anonymous) on November 23, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Patrick is correct....how can we ever offer a fair and equal public education if public schools are free to choose their students... Are we advocating that some students are more desirable than others? But a teacher might agree more with biscuitsandhoney....what an easy job it would be to teach only the smart, rich kids... not having to worry about accommodating any disabilities or playing the role of mom, dad, counselor, or nurse. Oh what a wonderful day they could have and how successful their students could be if they didn't have to worry about any else except teaching. We better be careful what we wish for...
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