Prichard Breaks Down the Bad News

SEEK and the Governor's Budget

This from Prichard:

The SEEK base guarantee per pupil will go down:

• $3,903 was the original SEEK base guarantee per pupil for 2011-12
• $3,850 is the average guarantee that has actually been possible for 2011-12: schools turned out have more students than the budget expected and funding for each child had to be reduced as a result.
• $3,833 is the proposed base guarantee for 2012-13.
• $3,827 is the proposed base guarantee for 2013-14.

The total funding for the SEEK base will be flat:

• $2.9 billion was the budget line item for 2011-12.
• $2.9 billion is the proposed budget line item for 2012-13.
• $2.9 billion is the proposed budget line item for 2013-14.

Why will the per pupil will go down while the total funding remains flat?  Primarily, because the number of students in average daily attendance is expected to rise...

KEAT: From the 80's Playbook

The Seven Member

Kentucky Education Action Team

Decries Inadequate School Funding

"The public hears a lot of talk

about education having been 'protected'

from cuts in recent years,

but that's only true on a relative level

to the cuts in funding to other public services.

School funding has not gone untouched,

and the public needs to understand that.

--Bill Scott, Ex Dir KSBA

Recently, Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday and Prichard Committee Executive Director Stu Silberman began a little sabre-rattling over the state budget and the legislature's apparent contentment to underfund the schools. Previously, we've heard from Council for Better Education President Tom Shelton. When I first heard the comment that it was time to "draw a line in the sand," I wondered how serious these educational leaders really were.

A list of organizations resembling the Education Coalition of the 1980's, combined forces today to call on the legislature and governor to do better for Kentucky's children and teachers, Conspicuously absent was the Council for Better Education - the only organization to date with the moxie to actually sue the legislature for ignoring their constitutional duty. Twice. If there's any real "insisting" to be done, it will be done by the Council.

How much better, if the Council were to be encouraged by rough draft amicus briefs (and a good deal of grass roots networking) from the seven groups who popped off today.

I realize that Council for Better Education members are likely also KASS members, but still, if there's sabre-rattling to be done, it helps if the legislature actually believes there's a real threat of political action. ...and any lack of resolve will leave today's announcement as a footnote in history. KEAT's mission is only to "persuade the Kentucky General Assembly, parents and the public." Is this Phase One? Is there more to come?

Jim Warren's lead in the Herald-Leader:

A new education coalition said Wednesday that state support for Kentucky public schools has fallen over the past four years despite perceptions to the contrary, urging Gov. Steve Beshear and the 2012 General Assembly to reverse the trend with more money.

Calling itself KEAT (Kentucky Education Action Team), the new group contended that inflation, combined with state funding that has remained flat or been cut in some areas, has led to declines in seven key programs, including the basic SEEK funding that supports school operations.

"Our purpose is to let our legislators ... and the citizens of Kentucky know the realities of what has happened to funding in our schools over the last four-year period. There has been a trend ... of reduction after reduction after reduction," said Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and a spokesman for KEAT. The reductions are risky because they have come as Kentucky schools are preparing for new content standards, a new accountability system and a new statewide test, KEAT members said during a news conference in the state Capitol rotunda.

Stu got all that exactly right. The legislature's Senate Bill 1 needs teacher support or it's not going to work.

But absent real tax reform - a can the legislature has been kicking down the street for...how long now? - it's hard to see how this effort works out.

Status quo + promises = 0

It was the legislature's underfunding of the schools during the 1981 session that got 60 of the state's school superintendents mad enough to put their names and their jobs on the line, and stand up. The 1985 session settled the issue. But the legal circumstances are better now. Since the Rose decision, education is a fundamental right. Prichard has built an impressive citizen's network, and the KEA is still the KEA - when they wanna be...(Remember Ernie?)  

Since 2007, the "education establishment" as represented by the Action Team members has been "playing nicely together" - even to the point that the KEA has been willing to go along with teacher evaluations based, in part, on test scores, in order to secure federal funding.

While the Prichard Committee has consistently pointed out the differences between the governor's rhetoric, and the actual funding losses schools were suffering, the general attitude has seemed conciliatory, and vaguely hopeful.

What should one make of the fact that the gubernatorial election just ended? Is it safe for the collective patience to have now worn thin?

Silberman said, in the KEAT press release

“Having all of these organizations come together like this is a historic time for Kentucky. We believe that education is the bridge to a better life for all Kentuckians. The progress that has been made over the last 20 years is in danger of regression due to the reductions in funding.”

While I certainly agree with the fact that Kentucky's educational progress is truly threatened by inadequate funding, it remains to be seen whether this is an historic event. So far, it's only a press conference.

This from the AP/Herald-Leader:

The state's leading education advocacy groups joined forces Wednesday to call on Gov. Steve Beshear and lawmakers to increase funding to public schools.

The Kentucky Education Action Team, a coalition of advocacy groups, complained in a Capitol press conference that public schools have taken financial hits in the economic recession that has caused about $1 billion in shortfalls over the past four years...

The Action Team includes:

• Kentucky Association of School Administrators
• Kentucky Association of School Councils
• Kentucky Association of School Superintendents
• Kentucky Education Association
• Kentucky Parent Teacher Association, and
• Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
• Kentucky Parent Teacher Association

The group is demanding:

• restoration of SEEK funding
• restoration of textbook funds
• fully funded preschool programs
• fully-funded teacher training
• family resource centers
• youth services centers
• after school programs and
• school safety programs

"Leaders of the coalition said SEEK funding has declined from $4,230 per student in 2008 to $3,769 per student this year. And, they said, state funding for textbooks has dried up entirely.

Sharron Oxendine, president of the 42,000-member Kentucky Education Association, said lawmakers need to know the funding cuts have negative effects in classrooms. As the state's largest teachers' organization, Oxendine said members see those impacts every day...

KEAT Press Release from KSBA:

K-12 groups begin campaign for school funding,

call for restoration of cuts over past four years

For the first time, seven organizations representing the full spectrum of elementary and secondary education in Kentucky have banded together to urge Gov. Steve Beshear and the General Assembly to reverse four years of state funding reductions to key services that support teaching and learning in the state’s public schools.

During a Frankfort news conference today, representatives of the Kentucky Education Action Team (KEAT) called on state leaders to restore funding to the SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) program, the primary source of state funding for public schools; and to key elements such as textbooks, preschool, teacher training and family resource and youth services centers, along with afterschool and school safety programs.

“At a time when schools are being expected to significantly boost student achievement, budgeting equals tools that can help teachers and schools succeed for students,” said Tim Hitzfield, president of the Kentucky Association of School Councils and principal of Conner High School in Boone County. “Training, materials, technology and extra time for students are all key investments for kids to succeed instead of just getting by.”

KEAT’s efforts represent the first statewide joint advocacy campaign by the seven founding members: Kentucky Association of School Administrators, Kentucky Association of School Councils, Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, Kentucky Education Association, Kentucky Parent Teacher Association, Kentucky School Boards Association and the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.

