Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Education Shortfalls

Education Shortfalls

State education officials warned Tuesday that they might have to withhold $50 million from school districts so they could have money for fuel and teacher bonuses. "I don't want to say it's all doomed, but I do want to sound an alarm and warning that we're heading in the wrong direction," Howard Lee, chairman of the State Board of Education, said during an emergency board meeting. The state Department of Public Instruction reimburses school districts for most of their fuel costs and also administers the performance-based teacher bonus checks. But Philip Price, associate state superintendent for financial and business services, said that lawmakers are working on a compromise spending plan that would give less money for K-12 public education than what had been adopted by either the House or Senate.
Price said the increased funding for bus fuel in the conference budget would still leave a $30 million shortfall for reimbursing districts. Additionally, Price said that the conference budget allocates $37 million less than projected to pay for bonuses under the state's ABCs of Education program. While the state may make up some of the shortfall, Price warned districts that they still might be short $50 million. Shortly after the state board meeting, Senate leaders said they would seek to boost the fuel money and teacher bonuses. Sen. Linda Garrou, D- Forsyth and a chief budget writer, said they would agree to additional $20 million increases for both fuel and bonuses. "We've got to do better," Garrou said. " She and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, said they did not know where the money would come from. (T. Keung Hui, THE NEWS & OBSERVER, 6/25/08).

No comments: