At their April 27 meeting the school board approved $388,000 in budget adjustments for the 2009-10 school year as proposed and previously announced in the March and April editions of the Eye of the Tiger and on this blog. This is in addition to allocating $533,000 from the fund balance so the total is $921,00o.
These adjustments are based on the assumption that the state will not cut funding to K-12 education, but hold it level. If funding is not at least held level, the district will likely consider further adjustments for the coming school year.
The legislature is currently debating all aspects of the state budget. The House proposes to hold education funding level, the Senate proposes to cut it drastically, and the governor is proposing an increase, which would come via the Quality Compensation program, which would be helpful to the school district. See a side by side comparison of what is being debated here.
The next several weeks are critical as the legislative process continues. The House-Senate Conference Committee to reconcile differences between their funding bills has been named. I encourage patrons of the school district to communicate their interests regarding K-12 education funding to the legislators on the Conference Committee. They are:
Rep. Mindy Greiling
rep.mindy.greiling@house.mn
651.296.5387
Rep. Carlos Mariani
rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn
651.296.9714
Rep. Nora Slawik
rep.nora.slawik@house.mn
651.296.7807
Rep. John Ward
rep.john.ward@house.mn
Rep. Pat Garofalo
rep.pat.garofalo@house.mn
651.296.1069
Sen. LeRoy Stump
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1063&ls=
651.296.8660
Sen. Gen Olson
sen.gen.olson@senate.mn
651.296.1282
Sen. Charles Wiger
sen.chuck.wiger@senate.mn
651.296.6820
Sen. Kathy Saltzman
sen.saltzman@senate.mn
651.296.1253
Sen. Kevin Dahle
sen.kevin.dahle@senate.mn
651.296.1279
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Delano Area Education Foundation Online Auction
Star West Chevrolet-Honda has donated a "Beauty Treatment," a complete 100% detailing for your car, truck or SUV with a value of $249.00. This includes wash, shine, wax, and completely clean inside, outside, under hood, trunk, wheels, tires and more!
To bid on this item send your bid to tlawman@delano.k12.mn.us. The bidding will close at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Click here to follow the bidding.
The Delano Area Education Foundation would like to thank Star West for their generous contribution and support for Delano Public Schools.
To bid on this item send your bid to tlawman@delano.k12.mn.us. The bidding will close at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Click here to follow the bidding.
The Delano Area Education Foundation would like to thank Star West for their generous contribution and support for Delano Public Schools.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Legislature
The current status of school funding in the legislature is as follows: The Senate bill would cut funding, the House bill would keep it level, and the Governor proposes an increase via mostly QComp. Our lobbyists (Schools for Equity in Education, Minnesota Association of School Administrators, and Minnesota School Boards Association) report that legislators are not hearing from the public about the negative impact that flat funding or cuts will have on our schools.
Some ideas the legislature has under consideration: 1) tax and aid shifts, which means payments to schools are delayed into the next fiscal year. This idea has a cost to schools estimated at about $30 per pupil. Cash reserves are needed to cover costs plus there is a loss of interest on the fund balance. 2) A fund balance penalty, which means the state would reduce aid by some amount if a school district's fund balance exceeds a certain amount. Delano has a fund balance that we plan to use as a part of the three year budget plan. A fund balance cap could throw our current plan into disarray. 3) Cuts in state aid.
It is anticipated that any bill to raise taxes will be vetoed by the governor and the veto probably won't be overridden. Then the legislature goes into cut mode and education may not be spared.
I invite you to communicate with our legislators about the need for continued funding for education.
Sen. Amy Koch
Sen.amy.koch@senate.mn
651-296-5981
Sen. Warren Limmer
Sen.warren.limmer@senate.mn
651-296-2159
Sen. Gen Olson
Sen.gen.olson@senate.mn
651-296-1282
Rep. Tom Emmer
Rep.tom.emmer@house.mn
651-296-4336
Rep. Bruce Anderson
Rep.bruce.anderson@house.mn
651-296-5063
Rep. Jeff Johnson
Rep.jeff.johnson@house.mn
651-296-5511
Rep. Joyce Peppin
Rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn
651.296.7806
Rep. Steve Smith
Rep.steve.smith@house.mn
651-296-9188
Some ideas the legislature has under consideration: 1) tax and aid shifts, which means payments to schools are delayed into the next fiscal year. This idea has a cost to schools estimated at about $30 per pupil. Cash reserves are needed to cover costs plus there is a loss of interest on the fund balance. 2) A fund balance penalty, which means the state would reduce aid by some amount if a school district's fund balance exceeds a certain amount. Delano has a fund balance that we plan to use as a part of the three year budget plan. A fund balance cap could throw our current plan into disarray. 3) Cuts in state aid.
It is anticipated that any bill to raise taxes will be vetoed by the governor and the veto probably won't be overridden. Then the legislature goes into cut mode and education may not be spared.
I invite you to communicate with our legislators about the need for continued funding for education.
Sen. Amy Koch
Sen.amy.koch@senate.mn
651-296-5981
Sen. Warren Limmer
Sen.warren.limmer@senate.mn
651-296-2159
Sen. Gen Olson
Sen.gen.olson@senate.mn
651-296-1282
Rep. Tom Emmer
Rep.tom.emmer@house.mn
651-296-4336
Rep. Bruce Anderson
Rep.bruce.anderson@house.mn
651-296-5063
Rep. Jeff Johnson
Rep.jeff.johnson@house.mn
651-296-5511
Rep. Joyce Peppin
Rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn
651.296.7806
Rep. Steve Smith
Rep.steve.smith@house.mn
651-296-9188
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