Prichard Committee Executive Director Stu Silberman said, “Having all of these organizations come together like this is a historic time for Kentucky. We believe that education is the bridge to a better life for all Kentuckians. The progress that has been made over the last 20 years is in danger of regression due to the reductions in funding.”

Jessamine County Schools Superintendent Lu Young, a member of the board of directors of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, said her members are “excited about the collaboration. This is perhaps the first partnership that focuses entirely on funding issues that impact our children.”

During the Jan. 4 news conference, KEAT released data demonstrating the reductions in state funding to key K-12 programs since 2008, including:

FY 2007-08 FY 2011-12
SEEK $4,230 per student $3,769
Preschool $4,092 $3,191
FRYSCs $103 $87
Afterschool $59 $20
Training $25 $4
Safe schools $17 $6
Textbooks $40 $0 (for the past two years)

“The public hears a lot of talk about education having been ‘protected’ from cuts in recent years, but that’s only true on a relative level to the cuts in funding to other public services,” said Bill Scott, executive director of the Kentucky School Boards Association. “School funding has not gone untouched, and the public needs to understand that.”

Representatives of classroom teachers and district administrators called on state leaders to end the slow eroding of resources that they see affecting student learning.

Sharron K. Oxendine, president of the Kentucky Education Association, a group with 42,000 active, student and retired teachers, said, "KEA members see the impact of reduced funding on their students’ lives and on their own economic welfare every day in our classrooms. KEA believes the united effort to inform lawmakers about the impact of funding cuts is important.”

“Our call to action is necessary and urgent,” said Mayfield Independent Schools Superintendent Lonnie Burgett, president of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. “Kentucky’s educators are poised to lead our schools in this global society, and our children are engaged and ready to learn. Funding must be restored to meet the higher standards for learning as set forth by the General Assembly in Senate Bill 1 in 2009.”

Kentucky Parent Teacher Association President Teri Gale of Fairdale pledged her organization’s No. 1 focus to “advocate that Kentucky must fully fund all programs it mandates to local school districts.

“Our members believe all parents should be involved both in the home and in the classroom in the education of their children,” she said, “so we support the position that the Kentucky General Assembly acts to restore funding levels for education to 2008 levels.”

KEAT Website:

Mission Statement:
The Kentucky Education Action Team is an action advocacy group whose mission is to develop united messages that will persuade the Kentucky General Assembly, parents and the public to provide and sustain sufficient resources that will advance and support learning for all P-12 public school students to reach their potential for career and college readiness.

KEAT partners believe that:

•The Commonwealth of Kentucky has a moral and ethical obligation to assure that each student is given every opportunity to reach his/her full potential.

•Kentucky’s public schools are a great investment.

•Adequate and sustainable funding of public schools is the constitutional obligation of the legislature.

•Other sources of revenue should be explored quickly if adequate funding for education is not available.

•The General Assembly and Kentucky citizens expect more of our schools than ever before.

•Because Kentucky has among the highest proportion of students living in poverty compared to all other states, more support is needed to ensure that these students succeed in school and in life.

•The needs of our students, schools and state are urgent. The time to act is now.

To support our beliefs, we believe that:

✦ Shared leadership builds capacity for improved student learning
✦ Collaboration creates energy that inspires others
✦ Collaboration is needed among all supporters of public schools for the good of our students and democracy

Gov. Steve Beshear vetoes most provisions of Medicaid bill

This from the Courier-Journal:

Gov. Steve Beshear on Friday stripped the Medicaid budget bill of cuts to education as well as other provisions, leaving what amounts to his original proposal for dealing with the program’s funding shortfall.

“I'm coming forward to restore common sense to the mission of rebalancing the state's Medicaid budget,” Beshear said at a news conference where he detailed his veto of most parts of House Bill 1, sent to him by a special session of the General
Assembly Thursday night.

“… I will not make drastic cuts to classroom teaching, to our veterans programs, to public safety, to our social workers, to higher education and numerous other services when there is no need to do so,” he said...

Still to be resolved is how the session finally ends. The House adjourned for good Thursday night, with no intention to return. The Senate adjourned until a final day on April 6 — when Beshear's deadline for issuing vetoes would have expired.

And the major players continued to squabble Friday over the issue of pay for all legislators for each day until the Senate finally adjourns. A legislative session costs taxpayers about $64,000 per day.

The Senate included in its version of HB 1 a provision that no lawmaker could be paid during the 12-day waiting period for vetoes. But the governor struck that language from the bill as one of his vetoes Friday.

He said that clashed with a provision in the Kentucky Constitution that he said “states something to the effect that legislators can't change their pay during the session in which they vote to make such a change.”

Stumbo agreed with that. And he urged Williams to convene the Senate as soon as possible to adjourn and thus conclude the session.

But Williams said no lawmakers will be paid for any days after Thursday if the House returns and overrides Beshear's veto of the provision that bans legislative pay for the 12 days.

“The Senate will come back on the scheduled day (April 6) unless we are able to convince the House to come back sooner,” he said.

Stumbo said the House has no intention of returning...

Stumbo: 'We are not going to cut education'

This from H-L, photo by David Perry:

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Thursday that the Democratic-controlled House would not support the Senate's plan to make cuts to education, but left the door open for possible cuts to other parts of state government.

"We are not going to cut education," Stumbo said. "Not when there is a viable alternative. And there is a viable alternative."

Stumbo's comments came a day after the Republican-controlled Senate passed its version of House Bill 305. That version calls for cuts across state government, including cuts to higher education and K-12 education, to plug a hole in the Medicaid budget.

Now the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate must hammer out an agreement in the waning days of the legislative session. House leaders said late Thursday that they expected negotiations on the budget to begin Friday and were hoping that an agreement could be reached either Friday or Monday...

David Williams' Class-size Increasing, Job-killing Budget Proposal

Senate Education Chair Ken Winters

Supports Cuts to Education

..as do Alice Forgy Kerr and Jared Carpenter

Well it's springtime in Frankfort and the pitchers and catchers have reported for duty. Senate President David Williams is pitching bull from his pen. He even used the words "truth" and "responsible" in the same sentence, referring to the knuckleball his team is prepared to throw at teachers and other public employees.

You see, Williams discovered that we have a budget problem in Kentucky and he recently suggested somebody ought to study it while he introduces his job-killing solution for the Commonwealth.

Despite having been in the Frankfort big league for 20+ years and ducking multiple opportunities to lead the repairing of Kentucky's long-broken tax structure, the gubernatorial hopeful now seems to think that firing a bunch of teachers is the solution to Kentucky's fiscal problems.

I hope Tom Shelton and the Council for Better Education are warming up in their bullpen.

The fact is that the repeated affirmative actions of the legislature to erode school funding and starve Senate Bill 1 implementation is irresponsible and a far cry from carrying out the legislature's constitutional duty.

