FUNDING PINCH: LACK OF SCHOOL MONEY MEANS LARGER CLASSES, FEWER TEACHERS

Shortfalls in state funding for Missouri schools mean larger classes and fewer teachers, according to area school officials.

And they warn that unless the state's financial support for schools is increased significantly, the 1992 and 1993 school years could mean not only fewer teachers, but scaled-back academic programs.

"We've reduced our staff," said Scott City Superintendent Robert Brison. The district is short an assistant principal and two part-time instructors at the high school, and one full-time teacher at the elementary school.

"We realize it's not the best circumstances, but we're doing the best we can," Brison said.

Brison and other officials said the lack of education money in Missouri is already having an effect in the classroom. One superintendent said if the budget crunch continues, he foresees smaller districts being forced to merge to provide a quality education for students.

At Jackson, school officials are looking at ending the year with a

IP0,0budget deficit. Teachers there are teaching more classes than they were last year due to an increase in student enrollment, according to Superintendent Wayne Maupin.

IP1,0"We are experiencing student growth in the junior and senior high schools, however, we have not been able to hire the additional staff to handle those students," Maupin said.

"Our teachers have had to teach more classes than in the past, and many have less preparation time than is desirable," he added.

Maupin said financial problems will have even more of a direct effect on students in coming years than they do now. Growing class size is the first of many concerns, he said.

"The last thing we would want to have to tamper with would be academic programs," he said.

In Cape Girardeau, the school district is "living on our savings account," according to Superintendent Neyland Clark.

"We're trying to find ways to finance the personnel contracts we're already committed to," Clark said. "Dipping into district funds is a short-term solution."

Clark said if Proposition B, labeled the economic survival act for education, is not approved by Missouri voters, the district will face between $800,000 and $1 million in lost state revenue.

The first personnel positions cut will be teachers' assistants.

"We're looking at class sizes being larger and not being able to hire teachers' assistants for classrooms with students who have special needs," he said.

Ronald Fitch, superintendent of the Perry County School District, said the state is forcing school districts to evaluate their budgets and programs, which may turn out to be beneficial.

"Hard times are not always bad," Fitch said. "They make you look at what your priorities are. We need to be talking about meeting the needs of students instead of talking about budget reductions."

Fitch admitted his district is financially better-off than many other districts in the state, mostly due to strong financial planning in the past on the part of school officials.

"That has kept us from facing some of the tremendous dilemmas that other districts across the state are facing," he said.

But Fitch predicts that because expectations of schools are increasing, while funding is decreasing, some smaller districts will be forced to merge to be able to provide the quality education "that is the right of every student in the state regardless of where they live."

Some districts will be forced to close their doors, while others will be forced to "share" teachers and programs with nearby districts, he said.

"That is already being done, but maybe we're going to have to do that more," he said.

Fitch said Perry County, like other districts, is trying to find ways to reduce class size. But he added that instead of focusing on budget problems, school officials should be focusing on what programs students need, and then figuring out a way to fund them.

"There are districts that are having a tremendously tough time," he said. "Perry County is a little but more fortunate than some districts in regard to finances, but that doesn't mean we won't be facing the same problems in the future."