Friday News Roundup: Week of March 7-11

At Ed Money Watch, we discuss and analyze major issues affecting education funding. In our Friday News Roundup, we try to highlight interesting stories that might otherwise get overlooked. These stories emphasize how federal and state policy changes can affect local schools and districts.

North Carolina Republicans Lay Out Potential Spending Cuts

Alabama Legislature Approves Spending Cap for Education Budget

Pennsylvania Governor Proposes Deep Cuts to Education Budget

North Carolina Republicans Lay Out Potential Spending Cuts
This week, the North Carolina legislature’s joint committee on education debated how to cut $760 million from the fiscal year 2012 K-12 education budget. Republicans in the legislature have resolved not to extend certain sales and income tax increases that are scheduled to expire at the end of fiscal year 2012. Without the extra revenue from these higher sales and income taxes, they must make deep spending cuts. Lawmakers debated a range of options, including teacher layoffs, eliminating state funding for teacher assistants, raising community college tuition, or eliminating certain early education programs. Under the direst scenario, state support for 6,062 teaching positions and 17,741 teacher assistant positions could be cut. Democrats in the state legislature argue that some of the tax increases should be extended to help offset the need for budget cuts. More here…

Alabama Legislature Approves Spending Cap for Education Budget
The Alabama Senate this week approved a bill previously approved in the state House of Representatives that would cap future spending on public education. Starting in fiscal year 2013, the bill would cap state spending from the Education Trust Fund. The cap would be based on the average annual percentage change in trust fund revenues over the previous 15 fiscal years. The bill is intended to keep spending in check during times of strong fiscal health and set aside funds that could be drawn upon when tax revenues are lower than expected. More here…

Pennsylvania Governor Proposes Deep Cuts to Education Budget
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett this week released his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. Under Governor Corbett’s plan, basic state aid for public education would be cut by $550 million. He proposes that schools make up for the cuts by furloughing teachers – which would require a change in state law – and through a statewide one-year pay freeze for teachers. His budget would also cut $259 million from block grants to school districts, which are used to finance programs like all-day kindergarten. Funding for special education would remain flat under Governor Corbett’s plan, while preschool funding would be cut slightly. More here…