This from the Herald-Leader:

State Senate Approves Spending Cuts

Despite Protests from Educators

Ignoring the protests of some Kentucky educators, the Senate passed a measure late Wednesday that would cut spending across state government to shore up the state's Medicaid budget.

The state Senate voted 24-12 to approve its own version of House Bill 305 after a more than hour-long debate. The move sets the stage for a high-stakes standoff between the Republican-led Senate and the Democratic-led House during the waning days of the legislative session.

The Senate version of the bill includes a 0.525 percent spending cut in the first year and 2.26 percent cuts in the second year of the budget, which begins July 1. Postsecondary and K-12 education would not be cut in the first year but would face reductions in the second year. That cut would be about 1.3 percent for K-12 education...

Brad Hughes, a spokesman for the Kentucky School Board Association, said even cuts to the state Department of Education could have dramatic and disastrous effects on the implementation of a state testing overhaul that lawmakers approved two years ago.

"Our folks as well as anyone know that times are horrendously tough," Hughes said. "But I don't know of any other state that is launching a major education and teaching initiative at the same time that you are cutting millions of dollars from school spending."

Senators who voted in favor of the measure include: Bowen, Buford, Carpenter, Denton, Gibson, Givens, Harris, Higdon, Hornback, Jenson, Jones, Kerr, Leeper McGaha, Pendleton, Schickel, Seum, Katie Stine, Stivers, Thayer, Westwood, Williams, Wilson and Senate Education Chair Ken Winters.

This from C-J:

The Senate's action sets the stage for a conflict that is likely to remain unresolved until the eleventh hour of the waning legislative session.

That's because the Democrat-controlled House, which approved Beshear's approach in an 80-19 vote last month, cannot accept the Senate's version.

“I don't believe the House will want to cut education and further cut human services, and cut the court system and other things when there's a better alternative,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said earlier Wednesday. “It's a basic question of whether you want to overreact and take the simplistic approach of just adding more cuts to government.”

The state budget has already been cut eight times in a three year period due to the national recession - which was not caused by public employees.

Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday responded to the Senate vote by calculating the budget cuts by district - reported at KSBA.

The Kentucky Department of Education has released calculations of the impact of proposed SEEK funding cuts included in the Senate-adopted measure to address a projected Medicaid shortfall in the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday distributed his agency’s estimation of district-by-district cuts if House Bill 305 becomes law. That measure would cut spending by most state agencies and includes a $38.1 million reduction in SEEK.

That is on top of the previously announced $28.7 million SEEK cut because of a large-than-expected student enrollment this year and next. Overall, the latest figures are for a $66.8 million SEEK cut next fiscal year.

Although this information is preliminary and could change through the budget conference committee process, it may be helpful to you as you begin to plan for potential cuts reduct next year’s SEEK budget,” Holliday said in a Thursday afternoon e-mail to superintendents and other education leaders.

Here are the Department of Education’s SEEK cut calculations:

