It’s admirable that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius wants an ongoing multiyear funding plan for K-12 public education. “It would be a big improvement if we can move beyond the year-by-year approach of the past that left teachers, parents and administrators in the dark until the last minute,” she told the Lawrence Journal-World.
If school districts knew how much state funding they were likely to receive beyond the next school year, it would certainly help them plan better, as they have been able to do as part of three-yearl funding deal to end the school-finance lawsuit. But Sebelius and lawmakers also need to be careful about creating funding expectations that, due to an unexpected economic downturn, the state may not be able to meet — as former Gov. Bill Graves learned the hard way when he had to cut a promised two-year increase in education funding.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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5 Comments
I think it’s doable and most likely wiser to plan a budget out for three years.
Any adjustment to a depressed economy or any other deterrent to meeting the budget could be addressed in the current year as annual budgets are.
I would suggest no access to funds beyond the two year mark until it can be proven that the plans works.
Each year the legislature debates about how much to increase education funding. That is not a bad way to do things. Our schools should be looking for ways to live within a budget, not just waiting to find out how much they can spend. It is safe to say that no matter how much extra they get each year, they will spend it.
Annual budget debate slows out of control spending at least a little it is hoped.
Always worried with funding it seems. Never with the quality of what they are providing or finding more cost effective ways to doing the task. Must be nice to be able to sue yourself for more money.
Only in government.
Common statement of a stupid person:”Our schools are all failing!!! We test so much worse than other countries! We need more testing! Those stupid teachers are lazy!”The truth:Other counties don’t educate all students, the results that we see from their testing are only from their best students. Many are siphoned off into technical schools. In America, being the kind of country that we are, we try to educate all our students.
Stupid, stupid people.
I certainly hope Mr. Brownlee corrects himself.
Quote:”Sebelius and lawmakers also need to be careful about creating funding expectations that, due to an unexpected economic downturn, the state may not be able to meet — as former Gov. Bill Graves learned the hard way when he had to cut a promised two-year increase in education funding.”
I assume he is referring to the school finance plan passed in 1999, the 50-50 plan.
The addition of $50 on BSAPP in 2000 was fully funded by the 2000 Legislature and signed off on by then Gov. Bill Graves. There was a proposal by Graves to reduce the amount added in 2000, but no action on that proposal. Mr. Brownlee’s comments make it appear that Graves and the Legislature cut the $50 increase in 2000.
Mr. Brownlee should remember that relying on your memory to prove a point is about 10% as effective as actually doing research.