Friday News Roundup: Week of February 1-5

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.

Utah Lawmakers Pass “Worst-Case” Initial Education Budget

<p><b>New York Governor’s Proposed Education Budget Would Mean More Cuts</b></p> <p><b>Virginia</b><b> Education Officials Warn Against Reductions to Education Budget</b></p> <p><b>Oklahoma Governor Insists on Full Funding for Education</b><br /><p><b>Utah</b><b> Lawmakers Pass</b><b> “Worst-Case” Initial Education Budget</b><br>Lawmakers in the Utah House of Representatives this week passed what they called a “<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14328796">worst-case scenario</a>” fiscal year 2011 education budget, which would cut funding for education by 12-15 percent from fiscal 2010 levels and per pupil spending by up to 3.5 percent. The extreme drop in funding would come in part because schools will not receive federal stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as they did last year, and also in part because of an expected student population increase of 11,000. Lawmakers and members of the State Board of Education are hopeful that the state will pull money from its Rainy Day Fund and other sources to fund education in fiscal year 2011 at the same levels as fiscal year 2010. However, due to increases in the student population, this would still mean a drop in per pupil spending. <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14328796">More here…</a></p>   <p><b>New York Governor’s Proposed Education Budget Would Mean More Cuts</b><br>New York Governor David Paterson’s executive budget proposal would <a href="http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100202/NEWS01/2020376/1124/Advocates-fear-state-education-cuts-could-lead-to-more-layoffs">cut school aid to $20.5 billion</a> for fiscal year 2011, a reduction of $1.1 billion from fiscal year 2010 levels. Governor Paterson’s administration claims that most school districts should be able to avoid raising property taxes or making deep cuts to spending by dipping into their rainy day funds. School district superintendents argue that this may be true in wealthier districts, but low-income school district superintendents are likely to have to choose between cutting additional teacher jobs and dramatically raising property taxes. New York’s State Education Commissioner David Steiner asked lawmakers for an increase of 1.1 percent – or $170 million – to the education budget for fiscal year 2011, but the state Department of Education is seeking a much larger increase of $6.6 billion for the coming fiscal year. <a href="http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20100202/NEWS01/2020376/1124/Advocates-fear-state-education-cuts-could-lead-to-more-layoffs">More here…</a></p>   <p><b>Virginia</b><b> Education Officials Warn Against Reductions to Education Budget</b><br>Responding to the state legislature’s refusal to increase taxes to stave off cuts, Virginia education officials are warning of the repercussions of <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9DH02SG0.htm">more reductions</a> to the state education budget. Under the current budget proposal, state aid for education would be reduced by $1.2 billion in the fiscal 2010-12 biennium. According to Virginia Education Association President Kitty Boitnott, this would translate into the elimination of 23,300 jobs. She believes the General Assembly should consider raising taxes, a proposal not popular with lawmakers or Governor Bob McDonnell. However, $126 million in remaining federal stimulus funds has not yet been factored in to any estimates. Education advocates are hopeful that this money could be used to make the proposed cuts less devastating. <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9DH02SG0.htm">More here…</a></p>   <p><b>Oklahoma Governor Insists on Full Funding for Education</b><br>Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry in his State of the State address this week told lawmakers <a href="http://www.oudaily.com/news/2010/feb/02/gov-henry-defends-education-funds/">not to let the fiscal crisis hinder education</a> at any level. He said that he would not tolerate any attempts to cut major funding for education to make up for budget shortfalls. He told lawmakers that he refuses to cut teacher pay or health benefits, and urged them to set up new higher education endowments to attract more professors to the state’s colleges and universities. He encouraged lawmakers to consider using rainy day funds to make up for some of the budget shortfalls. <a href="http://www.oudaily.com/news/2010/feb/02/gov-henry-defends-education-funds/">More here…</a></p><!--break-->