DISTRICT/ORIGINAL SEEK CUT/ESTIMATED HB 305 CUT/ ESTIMATED TOTAL CUT

• Adair County $131,512 $176,186 $307,698
• Allen County 158,395 209,988 368,383
• Anchorage Ind. 5,236 9,561 14,797
• Anderson County 223,475 225,050 448,525
• Ashland Ind. 148,730 200,173 348,904
• Augusta Ind. 16,305 20,778 37,083
• Ballard County 67,534 86,075 153,608
• Barbourville Ind. 36,631 45,966 82,597
• Bardstown Ind. 137,040 146,773 283,813
• Barren County 336,130 311,311 647,441
• Bath County 111,902 145,350 257,252
• Beechwood Ind. 34,549 50,349 84,897
• Bell County 168,671 221,043 389,713
• Bellevue Ind. 23,411 35,776 59,187
• Berea Ind. 71,407 82,756 154,162
• Boone County 508,712 802,249 1,310,961
• Bourbon County 106,146 151,392 257,538
• Bowling Green Ind. 185,904 251,639 437,544
• Boyd County 144,316 191,444 335,760
• Boyle County 107,283 154,425 261,708
• Bracken County 66,033 87,385 153,418
• Breathitt County 128,093 170,192 298,285
• Breckinridge County 122,767 170,206 292,973
• Bullitt County 650,276 696,167 1,346,443
• Burgin Ind. 12,644 19,863 32,508
• Butler County 122,455 158,669 281,124
• Caldwell County 102,232 136,071 238,303
• Calloway County 109,272 164,730 274,002
• Campbell County 109,830 200,537 310,367
• Campbellsville Ind. 50,095 71,028 121,123
• Carlisle County 41,938 56,091 98,029
• Carroll County 74,096 106,773 180,869
• Carter County 273,373 354,509 627,882
• Casey County 130,839 174,405 305,244
• Caverna Ind. 35,002 50,240 85,243
• Christian County 424,442 584,772 1,009,214
• Clark County 183,156 275,554 458,711
• Clay County 203,352 263,119 466,471
• Clinton County 86,523 115,793 202,316
• Cloverport Ind. 21,331 27,064 48,395
• Corbin Ind. 216,407 181,039 397,446
• Covington Ind. 143,848 216,056 359,904
• Crittenden County 61,465 82,894 144,359
• Cumberland County 53,621 66,878 120,499
• Danville Ind. 63,108 94,575 157,684
• Daviess County 465,301 668,282 1,133,583
• Dawson Springs Ind. 44,276 55,633 99,909
• Dayton Ind. 49,127 64,272 113,398
• East Bernstadt Ind. 32,026 39,854 71,880
• Edmonson County 103,602 138,717 242,319
• Elizabethtown Ind. 128,298 151,450 279,748
• Elliott County 67,289 86,577 153,866
• Eminence Ind. 32,686 42,486 75,172
• Erlanger-Elsmere Ind. 84,169 120,191 204,360
• Estill County 140,632 181,741 322,373
• Fairview Ind. 44,427 57,316 101,743
• Fayette County 677,373 1,236,808 1,914,181
• Fleming County 127,905 168,793 296,699
• Floyd County 306,487 420,167 726,654
• Fort Thomas Ind. 76,849 111,475 188,323
• Frankfort Ind. 31,464 42,875 74,339
• Franklin County 199,841 292,223 492,064
• Fulton County 23,557 33,852 57,409
• Fulton Ind. 20,551 27,459 48,010
• Gallatin County 85,686 106,839 192,524
• Garrard County 175,540 172,797 348,338
• Glasgow Ind. 104,610 128,159 232,769
• Grant County 285,718 261,518 547,236
• Graves County 221,206 298,184 519,390
• Grayson County 207,822 279,355 487,177
• Green County 107,316 126,749 234,065
• Greenup County 144,138 193,434 337,572
• Hancock County 79,827 109,022 188,849
• Hardin County 707,100 968,170 1,675,270
• Harlan County 203,227 275,681 478,908
• Harlan Ind. 45,651 57,709 103,359
• Harrison County 143,778 196,355 340,132
• Hart County 122,888 164,853 287,741
• Hazard Ind. 48,413 63,076 111,489
• Henderson County 283,601 405,302 688,903
• Henry County 124,218 151,303 275,521
• Hickman County 35,397 49,498 84,894
• Hopkins County 313,227 445,263 758,490
• Jackson County 137,880 179,508 317,388
• Jackson Ind. 23,788 29,706 53,494
• Jefferson County 2,354,818 4,194,236 6,549,054
• Jenkins Ind. 35,023 44,930 79,953
• Jessamine County 325,802 398,269 724,071
• Johnson County 218,062 285,000 503,062
• Kenton County 515,707 688,013 1,203,720
• Knott County 95,810 139,877 235,686
• Knox County 258,538 341,368 599,906
• LaRue County 127,175 169,665 296,839
• Laurel County 655,251 626,097 1,281,348
• Lawrence County 116,730 160,310 277,041
• Lee County 55,268 77,093 132,361
• Leslie County 92,170 127,053 219,223
• Letcher County 166,537 228,962 395,499
• Lewis County 126,473 166,536 293,009
• Lincoln County 221,826 294,802 516,628
• Livingston County 41,392 66,156 107,548
• Logan County 170,761 227,286 398,048
• Ludlow Ind. 43,702 58,421 102,123
• Lyon County 14,353 26,207 40,561
• Madison County 629,895 649,736 1,279,631
• Magoffin County 129,129 170,540 299,669
• Marion County 152,275 209,063 361,338
• Marshall County 175,727 254,107 429,834
• Martin County 101,471 138,434 239,906
• Mason County 117,995 170,188 288,183
• Mayfield Ind. 85,994 112,365 198,359
• McCracken County 249,655 347,312 596,966
• McCreary County 188,720 243,550 432,271
• McLean County 81,403 109,846 191,249
• Meade County 309,719 368,810 678,529
• Menifee County 68,178 87,207 155,384
• Mercer County 188,451 193,054 381,505
• Metcalfe County 83,788 111,703 195,492
• Middlesboro Ind. 69,887 95,640 165,527
• Monroe County 111,211 144,338 255,548
• Montgomery County 331,841 314,043 645,885
• Monticello Ind. 56,693 71,168 127,862
• Morgan County 120,112 154,818 274,930
• Muhlenberg County 239,785 325,484 565,270
• Murray Ind. 90,240 82,212 172,452
• Nelson County 239,315 257,794 497,109
• Newport Ind. 70,378 102,919 173,297
• Nicholas County 72,232 84,641 156,873
• Ohio County 204,759 270,998 475,757
• Oldham County 552,621 610,287 1,162,908
• Owen County 97,191 131,750 228,942
• Owensboro Ind. 198,740 272,396 471,136
• Owsley County 50,631 65,725 116,356
• Paducah Ind. 131,526 169,555 301,081
• Paintsville Ind. 32,839 44,444 77,283
• Paris Ind. 35,963 47,851 83,814
• Pendleton County 200,902 183,450 384,352
• Perry County 189,452 270,763 460,215
• Pike County 480,437 644,602 1,125,039
• Pikeville Ind. 42,327 60,870 103,197
• Pineville Ind. 39,345 43,854 83,200
• Powell County 141,344 184,454 325,797
• Pulaski County 340,939 480,615 821,554
• Raceland Ind. 57,865 72,983 130,848
• Robertson County 22,439 29,266 51,704
• Rockcastle County 182,983 237,078 420,061
• Rowan County 164,079 207,835 371,914
• Russell County 154,180 193,808 347,988
• Russell Ind. 95,900 131,129 227,029
• Russellville Ind. 63,532 75,317 138,849
• Science Hill Ind. 29,430 33,193 62,623
• Scott County 374,228 426,914 801,142
• Shelby County 329,284 379,357 708,641
• Silver Grove Ind. 9,379 13,546 22,925
• Simpson County 126,224 178,131 304,355
• Somerset Ind. 46,960 71,065 118,025
• Southgate Ind. 6,603 10,490 17,094
• Spencer County 161,080 163,939 325,020
• Taylor County 126,343 170,189 296,532
• Todd County 110,574 147,840 158,414
• Trigg County 80,036 115,444 195,480
• Trimble County 63,713 87,486 151,199
• Union County 106,558 148,618 255,176
• Walton Verona Ind. 67,392 91,850 159,242
• Warren County 612,894 702,254 1,315,148
• Washington County 88,474 111,975 200,450
• Wayne County 126,369 172,134 298,502
• Webster County 106,337 144,190 250,526
• West Point Ind. 5,891 7,855 13,746
• Whitley County 274,419 356,071 630,490
• Williamsburg Ind. 40,617 53,245 93,862
• Williamstown Ind. 58,091 65,656 123,747
• Wolfe County 81,192 106,309 187,501
• Woodford County 102,662 170,835 273,497
• TOTALS $28,680,616 $38,122,413 $66,803,029
  
• Additional Reductions: National Board Certified Teachers $41,623.00
• State-Run Vocational Schools $352,497.00
• Vocational Transportation $36,582.00
• Total HB 305 Reductions $38,553,115.00

Henderson Supt says State Miscalculations Costly

Cuts "gut the quality" of the school system

This from WFIE:

Officials in Henderson County are scrambling to cut more than $500,000 from this year's school budget. School officials say the state miscalculated enrollment rates, and now the new cuts are on the fast track.

What is urgent about this situation is that the state is not warning schools that their budget will be cut next year, instead the cuts are coming this school year.

It appears education officials in Frankfort may have made a very costly mistake, and now Dr. Richey says school systems statewide will pay the price.

"For Henderson County, it represented a cut of $531,000," said Dr. Thomas Richey, Henderson County Schools Superintendent.

Richey says the cuts will actually be much deeper, probably close to $800,000. He says there will probably be more cuts announced after the legislature gets through with this session.

It seems like a never ending story, cuts after cuts being made in Frankfort, leaving the individual school systems to decide how they'll survive.

"I use the word gut because that's exactly what it is," said Richey. "You begin to gut the quality you've built into your system."...

2010: A Busy Year

Last week, Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday took a look back at the events of 2010 and notes that it was a busy, fruitful year for the state’s P-12 education community.

“When I tally up the events and accomplishments related to P-12 education, I see many positive events,” said Holliday. “Overall, 2010 will be remembered as a year of activity and purpose in public education. I believe that Kentuckians have a renewed sense of hope for the future of our P-12 education system, and I know that our teachers, principals, superintendents, parents, elected officials and citizens recognize their crucial importance to the state’s success.”

Then, as is the new year's custom, the Commish offered the major highlights of public education in 2010.

