Senate Committee on Finance Delivers Better News on Proposed Funding Reductions for Districts PDF Print E-mail

3/25/11

Yesterday afternoon, the Senate Committee on Finance revisited funding levels for public education based upon recommendations for various amendments to SB 1 Article III from the Subcommittee on Public Education Funding.  Senator Shapiro laid out the subcommittee's recommendations.  She stated the subcommittee's recommendations are a work-in-progress and additional recommendations are expected on how to protect classroom instruction.  Senator Shapiro also stated the base bill SB 1 was absolutely not acceptable.  She said they still have $800 million they would like to add, if the state can find the money. If the school finance bill SB 22 does not pass, then none of the recommendations can be passed. The recommendations also put $40 million in Article 11, for the pre-k textbooks, and revised Rider 53, which had $400 million in grant funds. The recommendations eliminated Rider 53, in order to control the $400 million in terms of allocation, rather than allocating the funds to the TEA. She emphasizes this is a work in progress.

John McGeady, LBB Analyst, testified that all funds total is $1.1 billion higher than it was in the past biennium. 

The models that are being reviewed show reductions to nearly all school districts. 

There is a rider that will restore $5.3 billion to the Foundation School Program, which is contingent on the passage of Senate Bill 22. There is a Rider that will increase funding to target revenue districts, but which is contingent on the passage of legislation.

Additional recommended changes to the base bill SB 1 include:

  • Add $8 million for Teach for America,
  • Add $10 million for Educator Mentoring,
  • Add $194 million Student Success Initiative,
  • Add $50 million for Drop Out Prevention and Intervention Programs,
  • Add $6.5 million for Campus Intervention and Turn Around Assistance,
  • Add $9 million for the Virtual School Network,
  • Add $32 million for High School Initiatives,
  • Reduce to $20 million the funding for Regional Education Services Centers
  • Reduce from $173.5 million to $80.5 million the funding for Windham School District

Senator West inquired about the all funds appropriations for the Foundation School Program under current law. West said the House is about $8 billion short of current law assumptions, and the Senate is about $4 billion short. He said the Senate budget appears to be better than that of the House, but it is not where it needs to be.