Schools' new budget battle
Once again, Maryland schools are facing budget cuts. And once again, Baltimore would be hurt disproportionately. If proposals pending in the General Assembly are approved, the city would have to cut at least $12 million out of the budget the school board approved last week.
Late Friday night, the state Senate's budget and tax committee surprised everyone in the education world. Rather than adopting its subcommittee's recommendations for school funding as expected, it passed a modified version including deeper cuts. It would fund GCEI at 60 percent next year, rather than the 100 percent pledged by the governor, and use the remaining 40 percent (or about $50 million) to cover planned school construction costs. That alone would require the city to cut $8.8 million -- meaning more job cuts at North Avenue or cuts to schools.
Then, the Senate budget committee would limit in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 the annual inflation increases to school districts that were supposed to return next year. It was the capping of these inflation increases that led to the $50 million-plus shortfalls in the city schools for each of the past two years. Continuing the cap would lead to huge shortfalls again the next two years. It would save the state an estimated $95 million in fiscal year 2011.
I asked Gov. O'Malley about the committee's vote today at Frederick Douglass High School, where he and several other public officials were on hand for the opening of a computer lab sponsored by Verizon. He said he hadn't seen the specifics yet, but he was concerned about any change to GCEI. However, he said several lawmakers don't believe that the state should be guaranteeing inflation increases to any agencies -- school districts included -- until the economy improves. He's inclined to agree. He didn't think schools would be hurt over the next two years because of the stimulus money -- but, as I've noted before, the stimulus dollars come with strings attached, while the money an inflation increase would bring would go into the general fund.
The committee's version of the budget, which now goes to the full Senate for a vote and is likely to pass, also includes a provision from the House of Delegates' bill that would change the formula governing who pays for private school placement for special education students. The state now pays 80 percent of the cost and districts pay 20 percent. The House changed the ratio to 70-30, which would cost the city $3 million next year. The Senate committee and the House would also require 17 districts -- Baltimore not among them -- that received overpayment this year through a budget error to repay the money, contrary to a promise from the governor that they wouldn't have to.
Once the full Sentate approves its budget bill, the House and Senate versions will go to a conference committee.
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Comments
I guess I will be disclosing my age if I recall the t-shirt from the 60's(think I still have mine) stating "When will we have bake sales to fund bombs?(defense)" We seem to find money for corrupt bankers, auto makers,Wall Street,blah,blah,blah...but quality,eqiutable education???????
I have been teaching a long time and have listened to the rhetoric for as long. Will education ever really be a priority in this country? And don't let me get started on school funding. Property taxes? That has never been fair funding! If you have not been in the newer county schools,take a field trip. Talk about third world countries. The school I love and teach in is 14 miles from my home and a world away.
Posted by: wise educator | March 30, 2009 8:47 PM
Personally I don't know if I have the energy to have another fit and email everyone and get more ressponses to read through. And if we get this one rolled back do we wait around for two or three months for yet another cut? It's tiresome.
Posted by: a parent | March 30, 2009 9:04 PM
@a parent-Let us know what we could do as a group. Usually I write, speak, etc as an individual or as part of a teacher group. The budget issue needs a group of people from all interested groups. I,too, am weary.But I know I will be writing,calling, emailing,whatever.
Posted by: wise educator | March 30, 2009 10:15 PM
Last time started with a letter to the governor through his webpage. Where I submitted this letter. Then letters to state officials that I found through this webpage.
I guess the difference is that this time the proposal comes from the senate and not the governor, so perhaps the approach should be focused on the senate budget committee (Sen. Edward Kasemeyer -Chair Health and Education Subcommitee Budget & Tax Committee & Sen. Paul Pinsky -Chair Education Subcommitte Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee). Also the Baltimore City Delegation (Senator Nathaniel McFadden Chair, Baltimore City Senate Delegation & Delegate Curt Anderson Chair, Baltimore City House Delegation) did a good job of fighting last time and should probably be told of our concerns.