• Common Core State Standards adoption – In March, the Kentucky Board of Education, Council on Postsecondary Education and the Education Professional Standards Board jointly adopted the Common Core State Standards for English/language arts and mathematics. In doing so, Kentucky became the first state in the nation to adopt those standards. This was a bold step toward improving education outcomes for Kentucky’s students. The work began in 2009, when Gov. Steve Beshear signed the agreement that states develop common academic standards. Kentucky joined 50 states and territories, the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, Achieve, ACT, ETS and others in a major effort to place America back in the front of educational attainment in the world. Everyone was so excited they did the happy dance.
• Passage of House Bill 176 (KRS 160.346) – In its regular session, the 2010 General Assembly passed House Bill 176, which will have resonating effects for years to come throughout the state’s public school classrooms. House Bill 176 provided much-needed interventions in the state’s lowest-performing schools. Through its mandates, Kentucky is able to offer school districts more options to help them improve – from selecting an education management organization to operate schools, to exercising more flexibility in staffing, to restructuring the existing management of those schools that are persistently low-performing. Thanks to the actions of the legislature, and to the support of educators, board members and partners across the state, Kentucky will lead the nation in the next wave of educational improvement.
• Persistently low-achieving schools named and supported – In the spring of 2010, Kentucky identified 10 schools as “persistently low-achieving” (PLA), based on state and federal criteria. The schools’ identifications were tied to their reading and mathematics test score results and adequate yearly progress (AYP) status. By identifying these schools, we ensured that they would be eligible to receive federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) funding of up to $1.5 million over a three-year period. This funding will be used to help the schools raise achievement levels, improve the performance of their students and achieve AYP. The schools also received leadership assessments, which provided insight and suggestions for improvement, along with strong technical support.
• New Kentucky Board of Education members –Gov. Steve Beshear appointed five new members to the Kentucky Board of Education. The five – Martha Jones, Roger Marcum, Jay Parrent, Bill Twyman and Mary Gwen Wheeler – represent a broad range of experience and backgrounds, but they share the common goal of improving education for the state’s children. In August, the board selected David Karem as its chair, then set four strategic priorities to guide its work: Next-Generation Learners; Next-Generation Professionals; Next-Generation Support Systems; and Next-Generation Schools and Districts. This board is focused on supporting schools and districts, raising achievement, ensuring that students are prepared for life after high school, closing gaps, accountability and transparency.
• Leadership Networks – Throughout 2010, KDE staff were engaged in the work of developing a system of Leadership Networks designed to support the high-quality implementation of the requirements set forth in 2009’s Senate Bill 1. The networks are intended to build the capacity of each school district as they implement Kentucky’s new Core Academic Standards, develop assessment literacy among all educators and work toward ensuring that every student is college- and career-ready. Those Leadership Networks are now in place. Participants are collaborating with other leaders in their regions to hone practice and knowledge and working within their districts to scale up highly effective practices in every classroom.
• Budget cuts – As with other state agencies, the Kentucky Department of Education has experienced significant budget cuts over the past few fiscal years. This has impacted our agency’s ability to fill empty positions and required us to rethink our short- and long-term plans. An agency-wide reorganization in the summer of 2010 was a direct response to these cuts and enabled us to focus on the Kentucky Board of Education’s strategic priorities, the implementation of 2009’s Senate Bill 1 and the provision of services to our state’s 174 school districts.
• Race to the Top – Kentucky was fortunate to be named as a finalist in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the federal Race to the Top competition. However, we were not awarded funds in either phase. This was disappointing; but, the lack of Race to the Top funding did not deter us from moving forward with our plans. We’ve continued to focus on support for students and educators; providing high-quality learning opportunities; providing the training our educators need; connecting them with best practices; and setting a high bar for success. The fact that Kentucky was named a finalist twice indicates that our plans are strong and worthwhile. And, the unanimous support of our plan from the state’s superintendents and local boards of education was a heartening result of this process.

Holliday expects more bad fiscal news ahead for schools, but Read to Achieve funding still coming

Meets with Local School Board Member Advisory Council

This from Brad Hughes at KSBA:

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday knows education funding cuts could be on the horizon, but he wants to assure district leaders that money for one significant instructional program remains in place.

Addressing his Local School Board Member Advisory Council Friday in Frankfort, Holliday pointed to multiple uncertainties for school funding in the coming months.

“We’re expecting to hear next week from the governor our budget reductions in state agency funds for this year,” the commissioner said. “The governor is looking at $120 million to $130 million this year and $160 million next year.

“I’ve alerted all of your superintendents not to expect textbook money,” he said. “We’re down to $650,000 or about $1 a child. That will be our first place (to cut), because what can you do with a dollar a child?”

“We’ve always had a little cushion in SEEK. It was $45 million this year (but) I don’t think there’s going to be a cushion next year,” Holliday said.

“This budget is problematic at a time when we have less money, less resources and more bad news to come,” he said. “If anything next year, I’ll bet there’s going to be a shortfall in SEEK. So you are wise to hold onto your fund balances.”...

One issue Holliday hopes to clear up during that briefing is confusion over reimbursement for the Reach to Achieve literacy initiative utilized by many districts. Participating districts get 65 percent of eligible expenses reimbursed by the state, and must pick up the remaining 35 percent...

The College and Career Readiness Act of 2010?

Thanks to Susan Weston over at Prichard for doing what I didn't do this weekend.

Friday, the U.S. Department of Education announced its "Blueprint" for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. I didn't read it for religious reasons. It's March and I'm in Kentucky.

Forced to choose between reading the Obama administration's plan for school reform through the reauthorization of NCLB - which has the potential to affect the lives of millions of American children forever - and watching UK and a bunch of bracketology which I enjoy, I chose badly. Heck of a game though, wasn't it?

In three parts this morning, Susan outlines the plan President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan hope will gain congressional consensus and become the "College and Career Readiness Act of 2010," or whatever they end up calling it.

In Replacing NCLB Part 1, Susan says that "College and career readiness by 2020" may soon replace proficiency by 2014" as the main goal of the federal P-12 education programs.

States will have will two options for reading and mathematics standards:

First, they can “upgrade their existing standards, working with their 4-year public university system to certify that mastery of the standards ensures that a student will not need to take remedial coursework upon admission to a postsecondary institution in the system.”

Second, they can adopt standards in common with other states.

Kentucky chose door # 2.

In Replacing NCLB Part 2, Susan reports on the $350 million part of the RTTT fund which Secretary Duncan held out for assessemnt.

The blueprint expects those assessments to allow reporting on students' growth from year to year, and it proposes federal grants to support improvements in assessment methods. Beyond that, though, it's hard to find details on what "high quality" will mean.

Everything I see suggests continued movement toward a value-added system.

And in Part 3, Susan finds that,

Accountability will be tougher on a few schools and easier under most if the U.S. Department of Education's approach to revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act becomes law.For the five percent of schools with the weakest growth, states will be required to use one of four aggressive interventions:

• closure
• restart under outside management
• turnaround by replacing the principal and half the staff
• transformation that includes a new principal, strengthened staffing, a new instructional program, and other steps ...

