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CAT Tracks for July , 2009
SCORCHED SCHOOLS POLICY |
More details on the budget cuts announced by ISBE last week...
From Galesburg.com...
State education grant programs slashed
School districts await details of budget cuts.
By MARCO SANTANA
GALESBURG — The Illinois State Board of Education on Tuesday slashed nearly $400 million out of its $7.2 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2009, eliminating funding for several programs and significantly reducing money for others.
Administrators are still uncertain, however, how those cuts will specifically affect local school districts.
Galesburg District 205 Assistant Superintendent of Finance Guy Cahill said administrators are considering their options, including reallocating staff from these programs as they anticipate a regional contact to provide a more clear picture in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the district has imposed a hiring freeze for soft money, state grant-funded programs.
“We have not received any definitive word or direction or guidance other than to wait,” Cahill said. “ ’Til we get a more definitive word, it would be premature on our part to do anything further.”
The budget has completely wiped out $42.8 million previously expected for the state’s textbook loan program. The 34-year-old program minimizes the cost of books to parents of students in seventh grade through high school.
Other programs facing significant cuts include bilingual education, reading improvement and early childhood education, which took a 32 percent cut.
“It has been a very difficult day,” ISBE spokeswoman Mary Fergus said on Tuesday. “These cuts are coming with no satisfaction to our board or our agency. Those programs are very good programs that this board has fought for and loved.”
The reduction became necessary when Gov. Pat Quinn signed a budget July 15 that decreased the allocation to education.
Instead of the $904 million the board had expected, the state could offer only $511 million, meaning the board had to figure out a way to get rid of $393 million in state grant-funded programs. Of the $393 million, $272.4 million will come out of curriculum and instruction.
The board’s chief financial officer, Linda Mitchell, called the process somewhat of a “Sophie’s Choice,” with the board having to decide which child to leave behind.
“These were very difficult decisions,” Fergus said.
As grim as the situation appears, it could get a lot worse next year. Quinn allocated $1 billion in state stabilization funds to education this year.
“We are in a world of trouble for next year,” Fergus said. “We have to come up with $1 billion (next year) just to tread water.”
School districts must make their own tough decisions next year as well. The state requires that teachers or staff members who will be let go are given a notice at least 60 days before the spring term ends.
This means administrators will have to decide in March what programs to staff, months before they even begin to know what the state’s budget will look like.
“That’s when the public will see more of the effect of these decisions,” said Paul Woehlke, Monmouth-Roseville District 238’s superintendent.
The requirement has caused headaches this year, as well. Decisions made in March were based on the state board’s tentative budget.
After the cuts were made, the money will now have to come out of the districts’ reserves, if they are available.
“There’s not much we can do,” said Woehlke. “Now it’s July and we’re being told that we’re not going to get the money. We’re between a rock and a hard place.”
What’s Been Cut
Curriculum and instruction grant cuts:
The Register-Mail
