Detroit school board member vows to fight Snyder's plans. Gov. Rick Snyder's expected education proposal sparked a packed house at Thursday's Detroit Public Schools board meeting — and a pledge from one board member to fight it. "Between May and June, we'll have to take drastic action," LaMar Lemmons said during the meeting at the Fisher Building. The governor is planning to unveil an education proposal next week that would address Detroit Public Schools' massive debt and the city's fragmented public education landscape. One key component, sources say, calls for splitting the district in two: an "old" entity to pay off the debt using revenue from an existing tax and a "new" entity focused on teaching kids.
Lemmons, part of a 36-member Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, said he and other coalition members were briefed on some details of the proposal Thursday by the coalition's leaders, who met with Snyder earlier this week. The 47,500-student DPS has an annual deficit of just under $170 million. School Supplies on a Budget. At the Verona Area (Wis.) School District, administrators, teachers and parents have recently faced an increasingly common challenge: continuing to provide essential school supplies to their 4,500 students despite $1.1 million in budget cuts.
Increasingly dependent on funding from parents, the district has raised dozens of school fees for various student activities and added many items to the required school supply lists sent home every year. In addition to the traditional notebooks and writing tools, parents are also asked to purchase additional items, including plastic bags, disinfecting wipes, paper cups and hand sanitizer. Verona schools are also asking for parent donations of art supplies and copy paper, and even extra funds, which the district can spend on specific supply needs.
"It all adds up," says Necia Bray, mother of two elementary students. "It's a highly praised school district, but you have to pay for it," she told Seth Jovaag of the Verona Press. Ambiguous Policies. Education Funding Drops In More Than Half Of States. The recession's impact on American education has not yet dissipated, as more than half of states are slashing their education budgets this year. According to a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 26 states will spend less per pupil in fiscal year 2013 than the year before, and 35 are still spending at levels lower than before the recession, after adjusting for inflation. The cuts, stemming from the recession in 2007, were relied on heavily rather than a combination of cuts and revenue increases. While states balanced their budgets and saw lessened impact through $100 billion in federal stimulus money for education, the funding dried up at the end of the 2011 fiscal year.
Alaska, Alabama and Washington state are cutting the most in dollar figures -- reducing resources by more than $200 per student from last year -- while Arizona, Alabama and Oklahoma have each slashed per-student funding by more than 20 percent since 2008. Most States Still Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession. States are providing less per-pupil funding for kindergarten through 12th grade than they did seven years ago — often far less. The reduced levels reflect primarily the lingering effects of the 2007-09 recession. At a time when states and the nation need workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, this decline in state educational investment is cause for concern. Our review of state budget documents finds that: At least 30 states are providing less funding per student for the 2014-15 school year than they did before the recession hit.
Restoring school funding should be an urgent priority. State-level K-12 cuts have large consequences for local school districts. The cuts have slowed the economy’s recovery from the recession. States Have Cut K-12 Schools’ Primary Funding Source K-12 schools in every state rely heavily on state aid. State K-12 Funding in the Current 2014-15 School Year Compared With 2007-08 Costs are rising.
End notes: Study: Michigan's K-12 spending 9.5 percent below pre-recession levels. Michigan is spending 9.5 percent less per student in the 2014-15 school year than it did in the year before the 2008 economic downturn that brought the Great Recession, according to a study released Thursday. A new study shows K-12 foundation funding is still 9.5 percent below pre-recession levels in Michigan.File photo The report is from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan research and policy institute that studies fiscal policies and public programs affecting low- and moderate-income Americans.
Its study shows that the K-12 per pupil foundation grant from the state is $615 less per student, when adjusted for inflation, in the fiscal year 2015. That number does not take into account local funding for schools, instead only focusing on state aid. The 9.5 percent decrease in funding from the fiscal year 2008 is also adjusted for inflation. Michigan's not alone - it's one of 30 states providing less funding per student since fiscal year 2008. View the full report here. Detroit Public Schools 'neglecting' its students at $14K per pupil. Many Michigan schools are in financial turmoil.
School districts around Michigan are facing money problems. Between losing students, having to contribute more to the teacher pension system and other growing costs, many districts are in a world of hurt. It’s essential that they approach their financial problem in a way that will safeguard students’ education. The sooner they start addressing these problems head on, the better chance they’ll have to avoid too much state interference. There were 56 school systems in Michigan with deficit operating budgets at the end of fiscal year 2014. These schools include 23 in the metro area. Nine others are expected to have some deficit reduction by then. Five schools, including Hazel Park, are expected to have their deficits worsen.
Currently, Detroit Public Schools, Highland Park and Muskegon Heights have emergency managers. As long as an EM hasn’t been named, the specific approach is up to the district. But the threat to losing local control is always present when a school system is in the red. Michigan School District Revenue and Expenditure Report [Mackinac Center]
Detroit Public Schools Budget: Cuts, Cuts, Cuts. This story has been updated. Detroit Public Schools officials released the district's proposed 2012 budget Thursday, a plan rife with cuts and changes. All DPS employees will take a 10 percent salary hit in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, and, like public workers throughout Michigan, will be expected to contribute more to their benefits plan. Language about recruiting new teachers stresses hiring from external pools such as Teach for America. Beyond the pay cuts, the district is also eliminating 853 positions, reducing its head count by roughly 8.5 percent. Administrative personnel cuts include 12 principals, 36 assistant principals, 40 guidance counselors, 18 clerical staffers and 43 central office supervisors.
According to the district, the cuts are part of a plan to streamline education and reroute 90 percent of funding to the classroom. Mounting debt has crippled Detroit Public Schools, with the district's current deficit reaching $327 million. Division of Finance - Detroit Public Schools. DPS is focused on creating a culture of excellence that permeates our system of schools. To do that, we are creating and maintaining an organization that totally accepts its responsibility for making DPS a top-rate school district. That begins with the budget, which is fiscally sound, balanced and focused on driving resources where they are most impactful—to our classrooms and our students.
About our finances The FY 2015 Detroit Public Schools Proposed Budget contains Summaries of Expenditures including an overview of uses of monies for personnel, purchased services, supplies and materials, capital equipment, utilities, debt services, and transfers and other expenditures. It also includes Summaries of Revenues and Fund Appropriations including the General Purpose Fund, Adult Education Fund, State and Federal Grant Funds, Special Education Program Funds, Consolidated Funds, Food Service Fund and Capital Funds. Proposed Budget for the 2014–15 Fiscal Year Resources. Budget and Salary/Compensation Transparency Reporting - Detroit Public Schools.
Fiscal Year 2014–2015 Budget Projection Fiscal Year 2014–2015 Budget Projection Fiscal Year 2014 – 2015 Board Approved Budget Fiscal Year 2014 – 2015 Adopted / Proposed Amendments Fiscal Year 2013 – 2014 Fiscal Year 2012 – 2013 Fiscal Year 2011 – 2012 Fiscal Year 2010 – 2011 FY 2010–2011 Approved Budget Fiscal Year 2009 – 2010 FY 2009–2010 Approved Budget Personnel Expenditures Current Operating Expenditures Current Bargaining Agreements Employer Sponsored Health Care Plans Audited Financial Statements Current Audited Financial Statements Previous Audited Financial Statements Medical Benefit Plan Bids 2015 Medical Benefits Plan Bids Employee Compensation Information This report lists the total salary and a description and cost of each and every fringe benefit included in the compensation package for the superintendent of the district or intermediate district and for each employee of the district or intermediate district whose salary exceeds $100,000.
District Paid Association Dues District Paid Lobbying Costs.