At the opposite end of the spectrum, schools with the strongest student growth will receive some type of recognition and reward. The recognition could play a valuable role in spotlighting schools that "beat the poverty odds" and building public confidence that high goals really are in reach even for students who have often been allowed to underperform.

And as long as you're there, check our Prichard's take on the House budget proposal in $59 million in cuts to state support for current P-12 students.

Comparing the original budget for this fiscal year to the budget the House just approved for the 2012 fiscal year shows a reduction of roughly $59 million in planned state spending for current educational services. $103 million in reductions to specific programs is only partly offset by $44 million in increases to other efforts.

Susan's got the itemized list of cuts.

Balancing the Budget in Kentucky

On the left side of the scale:

Every House member up for election in November.

On the right side are such lightweight issues as:

Hundreds of millions in structural imbalances
Decreasing revenue due to outmoded tax structure

Ability to procrastinate by cobbling

together a budget for the first year
Dreams of more federal dollars
State Programs cut

State planning damaged
But Special Projects funded

Special Session in 2011...

after the election

Is that about right?

This from WAVE 3 TV:

Budget writers still working on plan

A leading House budget writer says nothing is safe from possible budget cuts as Kentucky lawmakers look to plug a massive shortfall for the state's next budget.

House Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Rick Rand told reporters Tuesday that it appears there will be no new revenue to help balance the next two-year budget.

Rand said top House budget writers are still considering several options, but said lawmakers will consider everything when looking at possible budget cuts.

He listed funding for elementary and secondary public schools as the last place lawmakers would look in seeking budget cuts. He also downplayed tapping school contingency funds.

A slowdown in tax collections caused by the recession has led to a projected $1.5 billion shortfall over the next two-year budget cycle.

Besides, Stumbo might raid the fund

This from the Winchester Sun:

Schools face $1.5M deficit

Clark County Public Schools are already facing financial woes for the 2010-2011 school year.

A draft budget for the 2010-2011 year was presented to the school board at a special meeting Wednesday night. It includes a deficit of $1,553,677 and a contingency plan under the required 2 percent.

Consultant Dr. Bob Wagoner and Clark County Financial Director Stacey Clark presented the budget, and Wagoner encouraged the board to find a way to cut expenses by $800,000. Wagoner said that if the deficit is dealt with over two years rather than all at once, it would be easier for the district to handle.

"It is going to require some very difficult decisions by the board,” Wagoner said. “. … If it is not tackled, short of winning the Powerball, there’s not going to be a good way to do this without doing damage to your instructional program.”

Wagoner said that before the budget is approved, the contingency fund would have to be increased as well.

Although Wagoner said that having 5 to 8 percent in the fund is preferable, the current financial situation will not allow that....

And this from the Daily Independent:

Schools leery of one possible fix for budget

Proposal would take away districts’ rainy day funds

A proposal for the state to turn to school district rainy day funds as budget bandages has area administrators nervous.

The proposal is one of five possible fixes for Kentucky’s red-ink predicament and, if adopted, would fund deficits in the state’s education budget with money districts keep in reserve for emergencies.

“It concerns me because it’s not extra money. It’s money we hope not to have to use but it’s real money,” said Lawrence County School District Superintendent Mike Armstrong.

While worrisome, the proposal floated by House Speaker Greg Stumbo doesn’t come as a surprise, Armstrong said. Stumbo told superintendents at their recent convention that “anything and everything is on the table,” Armstrong said.

The proposal may not be legal because there is no way to determine how much of a contingency fund is state money and how much is local, said Greenup County School District Business Manager Scott Burchett. Burchett is worried, anyway, because the $780 million in gambling revenue Gov. Steve Beshear had been counting on in his
proposed budget faces certain death in the General Assembly.

That leaves a hole the state will have to fill somehow, Burchett said. “That makes us real nervous,” he said...

Stumbo Still Threatening School funds

House Speaker Greg Stumbo continues to rattle the chains toward school contingency funds.

The raiding of contingency funds would further undermine trust in the legislature while promotiong unsound fiscal practices in the schools - all brought to you by a group that understands unsound fiscal policy.

This from the Courier-Journal:

House could ask schools to spend their reserve funds

Not every district would be affected

Cutting funding that local school districts receive from the state and forcing them to spend money in their reserve funds is still an option to help balance the state budget for the next two years, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Tuesday.

School districts have a total of about $800million in their reserve funds, although Stumbo said not every district's fund would be tapped.

“There's a significant amount of money there that could be (used) to balance the budget,” the Prestonsburg Democrat said. “I'm not saying we are going to do it, but it could be used to supplement the (school funding formula) in this one-time occurrence.” ...

And from H-L:

...Brad Hughes, spokesman for the Kentucky School Boards Association, predicted that any attempt to tap those reserve funds would draw strong opposition from school officials.

Even as lawmakers potentially eye the "rainy day" money, districts have been urged by the state Department of Education to build up contingency funds, Hughes said.

"This would be nothing less than one element of state government telling districts 'don't spend money,' and another part of state government saying, 'and now we're going to take it,'" he said....

Beshear's education choice: some pain or big cuts

Senate Bill 1 Implementation

Depends on Fed Dollars

This from Ryan Alessi and Jim Warren at H-L, photo by Ed Reinke:

The state's public universities could suffer minimal pain or double-digit cuts in 2012 depending on the fate of Gov. Steve Beshear's long-shot proposal for gambling.

University leaders didn't immediately leap Tuesday to support the governor's expanded-gambling plan, which faces a skeptical General Assembly.

Officials of the eight public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System politely praised Beshear for what they called his commitment to preserve higher-education funding, then turned to lobbying the legislature.

University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. said the presidents won't back any particular method for raising revenue.

"I firmly believe that the legislature and the governor want to help higher education if they have the resources," he said. "We'll leave it up to them to figure out where the revenue source comes from."

Beshear's plan largely aims to protect education.

The Support Education Excellence in Kentucky fund, the major source of money for K-12 schools, would be exempt from cuts for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 under the proposal. Beshear recommends preserving SEEK funds even if the gambling measure doesn't pass....

In an email message to EKU faculty today, President Doug Whitlock said,

Last night I attended the presentation of Governor Stephen Beshear’s 2010-2012 budget message to the Kentucky General Assembly. I would suspect that many of you have read or seen news accounts of that presentation.

Once again, Governor Beshear has shown his commitment to postsecondary education and his understanding of our value to the Commonwealth’s future...

Tomorrow, I will speak on behalf of the Kentucky higher education committee to the House Budget Review Subcommittee. In my remarks, I will encourage the legislature to consider the profound need for new revenue. Kentucky’s budget woes run far deeper than simply the downturn in the economy. There was a structural imbalance between recurring income and recurring expenses even before the economy soured. It is my sincerest hope that the Governor and General Assembly will work together to solve this issue whether through expanded gaming, some other form of revenue enhancement, or a combination thereof.

This process has just begun and will play out over the coming months. I will keep you informed at every appropriate opportunity. My request to you is to not succumb to alarmism and to continue to do the same fine job you are doing today. That is the best way to continue to communicate our worth and our dedication to the public policy makers of this state.

