The assault on public education — good or bad — continues at the state level. This past week, the Indiana House approved the expansion of charter schools, which are public schools that are free of certain state regulations. And more changes are on the way which could restrict teacher collective bargaining, tie teacher salaries with student performance and create vouchers that would direct taxpayer money to private schools. Times are definitely changing.
While all this is going on, local school corporations continue to try and operate with fewer funds coming in from the state level. The combination of funding formula changes and the recession have left many corporation across the state heading for bankruptcy.
The New Albany-Floyd County School Corp. is one of those corporations.
The school board voted last year to close four elementary schools at the end of the 2009-10 school year and made other moves to offset teacher layoffs. This move was recommended by Superintendent Bruce Hibbard and other school corporation officials. While it hurt to see schools close, saving jobs and keeping classroom sizes manageable was the ultimate goal.
But there may not be anymore options left other than layoffs. It was reported Tuesday that the corporation is facing a deficit of $2.3 million in 2012. The corporation needs to come up with an extra $6.25 million in expenditure reduction or revenue generation for 2012.
There is no way $6.25 million is going to be generated. There doesn’t seem like anymore schools or property can be sold. You can’t have 11,000 students in three or four buildings. So the only alternative are layoffs considering 90 percent of the general fund budget goes to salaries and benefits.
School leadership will ultimately have to make that decision and in doing so, will hear the outrage from the community. But that outrage should be directed elsewhere. Corporations are being forced to do the state’s dirty work. The state is in the process of blowing up the public education model as we know it, and the funds are just not there. All educators are being lumped together and blamed for all of our problems. Public corporations are being told to deal with funding cuts while trying to keep morale high. Doesn’t seem fair.
Last year the board studied a plan to invest in windmill technology to sell energy in an attempt to generate income. Deputy Superintendent Brad Snyder said each turbine would cost about $3.5 million, which includes all insurance, construction and other fees. The revenue from selling the electricity is expected to be about $11.5 million over the 25-year life of the turbine.
While it may be a stretch, school officials and the board should be applauded for looking at revenue alternatives. They are hoping to find money to save jobs of dedicated teachers who have direct contact with our children each day.
Following a rally last Tuesday at the Statehouse, Indiana State Teachers Association President Nate Schnellenberger told the Associated Press that “public education is being attacked — unjustly.”
And so are school leaders.
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