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Legislative issues affecting Eudora Schools

Eudora Schools is proud to be a part of the Kansas public education system, respected as one of the strongest state education systems in the nation. Funding from the state is critical to the work that is done to give all students in Eudora access to a free, appropriate education, as guaranteed by the state constitution.

The following are updates and resources intended to inform patrons about issues the district faces in its efforts to secure adequate funding and provide equity for all students, regardless of income.

District's plans to address budget cuts

Given the financial circumstances at the district and state levels, Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier anticipates that there will be a gap of approximately $1.3 million between the current year and next budget year, which begins July 1, 2011. These cuts come after the previous cuts over the past 18 months, which have already totaled some $900,000. In order to deal with the next round of reductions, the Eudora Board of Education has worked to identify cost savings measures at all levels of district operations, including teachers, administrators and others. 

At the May 12 meeting, the board adopted a series of proposals — including 11 teaching positions and a new all-day kindergarten fee — to balance next year's budget. Click here to read a complete list of the cuts, fees and changes that were approved at this meeting. 

Survey shows Kansans place high value on public schools

A scientific poll of taxpayers across the state revealed that Kansans place a high value on the quality of their public schools – and that state funding should be fair. For example, 89 percent of residents agree or strongly agree that public education is worth the investment of tax dollars, and 83 percent agree or strongly agree that public schools should be among the highest priorities of the state’s government.

Click here to see the complete results of the survey, as well as an explanation of how the data was gathered.

Governor's budget

On Jan. 13, Gov. Brownback released his budget proposal, including state funding for public schools Among the governor's recommendations were:

• Not to add the $50 million to cover a gap in funding for the current school year. This shortfall was caused by increased statewide student enrollment and increased numbers of students qualifying for the free lunch program. 
• As a result, the current base budget per pupil could be reduced $75, from $4,012 to $3,937 this budget year. The $75 reduction will mean most districts will have to reduce expenditures in the current year. Districts with higher-than-expected enrollments will receive additional funding for those students, but at a lower base per pupil. Other districts will receive a lower base amount for the students they expected and budgeted for.
• For the 2011-2012 school year, the governor has recommended cutting the base budget an additional $157 per pupil to $3,780, or $232 (5.8 percent) below the current level of $4,012. This is primarily due to the expiration of more than $100 in federal stimulus funding.

These budgetary recommendations would result in a cut from the current year’s budget of approximately $157,000 and would put base state aid per pupil at $3,780 next year. The net effect of these cuts would reduce the Eudora Schools budget nearly $500,000 between the beginning of the current budget year and the beginning of the 2011-2012 budget year.

It should be noted that Eudora Schools also is slated to lose significant "new facilities" funding, regardless of the governor's proposals or any other funding changes (increase or decrease) adopted by the Kansas Legislature. This state funding is in place for two years after a new school opens and will expire for Eudora Elementary School at the end of June.

"What Matters to You" community forum

A community forum took place on Oct. 12, 2010, to help educate parents and patrons about the financial challenges faced by Eudora Schools, and to collect feedback from the public on the level of importance of the four core values used by the Eudora Board of Education. Approximately 40 guests participated, representing a variety of age groups.

The program began with a 20-minute presentation by Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier. This presentation covered three main points:

• The critical role that state funding has in the Eudora Schools budget
• The challenge that will be faced when “new facilities” funding for Eudora Elementary School runs out after this year
• The importance of the current state finance formula — and equalization at the state level — to the district’s success over time

The attendees then participated in small group discussions about the district’s four core values — small class size, teacher collaboration, personalized education and early childhood. Small groups rotated through each of the four feedback areas that were moderated by district leaders. Comments, suggestions and questions were recorded by staff members. 

◊ Click here to download a complete report of the community forum, including participant comments.

◊ Click here to read more about the research behind each of the district's four core values, and how they are being implemented in Eudora Schools.

Declining revenue

Beginning in the fall of 2008, the state has cut school funding repeatedly. Base State Aid Per Pupil — the rate at which districts are funded by the state — has been cut from $4,433 in the fall of 2008 to its current level of $4,012.

To date, Eudora Schools has lost close to $900,000 in these cuts. As a result, here some of the changes that have been made:

• Staff positions eliminated: 2 library aides, 2 custodians, 2 administrators, 1 ESL teacher, 2.5 technical education teachers, 2 food service, 1.5 secretaries
• Closure of West Early Childhood Family Center
• Enrichment field trips eliminated
• Student programs reduced
• Cut 11.5 coaches/sponsors
• Fewer elective courses at EMS
• Delaying purchase of textbooks and materials
• Deep reductions in professional development and staff training resources
• Adoption of student fees

Updated: The importance of state aid to equality of opportunity

Click here to download a guide that demonstrates the role that equalization plays in Eudora Schools.

In the time since the school finance formula was changed in the early 1990s, Eudora has seen tremendous growth in student achievement and in the quality and quantity of educational opportunities. These changes did not happen by accident. State aid programs are intended to equalize resources across the state so that students in property-poor districts, such as Eudora, have equal access to high-quality public education.

Measures proposed to balance the state budget on the backs of local school boards — including changes in the taxing authority of school districts — will hurt Eudora: 

• Eudora is a property-poor district. As such, one mill raised in our school district generates just $56,000 for our budget. By contrast, neighboring districts with greater property wealth can raise $400,000 and more with just one mill. The school board's ability to raise mills is fundamentally unfair to districts like ours.
• Eudora taxpayers pay into the state aid system, just as the taxpayers in the wealthier districts. State aid is not about getting something for nothing. It is about a state-wide system that treats all Kansas kids fairly. Zip code should not determine the quality of a student’s education. State aid programs — not local option budgets — act in the best interest of all Kansans.
• Real solutions to the funding crisis in our state require creating new revenue. The loss of state aid and the shifting of revenue responsibility onto local school boards only serve to reward wealthier districts and punish poorer districts.

Impact study on benefits of the 2005 finance settlement

The 2008-2009 school year concludes four years of funding increases passed after the Kansas Supreme court's 2005 decisions in Montoy v. Kansas, which found that the legislature was not meeting its constitutional duty to provide suitable finance for education. During a special session in 2005, and after a new study of the costs of educational outcomes in 2006, the legislature narrowly passed significant changes in the school finance formula.

How Eudora Schools benefited from the new funding formula
The new state funding formulas most greatly benefited districts with a high rate of at-risk student enrollment. For this reason, Eudora ranks near the bottom of districts benefiting from the changed formulas. The net change in per-pupil state aid went up 9.9 percent in the three years from 2004-05 and 2006-07 (the comparative data available from the Legislative Division of Post Audit). This rate of increase puts Eudora Schools in the bottom 15% of all districts in the state in increased aid.

How the money was spent
Across the state of Kansas, districts spent most of the new money on teachers and students, adding $448 million for instructional programs, over the first two years alone. New funding that went to Eudora was most heavily dedicated to personnel to maintain and enhance the most effective research-based programs in the district, such as individualized instruction, small class sizes and teacher collaboration.

Download a full report of how the state dollars have been spent in Eudora, compared to districts across the state, in the time since the finance settlement.

Contact your elected officials

You are invited to share your views with those elected to represent us in Topeka:

Kansas Senate
Sen. Tom Holland
tom.holland@senate.ks.gov

Kansas House of Representatives
Rep. Anthony Brown
anthony.brown@house.ks.gov