Jan Mitchell, LWV Observer
Absent: Mike Bertelson
Announcements & Recognitions:
A faculty-student basketball game at the high school generated $3500 for local families afflicted with cancer.
The prom was a successful evening – many thanks to the parent volunteers at the party after the dance.
Denise Halvorson took 50 French students to an oral French competition, and they enjoyed impressive successes.
The swine flu issue has the attention of the MN Dept. of Health and the MN Dept. of Education – schools are being kept in the loop as this develops.
Missota music competition resulted in many honors for our students.
Carleton invited school board members to hear a nationally known speaker on assessments.
The high school jazz band did a great job at the annual swing dance.
The transition program that helps special education students as they complete their public school courses and enter the adult world received recognition for excellence.
Superintendent Richardson provided an update on the legislative session. None of the current proposals improve the funding situation for K-12, and in the last 17 years, inflation has averaged 3%, but school funding increases have averaged only 1.5%.
The Governor is proposing additional money for Q-Comp, (which he would mandate), but nothing more for district operating costs. He would provide a 0.7 % increase for schools that show rising percentages of students proficient at grade level. He would use federal stimulus money to mitigate the current shortfall, and apply future tobacco settlement money to back $1 billion in bonds. Because of cuts in local government aid, property taxes would increase about $623 million. Currently, the state pays money to districts on a formula of 90% paid in the current year, and 10% paid the next year. Governor Pawlenty would shift this to a 80% / 20% arrangement. His plan leaves an anticipated budget deficit for the next biennium of $2.5 billion.
The Senate proposal would cut education funding by 7% (federal stimulus funds would reduce this to 3% in the first year), and leave no deficit or surplus for the next biennium. They would apply $2 billion in “progressive” tax increases – but the Governor has said he would veto any increase. They would not shift funding schedules.
The House version holds current funding levels steady, and would shift the payments to a schedule of 73% in the current year and 27% in the next year. This could pose cash flow issues for many districts. They would raise about 1.5 billion dollars with a “progressive” tax increase, and anticipate a small surplus for the next biennium. Beginning in 2014, they would phase in provisions of the “Minnesota Miracle: to provide equitable, adequate and predictable funding for schools”. Again, the Governor says he will veto any tax increase.
Ann Maple noted that Superintendent Richardson is respected by his peers for his command of the complexities of school finance, and complimented him for this.
Ellen Iverson asked about “strings” attached to federal stimulus funds, and the Superintendent noted that there are quite a few of them, and more coming. Among the stipulations, money may only be spent for items made in the USA, even if less expensive alternatives were available. And in terms of hiring staff or expanding programs: that is OK only if the district is able to “maintain the effort” once the federal money is gone – so that is a significant hurdle.
The Board also looked at data about high school elective classes, and the enrollments and costs of each class. Many variables are involved, but costs per student range from almost $1000 to about $50. This is a chronic concern, and the District wants to make a wide variety of options available, but needs to factor the costs.
Routine business was conducted.