St. Louis School District stepping up fight against takeover

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Board of Education will consider a resolution today urging surrounding school districts not to accept city students seeking to transfer as a result of the state takeover of the troubled district.

Meanwhile, at a special meeting, the board also may ask every school board in Missouri to adopt resolutions opposing the state takeover scheduled to begin June 15. And, the board will consider a plan to buy out the contracts of teachers and other workers in an effort to balance the budget.

The state Board of Education approved the takeover earlier this year against the wishes of the school district, the state's largest with 32,000 students. The district appealed and a hearing on the appeal is May 22 in Jefferson City.

Under the state plan, a three-member panel will oversee the district. The local school board will continue to operate but have no real power.

The district is concerned the state takeover will prompt students to seek transfers to districts in St. Louis County. If that happens, the St. Louis district would be required to pay the tuition costs for those students, which could prove troubling for an entity already struggling to make ends meet.

For example, it would cost $15,000 for a city student to attend classes in nearby Clayton, city officials said.

"If we lose 1 percent of our enrollment, that's $3.1 million. It would have a devastating effect, and I think the county school districts see that," St. Louis Schools spokesman Tony Sanders said. "We have not heard of any district in the county that says they will take students."

Another resolution board members will consider today asks every public school board in the state to oppose the state takeover and send their resolutions to lawmakers, members of the state Board of Education and education commissioner Kent King.

Even as the district fights the takeover, officials are still trying to balance the budget for the coming school year. As part of that plan, the school board will consider a severance plan that would give incentive buyouts to veteran teachers and other longtime staff members.

The district's original proposal called for $45,000 paid out over three years to teachers with at least 15 years of experience. Administrators and staff would also be eligible.

But a union representing many of the district's 3,200 teachers wants $55,000, a figure closer to the average teacher salary of $58,000, said Mary Armstrong, president of the American Federation of Teachers Local 420.

Sanders said the savings to the district would depend on how many teachers and staff accept the buyout.