Friday News Roundup: Week of July 12-16

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.

 <p><b>Virginia</b><b> Ends FY 2010 with Budget Surplus</b></p>     <p><b>Rutgers</b><b> University</b><b> Board Approves Tuition and Fee Hike</b></p>     <p><b>Many of California’s Largest School Districts Plan to Shorten School Year</b></p>     <p><b>Virginia Ends FY 2010 with Budget Surplus</b><br>Due to higher-than-expected individual and corporate income tax collections, Virginia finished fiscal year 2010 with about <a href="http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/253686">$220 million more in revenue</a> than expected. This unanticipated revenue will be used for raises for state employees, restoring some funding to public schools, and meeting other budget requirements. Despite the unexpected surplus, state tax revenue in 2010 was still lower than 2009 levels – the $14.2 billion revenue total for 2010 represents a 0.6 percent decrease from 2009, not the 2.3 percent decrease expected by budget writers. Lawmakers note that the leftover funds came after drastic budget balancing measures were implemented in March, including cuts to various state programs and funds pulled from the state’s “rainy day” fund. Governor Bob McDonnell warned that the surplus does not mean that the state is out of the woods, noting that federal stimulus funds – which have helped the state avoid deeper cuts to public schools – are set to expire next year. <a href="http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/253686">More here…</a></p>     <p><b>Rutgers University Board Approves Tuition and Fee Hike</b><br>The Rutgers University Board of Governors this week voted to approve a $2 billion budget for the 2010-11 school year. The budget plan would <a href="http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/rutgers_university_board_appro.html">raise the average in-state student’s tuition and fees</a> at the state university to $12,559 in the coming school year – a 4 percent increase over last year’s amount. The board also approved a 5.1 percent increase in room and board. The tuition plan also includes an additional $3.5 million in student aid to cover the increased costs for low-income students. The board cited decreasing state support for higher education given the state’s struggling economy as the cause of the increased tuition and fees. <a href="http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/rutgers_university_board_appro.html">More here…</a></p>     <p><b>Many of California’s Largest School Districts Plan to Shorten School Year</b><br>According to a survey by California Watch, an investigative reporting initiative, 16 of the state’s 30 largest school districts, including Los Angeles Unified, are planning to <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_15528393">save money by shortening the school year</a> to the state minimum of 175 days in the 2010-11 school year. Los Angeles Unified is the nation’s second largest school district. Two years ago, the state reduced the number of required school days from 180 to 175 to allow school districts to shorten the school year to save money. Few districts took advantage of the change at the time, but with budget problems persisting and many other cost-cutting measures exhausted – including increased class sizes, some feel they are left with no choice. By cutting the school year, some education officials worry that California is sacrificing its opportunity to compete for $3.5 billion in federal school-improvement funds. To compete for these funds, school districts are required to implement four turnaround strategies for their lowest-performing schools – two of which include expanding the school day, week, or year. <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_15528393">More here…</a></p><!--break-->