And from Toni Knoz at C-J:

Kentucky school districts would receive slightly more money per student under Gov. Steve Beshear's proposed two-year budget, but they would see cuts of about 2 percent to other programs and initiatives.

Beshear said one of his highest priorities is maintaining the current level of the state's formula for funding public schools, called Support Education Excellence in Kentucky, or SEEK.

His budget calls for schools to receive $3,891 per student in 2011 and $3,927 in 2012, slight increases over the $3,866 per student that districts are receiving this year.

“The best long-term investment that we can make in the future of our Commonwealth is educating our kids,” Beshear said Tuesday. “If we give them a proper education, they will be able to get the jobs of the future. If they are working, all of the rest of our problems take care of themselves.” ...

Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday said he was happy to learn that Beshear is proposing an increase in per-pupil funding, particularly because state funding has been flat the past several years.

“We are very happy that the governor held education as one of his top priorities,” he said.

Beshear's budget also includes $21.9 million over the next two years to implement Senate Bill 1.

But he said that amount is contingent on the state receiving Race to the Top federal grant money from the Obama administration. Race to the Top is an initiative that pits states against each other and rewards those that develop the best plans to improve student achievement.

“If we don't get that money, we will have to revisit (the budget) and see if we need to put additional state monies in there to implement Senate Bill 1,” Beshear said...

Sharron Oxendine, president of the Kentucky Education Association, applauded the governor “for continuing to protect education. I think he realizes the detrimental effect not funding education would have on the commonwealth.”

Oxendine also said she believes Beshear is “doing the best he can with what he's got.”
Beshear's budget proposal also includes an additional $173 million over the next two years to cover the higher cost of health insurance for school district employees and $150 million in bonds for school facility improvements.

Gov. Beshear: no mid-year SEEK cut as part of revenue shortfall plan

Excess SEEK coming this spring

This from Brad Hughes at KSBA:

Kentucky school leaders, fearful of mid-year funding cuts to offset a $100 million state revenue shortfall, got a double dose of good news Monday from Gov. Steve Beshear: not only will there be no cut in the current fiscal year’s SEEK allocation, the state expects to give districts an additional $30-$40 million in April, May and June to offset non-SEEK cuts in statewide K-12 spending.

“The bottom line (is) that every district will see budgetary relief and most will be made whole (from earlier state cuts),” Beshear said in a Capitol news conference. “It will help us to continue to maintain our commitment to our core priorities – the greatest of which is educating our children.

“While this is good news, a word of caution to our school districts: conserve your funds as much as possible. The challenges confronting us in the next two year budget are formidable,” the governor said.

Let's hope House Speaker Greg Stuimbo got the memo. By contrast, he has advocated capturing school contingency funds. If that were to come to pass, it would serve as a major disincentive to effective planning and frugal habits, both of which Beshear advises. On the other hand, Stumbo's promotion of tax reform is the right idea.

“We drew a line in the sand and preserved SEEK last June. In the budget passed last summer, I made a promise to our principals, our teachers and our students. I told them that if there proved to be an overage in the SEEK allocation in this fiscal year, that I would make sure that that money went back to the individual school districts and not to the General Fund,” Beshear said.

“The good news is that there will be extra money this year. We won’t know the final number until late February, but it will be between $30 million and $40 million. That money will not be swept back into the General Fund, but will be sent back to districts through the Department of Education’s SEEK formula,” the governor said.

“We estimate that the additional funds distributed to the schools through the SEEK formula will more than offset the impact of the 3 percent cuts in every district in this state, (and) in most districts, will offset the cuts in non-SEEK funding made last June.
“By distributing the additional SEEK funds through the formula, districts will be able to manage at the local level in a way to best meet the needs of the schools and their students,” Beshear said.

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday joined Beshear at the news conference and praised the governor for his decision.

“The future of Kentucky is in our classrooms today. By holding SEEK harmless in this process and by committing the excess SEEK dollars to help districts become whole once again, we have once again as Kentuckians shown our support for education,” said Holliday. “I will be sending an e-mail and directions to local superintendents this afternoon, describing where the 3 percent cuts are and the process we will follow to distribute the excess SEEK money.”

The governor announced a $108.3 million budget reduction order for the current fiscal year to include a cut of 3 percent to state agencies, including the Department of Education. The major elements of the budget change are $49 million in spending cuts, $25 million in federal stimulus funds and the remainder in excess, unbudgeted agency funds.

Holliday said the KDE funding cut — $10 million – will be done by replacing some planned state spending on technology programs with federal funds; delaying until next year some $4 million in Read to Achieve and Math Achievement Grants; and capturing the remaining $2 million in the state textbook account.

“What we’ve done is to cut without affecting people,” the commissioner said. “The extra SEEK dollars will more than offset these cuts and the cuts from last June.”

Beshear noted that the current biennial budget gives districts greater flexibility to use state funds than had been the case previously. Both the governor and Holliday said by returning the excess SEEK funding through the SEEK formula, that flexibility is determining where to spend the money is further increased.

In terms of the upcoming biennial budget efforts, Gov. Beshear said, “I’m going to try every way possible to preserve SEEK in next two year budget. That is my highest priority. I’ll do everything humanly possible to avoid cutting SEEK.”The governor will present his proposed two-year budget to the General Assembly on Jan. 19.

This from The Commish's Monday email to Supts:

Governor’s Budget Reduction Order and Impact on Education

As indicated in the Governor’s budget reduction order that was signed this afternoon (see attached press release and attachments above), the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will be implementing a 3% budget reduction plan rather than a 6% plan. The reductions that will be implemented by the plan are as follows:

Education Technology - KEN $ 765,000
Education Technology - KETS $ 975,000
Family Resource Youth Services Centers $1,714,300
Partnership for Successful Schools $86,000
KDE Assessment Funding $45,000
Read to Achieve Carry-forward Dollars $3,000,000
Math Achievement Carry-forward Dollars $1,000,000
Textbooks $2,016,400
Life Insurance $399,900

TOTAL CUTS $10,001,600

KDE has made every effort to minimize the impact of these cuts on school districts. The Governor’s good news is that we anticipate excess SEEK funding will be available in the last quarter of this fiscal year to adequately offset the impact of these cuts. The excess SEEK funding will be received as part of the April, May and June SEEK payments and can be used for any expenditure on which regular SEEK funds can be spent. Each district’s portion of the excess SEEK funds will be based on whatever its share of the current SEEK allotment is per House Bill 4, passed in the 2009 special session.

Regarding the cuts listed above:

· The Office of Education Technology will be coordinating with school districts to ensure that cuts to KETS and KEN funding will not directly impact technology hardware or services. We anticipate using one-time e-rate funding to ensure the dollars for these purposes continue to be provided for the remainder of the fiscal year.

· Excess SEEK funding may be used to offset cuts to FRYSCs and Textbooks.

