Friday News Roundup: Week of November 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.

Oklahoma Officials Seek New Sources for Education Funding

Wisconsin Governor-Elect Asks University Regents for Help Creating Jobs

Washington Governor Considers Special Session to Close Budget Gap

Colorado Governor Submits Budget Proposal that is Hard on Schools

Oklahoma Officials Seek New Sources for Education Funding
Oklahoma voters this week rejected State Question 744, a proposal that would have provided $830 million in additional funds for schools. The proposal would have amended the state constitution to require Oklahoma’s per pupil spending on k-12 education to at least equal that of other states in the region. Accordingly, it would have raised per pupil spending by about $1,300, the regional average. Oklahoma spends less per student than all but two states in the country. Newly-elected schools superintendent Janet Barresi opposed the measure, explaining that she believes the state’s schools can operate more efficiently with the money they already receive. Barresi said her first act as superintendent in January will be to conduct a full audit of the state’s Education Department. More here…

Wisconsin Governor-Elect Asks University Regents for Help Creating Jobs
Wisconsin Governor-Elect Scott Walker this week asked the University of Wisconsin System’s regents to assist him in his goal of creating 250,000 jobs in the state. However, he asked for this help without offering any additional funding to the UW System, which has seen budget cuts in recent years that led to reduced services, increased class sizes, and lower staff salaries. Now Governor-Elect Walker says he expects the UW System to use flexibility and creativity to do more without asking for more money, and UW System regents are seeking changes that would allow them to spend money more efficiently. This includes decreased state regulation of UW System construction projects, salaries, and purchasing of goods and services. They see Governor-Elect Walker’s comments as a signal that he may be open to some of these changes. More here…

Washington Governor Considers Special Session to Close Budget Gap
Washington Governor Chris Gregoire is considering calling a special session of the state legislature to address the state’s $4.5 billion fiscal year 2011 budget gap. Legislators say cuts are likely to come from education, assistance for the disabled and individuals cannot work, health care for low-income residents, and state employee benefits. While the state’s basic education funding formula is written into the constitution and cannot be cut, there are some areas in the education budget that are likely to see reductions. K-12 class sizes are likely to increase, and tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities may go up. In addition, legislators are considering cutting all-day kindergarten. While cuts to K-12 and higher education are likely to be unpopular with voters, lawmakers say they are necessary to balance the budget. More here…

Colorado Governor Submits Budget Proposal that is Hard on Schools
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter this week submitted his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal, which includes an increase of $43 million for K-12 education and holds higher education funding at the same levels as the current 2011 fiscal year. While Governor Ritter doesn’t propose cuts from state funding, his budget does leave the state’s fiscal year 2012 education budget in worse shape than in 2011. For K-12 education, despite the $43 million increase in actual dollars, projected increases in enrollment will leave public schools under-funded by about $92 million. And for higher education, though state funding remains steady, federal stimulus funding that made up about $89 million in fiscal year 2011 is no longer available for the fiscal year 2012 budget. In addition, state lawmakers say Governor Ritter’s budget may include $300 million more in spending that the state expects in revenue, which could lead to more cuts. More here…