Got $18.6 Million?

Not only have educators in Northshore and other Districts endured ongoing cuts, but we also endure ongoing unfunded requirements to the tune of $18.6 million dollars per year. (The District’s budget is about $180 million.)

This $18.6 million is back filled from our voter approved levy funds. The levy is intended to enhance our funding from the state and not replace cuts from the legislature.

Imagine what the Northshore School District could do with an extra $18.6 million dollars in the budget this year. Programs could be restored or class sizes could be reduced. Teachers could be more adequately compensated for their work or more curricular materials could be purchased for the classroom. But instead of having an “extra” $18.6 million, the Northshore School District has to cover this amount of money due to unfunded or underfunded mandates from the state and federal government.

The State and Federal requirements are reasonable, but they are not funded. This $18.6 million is taken out of our local levies to fill this funding gap. Our local levy was never meant to backfill unfunded/underfunded mandates of the state and federal governments.

These unfunded or underfunded mandates include:

• $7.6 million for Special Education funding 
• $3.2 million for student transportation 
• $1.9 million for K-4 enhanced class size funding 
• $1.4 million for health benefits 
• $1.3 million for basic ed classified sub costs 
• $1 million for liability and property insurance 

A full list of these mandates, and their dollar cost to the district, is available here. Thank you to Dick Anastasi for providing this information.

THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING BREAK: JOIN YOUR COLLEAGUES ON MONDAY, NOV. 28, A STATEWIDE DAY OF ACTION ON THE FIRST DAY THE LEGISLATURE CONVENES.

They are convening in a Special Session to decide what to cut for THIS school year. Five to ten work/school days are under consideration. So is increasing class sizes. TOGETHER, we’ll wear RED. We’ll pose for a school photo. And we’ll each write (or photograph/video) our stories of how underfunding shortchanges our students. We’ll email them to school parents, friends, family, letters to the editor, Legislators and NSEA, and post them on Facebook. (Must be done from personal equipment and email; can include smart phone.)

Why?

The public needs to understand that it is not “fat” that is being cut. It is our students' futures.