· Cuts to the Partnership for Successful Schools, KDE Assessment Funding, Read to Achieve and Math Achievement will be taken from unobligated dollars and will not impact current grant dollars to school districts.

· The cut to life insurance costs is based on savings generated from a reduction in costs as of January 1, 2010 and will not affect school districts at this time.

Districts should be mindful that the excess SEEK dollars must be committed to appropriate programs by June 30. School districts may wish to commit some excess SEEK funding for qualified expenses for the next biennium, in the event that programs are not fully funded in the upcoming budget. Further guidance on spending excess SEEK dollars will be forthcoming from KDE.

Harvard Law School Suspends Program Giving Students Free Tuition

This from the New York Times:

Less than two years after announcing that it would waive tuition for third-year students who pledge to spend five years working for nonprofit organizations or for the government, Harvard Law School is suspending the program — in part because almost twice as many students as expected signed up.

Almost twice as many Harvard students, shown in the law library, signed up as expected, leading in part to the suspension.

“This was always an experiment and just one of many ways we were trying to encourage students to explore public interest careers,” said Martha Minow, the dean of the law school, adding, “What we found is that we had less trouble than we thought encouraging that.”

But the recession was also a factor. “It’s really a function of the endowment going down drastically,” said Robb London, the law school’s assistant dean for communications...

...or should we say, $60 million?

This from Marc Murphy at C-J:

Nearly $40 million Already Cut from SEEK

How has the state budget already cut Kentucky's SEEK funding? Prichard Counts the ways.

Kentucky is sending districts $39,723,567 less in SEEK funds this year than the state provided last year...

So, let's stop saying the state hasn't cut P-12 funding yet. We've actually seen cuts to the Department of Education, the Education Professional Standards Board, and to smaller state funding grants, and we've seen nearly $40 million cut from SEEK itself.

The Budget Blues

This week's blog blast from the big boss is all about the dollars - or lack thereof. At Dr. H's Blog Commissioner Holliday writes,

In my 38 years of education and over 20 years as an administrator in charge of budgets, the past two years have been the most difficult budget situations I have ever encountered. As I travel across the state, I am hearing from local superintendents that they, too, are encountering very difficult budget situations. While the national economy has shown some signs of recovery, state and local revenues have not shown similar signs.

The fact that the national economy is rebounding is great news. The fact that the recovery is based on unprecedented levels of federal bailouts for banking (the industry that got us into this mess and is still spending millions on lobbyists to forestall regulation) is less comforting, particularly since federal stimulus funds are running out. I sure hope the recovery numbers look even better by this time next year and unemployment levels are back down. But we'll see.

Holliday optimistically suggests,

While we are in difficult times, I have every belief that our great nation can recover and our state and national leaders will find ways to ignite new growth in our economy. During these times, we must listen and work with each other rather than blame each other.

Oops. Too late.

As for the current situation, Holliday expects decisions on $20 million in cuts to education to be known by early January.

This is the latest reduction of six that have happened in the past two years. We have made the easy reductions. We have reduced the travel, the professional development, the textbooks, the costs that are not closely associated with the classroom. We have frozen all hiring at the Kentucky Department of Education. We have not filled vacant positions. We have eliminated every discretionary dollar that we can find.

Now, we have run out of options. We must begin to reduce some program dollars. There are no easy choices. Every program that we are reviewing has a strong constituent base that truly believes any budget cut would decimate the program.

We have established a few priorities for this next round of reductions. We are attempting to save positions in schools and districts. We are trying not to further reduce school safety or extended school funds, which have already been greatly reduced. We are looking at dollars that have not yet been expended in programs so the reductions will not require districts to make up the difference.

Hold on to your skivvies boys & girls.

BS from GS

...but no mention of what Kentucky really needs to help avoid this annual drama. Barring a political miracle - legislative leaders who actually want to solve long-standing revenue problems - Kentucky will still not have what it needs; a new tax code.

This from Speaker Stumbo in C-J:

Stumbo explains stance on 'rainy day' funds

As Gov. Steve Beshear and the General Assembly prepare for the upcoming legislative session, it is becoming increasingly clear that the state's two-year budget will be the most challenging Kentucky has faced since the Great Depression.

Federal stimulus dollars have helped significantly, but unless Congress provides additional funds, the stimulus dollars will run out by the budget's second year. Barring an economic miracle, there will be considerable budget gaps and no painless way to fill them.

We must also consider skyrocketing health insurance and retirement costs, increases in a Medicaid program that already covers a fifth of our population and the growing needs of our schools and universities. Each of these areas must be adequately funded if we hope to move forward as a state.

It was with this in mind that I discussed the possibility of using a portion of the surplus funds that are kept by our elementary and secondary schools for unplanned expenses and “rainy days.”

I want to make it clear that I do not believe these funds can be used for any programs or expenses outside of the school's district. In fact, as attorney general, I filed litigation to protect education dollars.

The surplus funds are a mixture of local and state dollars prudently set aside by the school districts for future needs and expenses. It would be patently unfair to “rob Peter to pay Paul,” but it may be time for Peter and Paul to help themselves more during these rainiest of days.

I believe all options need to be considered as we begin writing the state's budget in the next several months. If this is an unprecedented suggestion, it is because we are in unprecedented times.

In our current budget, kindergarten through high school accounts for more than 40 percent of our state tax dollars; when you add postsecondary schools, the figure for education jumps to 58 percent. Critical health and family services and the judicial and justice systems push the total over 90 percent.

Because so much of the state's budget goes to these areas, they are the ones most affected by cuts that have topped more than $1.5billion during the last two years. Additional cuts are expected to exceed a billion dollars in the upcoming two-year budget. Federal stimulus dollars have helped us balance our current budget, but these are one-time funds and not a permanent revenue source.

I have no doubt that we will find a way to live within our means, but it will not be easy. My goal is to continue protecting, if not increasing, school funding. Reducing money for education would have negative effects lasting for generations. School surplus funds may or may not be part of that equation, but if they can be a bridge to better days, it is an idea that at least deserves to be discussed.

Textbook Money Slashed to Balance Budget

In the latest round of buget cuts Gov. Beshear spared specific items such as the SEEK funding formula, school employees’ health insurance and the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System but other areas, like textbooks, took a whallop.

At KSBA, Brad Hughes reports that,

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday told Kentucky superintendents Wednesday that the state’s ongoing revenue shortfall will mean a 12.7 percent cut in the Department of Education’s operating budget, and an overall reduction in state spending on P-12 programs by 2 percent.

In an e-mail to the superintendents, Holliday said, “Rather than constraining districts by applying the cut to all programs, KDE’s plan calls for the reduction to be applied to the Flexible Focus Funds and specifically to textbooks.

And how big a whallop? Here's an example of cuts in three districts.

District ------FY10 Initial------FY10 Revised
Daviess----------$352,173---------- $39,162
Fayette---------$1,165,815---------$132,627
Gallatin----------$52,025-----------$5,655