FUNDING CONCERNS BOARD; BOARD PRESIDENT FEELS COURTS WILL HAVE FINAL SAY-SO

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Despite efforts by Missouri's legislature to address educational funding, the president of the state Board of Education predicts that the courts will have the final say on how Missouri will fund schools.

The state board met in Cape Girardeau Thursday and today.

Board president Thomas Davis said, "I think there is a high degree of likelihood that the courts will throw it all out. With either of the bills (which are pending in the legislature) or if the foundation formula remains the same, I think the courts could become involved."

Lawsuits challenging the fairness of the state's money distribution system are still pending.

"The funding crisis is real," said Davis. "Last year, 20 districts ended the year with negative balances. This year, it could be as many as 80.

"The bills which are pending have been mutilated in the process," Davis said. "They don't resemble where they started and won't resemble where they are.

"The (Senate) bill, which would go to a vote of the people, mostly addresses higher education," he said. "The other (bill) is caught in the legislative process, and I don't think it will get out."

Davis said, "Legislatively, there is a lot of competition" concerning funding for higher education and public-school education.

Commissioner of Education Robert Bartman said, "There will have to be some compromise between elementary and secondary education, and higher education."

Davis said, "The fundamental problem is that we need a permanent source of funding, which is constant.

"No one advocates that more money is the answer to all of education's problems," Davis said. "But most of the fat has been cut. Now we are to a point that we can't implement new programs, which we know work.

"I don't think we could cut enough programs to make up the money we need," Davis said.

Plus, the legislature, he said, "micro-manages" too many budget decisions. "We are not given any latitude. They control expenditures down to spending money on salaries. If we had some latitude in spending the money we have, we could be quicker to fund projects that have proven success.

"All the legislation since the beginning of the Excellence in Education Act has been funded at a level of 20 to 30 percent."

He said even voter-approved funding measures, like Proposition C, have "been systematically eroded."

The funding dilemma was addressed throughout the board's agenda.

For example, the board discussed a state library network that school districts could use if they had money to computerize their collections.

Board member Susan Finke said: "The general assembly really needs to be appraised about the specific programs which are just doomed, like this library program. Specific programs are available but our students will simply miss out (because of lack of funding).

"We say this is the age of information, but our children can't have it."

The board also discussed special education needs.

"Special-needs children have got to be served, but the money is not out there," said Finke.

The legislature passed a law requiring school districts to offer programs to preschool handicapped children. But Bartman said the money to fund that project will not cover the start-up costs.

"We plan to request a supplemental appropriation in the fall," said Bartman, "but I suspect school districts will move into this program very slowly.

"We're on a confrontational course with school districts and advocate groups," he said. "This is the right program, but it's not going to be easy."