I worry that you can only expect to be able to rally the troops so many times. It was only two months ago when we went through this the last time.
I'd like to hear Dr. Alonso's and Gov. O'Malley's take on this development.
Posted by: a parent | March 31, 2009 11:29 AM
Here's a call to action from the ACLU with contact names and numbers:
STOP SENATE EDUCATION CUTS - Call your legislators now!
In an unexpected move Friday night, the Senate Budget & Taxation committee went much further in cutting education than the House did in its recently-passed budget-- AND made significant cuts in education funding for FUTURE years. This will reduce education funding by about $50 million statewide and about $9 million for City Schools next school year. Further, they propose cutting $100 million dollars more statewide, each year, over the next two years. This would be devastating to school systems statewide. (For more detailed information on the cuts read below.)
Tell your Senator that there should be:
"NO MORE CUTS TO EDUCATION!"
Tell them that:
• You oppose cuts to education funding
• Don’t take away GCEI funds
• Don’t cut out the inflation factor for the next 2 years.
Our children need your support!
SENATOR NATHANIEL MCFADDEN - 410-841-3165
DISTRICT 45 (Budget & Tax committee member*)
Central/East Baltimore Gardenville, Cedonia, Hamilton, Lauraville
SENATOR VERNA JONES -410-841-3612
DISTRICT 44 (Budget & Tax committee member*)
Central/Southwest Baltimore, Violetville, Upton, Mt. Vernon, Hopkins Hospital Area
SENATOR CATHERINE PUGH -410-841-3656
DISTRICT 40 Central/West Baltimore -Charles Village, Pimlico, Reservoir Hill
SENATOR LISA GLADDEN -410-841-3697
DISTRICT 41 - North/West Baltimore/ Mt. Washington, Edmondson Village, Forest Park
SENATOR JOAN CARTER CONWAY-410-841-3145
DISTRICT 43 - North/Central Baltimore-Mostly between Charles St and Harford Rd –Waverly, Gilford, Homeland
SENATOR GEORGE W. DELLA, JR. -410-841-3600
DISTRICT 46 - South Baltimore, Highlandtown, O'Donnell Heights, Cherry Hill, Brooklyn, Little Italy, Federal Hill
The budget passed by the House had already made cuts in funding for non-public special education placements, school improvement grants, and the Aging Schools program.
The Senate committee proposed additional cuts. Though the Governor had proposed to use federal stimulus dollars to fully fund the Geographic Cost of Education Index (from 60% to 100%), the Senate committee shifted the entire increase in GCEI (40%) to pay for school construction projects, with no net gain to school construction. In other words, the GCEI funding would be diverted to the capital budget but no new construction projects would result. This will reduce education funding by an additional $50 million statewide and about $9 million for City Schools.
They further propose TO CUT $100 M. MORE IN EACH OF THE NEXT 2 YEARS by delaying the re-introduction of the inflation factor to the Thornton funding formula. In the 2007 budget cuts, the inflation factor was removed from the formula for 2 years this new budget proposal would extend that for another two years! Freezing education funding, with no inflation increases, has led to deficits in school budgets across the state this year.
TAKE ACTION- CALL CITY SENATORS! The budget will go to the Senate floor as early as tomorrow.
American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 350
Baltimore, MD 21211
410.889.8555 (o)
Posted by: a parent | March 31, 2009 12:55 PM
This Senate proposal completely undermines Gov O'Malley's priorities for the State and Pres. Obama's priorities for the nation. Although inflation is low right now, many economists expect a rise in inflation since the government is borrowing and "printing" lots of money for the crisis. If inflation rises, the cost-of-living cuts for 2011 and 2012 could be very drastic for Maryland's 850,000 public school kids. It could amount to hundreds of millions of $$$$$$.
Posted by: Charlie Cooper | March 31, 2009 1:12 PM