Columbia district focus of school funding trial

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The leader of the Columbia School District told a court Tuesday that her district needs more money to overcome challenges such as crowded buildings and to afford interpreters for a growing number of students who don't speak much English.

Superintendent Phyllis Chase testified as the third week of trial began for a lawsuit in which about half of Missouri's school districts claim the state isn't spending enough on public schools and doesn't distribute the money fairly.

As an example of what could be done, Chase recounted efforts to improve the academic performance of black students, especially at one elementary school where creative approaches, including more class time focused on reading and writing and adult mentors for some students, have led to better test scores.

"We believe that all students could benefit from some of the additional time and materials that are provided at West (Boulevard Elementary School)," she said.

Chase talked about the cost to provide interpreters for more than 600 students who speak 42 different languages and problems losing new teachers to the state's metropolitan areas.

She said the district would like to offer a larger preschool program but doesn't have the funding. Only poor or special education students are eligible, and there's a waiting list for those spots.

She also said the district has $280 million worth of building needs -- more than it can solve through a local tax increase -- as the student population rises and some classes are held in trailers.

One problem is the state recently added to high school graduation requirements, calling for another year of science, so Columbia schools need more rooms fitted with science lab equipment, she said.

The district also would like to offer more foreign language courses and more Advanced Placement courses, which allow students to earn college credit.

But the needs were a far cry from the bleak testimony last week of the Caruthersville School District, which is very poor, rural, struggles with parent involvement and last year was devastated by a tornado.

Defenders of the state's funding system seized on some of the strong points in Columbia's school system, noting that Columbia students are generally performing better than the state average on standardized tests, funding per student is higher and graduates do well.

Attorney Joshua Schindler talked about the mid-Missouri district, in the town that's home to the state's flagship university, spending $1 million to install artificial turf in its two high school stadiums, though half the cost is being covered by private sources. Schindler also noted that $70,000 was being spent to improve equipment at one high school's planetarium.

"Do you know if you spend more on your sports program than you spend on books?" he asked Chase, who said she didn't know.

Schindler also said that while Columbia's average funding per student has risen $1,100 over the past five years, to about $8,605 last school year, the student-teacher ratio hasn't dropped, though teacher salaries have risen. He said many state standardized test and ACT scores haven't improved much despite higher funding.

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Case is Committee for Educational Equality v. State of Missouri, 04CV323022.

On the Net:

Case Tracking: http://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/base/welcome.do