JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET IS TENTATIVE

JACKSON -- Because of uncertainty and confusion over the impact of Senate Bill 380, (the School Foundation Formula) the Jackson Board of Education voted Tuesday to adopt a tentative 1993-94 school budget that's identical to the district's current operating budget.

Superintendent Wayne Maupin said it is the first time in at least five years, possibly longer, that the district has had to take the unusual action.

"And it's simply because of the uncertainty and confusion over what Senate Bill 380 will actually do for the district," said Maupin. "At this point we just do not have any concrete numbers coming out of Jefferson City that we can use to adopt our new budget.

"We are required by law to adopt a budget by July 1, so we're simply adopting a tentative budget that is identical to the one we are now operating under. It will likely be sometime in September or October before we have enough information on state funding to the district to adopt a final, revised budget for next year.

"We know what our local end-of-the year balances will be, but without some firm and accurate figures from the state, we can't do any more than what we have done here tonight. A big portion of our funding for the budget comes from state education money. Until we know more, we are going to proceed very cautiously."

Because of the confusion over the state foundation formula funding, the district has not been able to take any action on teacher salaries, which are now frozen for a third consecutive year, with only increment steps being allowed each year within the salary schedule. Maupin said he hopes to have an update on teacher salaries at the board's July meeting.

In other business, Assistant Superintendent Fred Jones presented a preliminary report on the 1993 Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test (MMAT) that was administered to students in grades 3-10 this spring.

Jones said the local test scores cannot be compared with the statewide average until the state results are available sometime next month. But Jones said there were no dramatic changes in the 1993 MMAT scores in the Jackson School District, which has scored well above the state-wide average for the past five years. He said this year's district test scores were above those of 1992.

The board received the district's 1992-93 school drop-out study, which indicated an approximate drop-out rate of 5.6 percent. Maupin said the figure is slightly higher this year. "It has ranged as low as 4.2 and as high as 6.2 percent," he said. "No matter what the number is, it is always a concern to us."

The study indicated 48 students dropped out of school this past year. Of that number, there were 13 students who left school during the 10th grade and 16 students who dropped out during their junior year in high school.

Excessive absences and lack of attendance were cited in 27 percent (13 students) of the dropouts, while 12 students, or 25 percent, said they were dropping out to enter adult basic education programs to complete their high school education. But the report says that of the 12 students who listed adult basic education as a reason from dropping, only four actually started the program, and of the four, two have earned a GED, one dropped out, and one continues on an irregular schedule.

The report says there were more boys (60 percent) than girls (40 percent) who dropped out of school this past year. The most male dropouts (9) occurred in the 10th grade; the most female dropouts (8) occurred in the 11th grade; the most dropouts (21) occurred just before or during the 11th grade.

On a positive note, the superintendent reported 63 percent of the 90 (the most ever) students who applied for a Jackson High School general scholarship received one. These students received a total of $22,870 from local memorial, organizational and business donors, a $4,300 increase over local 1992 scholarship donations.

Maupin said Jackson High School students earned an additional $420,700 through academic, talent, grade-point average and test score achievement scholarships given by various colleges and foundations, national organizations and the State of Missouri. This was an $89,000 increase over 1992 in additional scholarships earned, he said.

Among board goals that were suggested to be placed on a list now being prepared by the district are school safety, gifted student program, varsity girls soccer program, and an additional teacher in the Reading Recovery Program.