Friday News Roundup: Week of October 24-28

Despite slashed budget, Alabama school leaders target some programs for increased funding

Washington State governor Chris Gregoire outlines grim choices for budget cuts

Nevada colleges feel economic pinch

Iowa regents discuss proposed tuition increase

Despite slashed budget, Alabama school leaders target some programs for increased funding
A new Alabama law constrains the state’s ability to increase spending on education, but that isn’t stopping state education officials from requesting increased funding for some programs. The law will reduce the state’s fiscal year 2013 Education Trust Fund budget by over $100 million from fiscal year 2012 levels to $5.48 billion. This funding amount is based on a formula that accounts for the average percent change in trust fund revenues over the past 15 years, rather than estimated revenue changes from only the previous years. Ideally, this will provide a more accurate estimate of revenues so that the governor will not be forced to change funding amounts mid-year. Budget requests for fiscal year 2013 will include increased spending on the state’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiative, teacher evaluations, Advanced Placement course offerings, and high school dropout prevention efforts. More here…

Washington State governor Chris Gregoire outlines grim choices for budget cuts
Washington State’s governor this week outlined a revised 2011-2013 biennial budget, proposing her fourth consecutive year of budget cuts. Projections suggest that lower than expected tax revenues will result in a $2 billion shortfall from the original 2011-2013 budget, adopted in May. As a result, legislators will hold a special session at the end of November to rewrite the budget. Budget cuts under Governor Gregoire’s proposal would return spending levels to approximately 2005-2007 budget levels. The proposal includes increasing class sizes for 4^th through 12^th grade students, reducing equalization payments to property-poor districts by half, and cutting higher education funding by 15 percent ($166 million). Additionally, the governor has suggested a budgeting trick to push further cuts to the next session: By delaying a state payment to public schools by one day, $330 million in costs would be pushed to the next budget cycle and wouldn’t count towards this budget’s shortfall. Further cuts may be in store, Governor Gregoire said, if the recession continues to undercut state spending. More here…

Nevada colleges feel economic pinch
According to Nevada education data, enrollment in the Nevada System of Higher Education is at its lowest levels since 2006, an 8.2 percent drop from fall 2011. Enrollment at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas dropped 4.4 percent; Nevada State College enrollment grew by 6 percent, substantially below the double-digit increases in enrollment it has seen over the past several years. Community colleges saw the biggest drop, though, with losses of around 8,000 students. In all, the state’s higher education institutions lost almost 10,000 students compared to last year. Statewide enrollment among graduate students also fell by about 10 percent. Education officials are blaming state budget politics, rising tuition, and the ongoing recession for the drop in enrollment. More here…

Iowa regents discuss proposed tuition increase
A proposed 3.75 percent tuition increase in 2013 has the Iowa Board of Regents concerned about college affordability. The regents have suggested that such a tuition increase might be necessary if the state legislature cuts its appropriation for public universities in fiscal year 2013. If that happens, tuition increases could be put in place either by state lawmakers or at the December regents’ meeting. The tuition hike would affect the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and University of Northern Iowa. Since 2009, the three schools have seen a collective $144 million in permanent state spending cuts, and in-state undergraduate tuition has risen by an average of 4.6 percent annually. More here…