Schools face shrinking levy funds
Depending on where you live, the Legislature’s decision not to hold a special session, announced by the governor last week, will either be a blessing or an additional blow to your local schools.
Lawmakers would have addressed during the extra session Governor Gregoire’s proposal to allow school districts to temporarily lift their local levy caps. This change would have allowed districts to receive the same amount of money from their school levies that they would have received if their budgets weren’t massively cut this year.
Basically, on top of an unprecedented cut to their state funding, schools will take a hit from their local revenue source as well.
Most school districts must raise local money to pay for those things that the state doesn't provide enough money for, things like librarians, transportation and special education, by using levies. Most of these levies are capped at 24 percent of the amount school districts receive each year from the state and federal government. Since the state is sending $800 million less to its schools over the next two years, levies will be raising 24 percent of a much smaller package of funds.
Lifting the levy lid would have given seventy five of the state’s biggest school districts $67 million in extra funds. That’s a lot of teachers, buses and library books.
A twist in this funding situation is the fact that the ugly budgets for next year that school districts all over the state have been grappling with don’t even factor in this cut in levy money. Districts will receive the normal amount this year. It’s next year that their levy money will be reduced, as levy amounts are based on state funding from the previous year.
This year's dismal budgets are just a prelude to what will happen next year when the levy reduction will hit on top of the cut in state funding.
According to one school district superintendent:
Public school students and teachers are facing a bleak year with or without the special session and the future looks even bleaker if the Legislature doesn’t figure out how to better fund the system right quick.
Education matters. Washington needs a well-educated work force to fill and create high paying jobs. We can't shortchange our schools.
Lawmakers would have addressed during the extra session Governor Gregoire’s proposal to allow school districts to temporarily lift their local levy caps. This change would have allowed districts to receive the same amount of money from their school levies that they would have received if their budgets weren’t massively cut this year.
Basically, on top of an unprecedented cut to their state funding, schools will take a hit from their local revenue source as well.
Most school districts must raise local money to pay for those things that the state doesn't provide enough money for, things like librarians, transportation and special education, by using levies. Most of these levies are capped at 24 percent of the amount school districts receive each year from the state and federal government. Since the state is sending $800 million less to its schools over the next two years, levies will be raising 24 percent of a much smaller package of funds.
Lifting the levy lid would have given seventy five of the state’s biggest school districts $67 million in extra funds. That’s a lot of teachers, buses and library books.
A twist in this funding situation is the fact that the ugly budgets for next year that school districts all over the state have been grappling with don’t even factor in this cut in levy money. Districts will receive the normal amount this year. It’s next year that their levy money will be reduced, as levy amounts are based on state funding from the previous year.
This year's dismal budgets are just a prelude to what will happen next year when the levy reduction will hit on top of the cut in state funding.
According to one school district superintendent:
Lake Washington Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball described [his reaction to the funding situation] with one word.On the flip side, the Legislature left Olympia before deciding to implement a $60 million reduction in levy equalization money designed to even the playing field between school districts who have the tax base to raise sufficient levy funds and those that don’t. This cut would have affected mostly smaller, poorer districts. They have gotten a reprieve, for now.
“Disappointed,” said Kimball.
Kimball says if revenue streams stay the same he'll have to look at cutting another $1.5 million next year and $3 million the following year. That's on top of the almost $8 million he announced in cuts this week.
He was able to avoid teacher layoffs this year, but now he wonders what the future holds.
"There is no question in my mind, if we don't protest this levy base, there will be layoffs,” said Kimball.
Public school students and teachers are facing a bleak year with or without the special session and the future looks even bleaker if the Legislature doesn’t figure out how to better fund the system right quick.
Education matters. Washington needs a well-educated work force to fill and create high paying jobs. We can't shortchange our schools.
# Posted by Kathleen : 11:19 AM
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