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JBC Actions on K-12 Funding

News Release :: February 5, 2009

The Joint Budget Committee yesterday heard stark recommendations from its staff regarding requested supplemental funding adjustments for K-12 education. The JBC voted to deny the requested $26 million supplemental for FY 2008-09 total program funding, despite the OSPB plan for balancing FY 2008-09 which had included moving forward with this supplemental funding. Moreover, other portions of the OSPB plan were also rejected by the JBC, acting in accordance with their staff recommendation.

Carolyn Kampman of JBC staff premised her recommendations by explaining the current status of the State Education Fund. She criticized the OSPB plan for FY 2008-09, saying it "falls short of ensuring that the SEF is solvent and the State is able to comply with constitutional funding requirements in the near term." As a result, her recommendations on the supplemental requests were to not refinance various general fund expenditures with SEF moneys. Late yesterday afternoon Vody Herrmann of CDE sent out two spreadsheets that provide a summary of the JBC actions and the resulting rescissions for each district. Those spreadsheets are attached and a copy of Vody's email message is re-printed below. As Vody notes, yesterday's actions were a preliminary vote and the package of supplemental bills for FY 2008-09 is still being considered by JBC. However, in all likelihood the actions taken yesterday will not change.

Other JBC action yesterday on K-12 funding:

  • As anticipated, the JBC reduced the general fund increase for total program to the bare minimum 5% required by Amendment 23, saving $27 million. Refinanced this amount by backfilling from SEF.
  • Reduced the additional $20.1 million in base funding for total program, or $19.72. No backfill.
  • Approved "off-the-top" funding of CDE school finance unit, content specialists and closing the achievement gap.
  • Officially suspended all full-day K capital construction funding (the Governor had previously frozen these funds).
  • Refinanced categorical program increases to reduce General Fund spending by $33 million, backfilling with SEF.
  • Cut charter school capital construction by $4.865 million.
  • Suspended supplemental funding for military impacted districts’ second pupil count, saving $1.8 million
  • Cut the $200,000 funding for the declining enrollment study authorized in last year’s school finance act.
  • Suspended a variety of grant programs funded through the SEF, such as STEM programs, summer school, civics, etc.

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