Schools wonder about formula funding

Show me the money.

That's the attitude local superintendents have taken in response to the Missouri Legislature's adoption of a new education funding system.

The new system, which replaces the 12-year-old foundation formula currently in use, is intended to distribute funds more fairly to Missouri's public schools.

And it will, local educators say, if the state can produce the revenue to fully fund the system.

"The big question is, will it be funded? I applaud their effort, but if they would fully fund the current formula there would be well over an additional $2 million this year for us," said Jim Welker, assistant superintendent of finance in the Jackson School District.

Both Jackson and Scott City school districts are among the more than 200 districts throughout the state that joined a lawsuit seeking to sue the state over the inadequacies and inequities in the education funding system.

Diann Bradshaw Ulmer, superintendent in Scott City, said the response she has seen from other school districts that joined the Committee for Educational Equality's lawsuit has been in favor of continuing the suit.

"I know the legislature is trying to address the adequacy issue, but I'm still not sure about the equity issue," said Bradshaw. "With the dollar value modifier to adjust for cost of living, they're once again saying St. Louis students are worth 15 to 20 percent more than our kids in Southeast Missouri."

Under a simulation released by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Scott City would receive $1.59 million more when the new system fully takes effect in 2014 than the district will receive under the current formula next year.

According to the simulation, Jackson will receive $6.51 million more and Cape Girardeau School District will receive $3.76 million more -- if the new system receives the money needed to be fully funded.

"From what I understand there's still no money there to assure that's going to happen," Bradshaw said. " It looks good on paper, but if they don't have enough to fund the current formula, how they are going to fund this?"

The current formula has been only partially funded for several years due to a lack of state revenue. Current projections are that it will be between 86 percent and 87 percent funded for 2005-2006.

Even so, the Cape Girardeau School District will benefit because its hold-harmless status, which has been in place since 1993, has been dropped under the new plan.

As a hold-harmless district, Cape Girardeau has essentially had its state funding frozen for the past 12 years. Now, the district will benefit from increases in state aid to the tune of $3.76 million annually by 2014.

"Whether or not it's good for education remains to be seen, but financially, it looks good for Cape Girardeau," said superintendent Mark Bowles.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128

Changes in funding

A simulation from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows estimated changes between next year's state funding under the current system and the anticipated increase to local districts when the new funding system goes fully online in 2014.

District 2006 funding 2014 funding

Cape Girardeau $5.24 million $9.0 million

Jackson $9.77 million $16.28 million

Scott City $2.83 million $4.42 million

Source: DESE