Education cuts hit local programs

MONMOUTH — Decisions made Tuesday by the State Board of Education will have long-lasting repercussions locally.

Warren, Mercer and Henderson County Assistant Regional Superintendent of Schools Bob Gound attended the meeting where the state board approved a budget $180 million less than last year's.

"The cuts will be felt by our office and the schools in our region," he said. "At least at this point we know what the budget is going to be. We know where we stand and can start to make plans."

The biggest line item cut comes out of early childhood education — programs aimed at preschool aged children — which was cut by about 33 percent, or $123 million. Earlier this year, the United school board had to eliminate one of its early childhood education classes because of the uncertainty of the funding situation.

"For us locally, $100,000 has to be cut from the early childhood education budget," Gound said. "We're working to craft a budget that's going to allow us to continue to serve the children of the area. We'll have to be creative."

It is still unclear how some cuts made by the State Board of Education Tuesday, such as a 50 percent reduction for truancy prevention services, will be  administered. Each program across the state could see a 50 percent cut — or programs in "trouble" areas could be maintained while other areas see the program cut completely.

However, while it was not official, Gound said he did expect the PASS school to see a 33 percent cut of $26,000, which could lead to service cuts, specifically in the adult education program.

"The last thing we want to do is reduce the number of students able to be served. We'll look at areas we can cut back without eliminating programs," he said.

Other programs that are seeing 33 percent cuts include the principal and teacher mentoring programs. A program to support schools that failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress as part of No Child Left Behind was cut 50 percent.

Thus far, the Regional Office of Education is not looking to eliminate staff.

"We're not ready to make cuts today. I hope that I can say that a month from now," Gound said. "I think we absolutely have to be planning for the future. ... One of the overarching themes (of the State Board of Education meeting) was this year's budget is bad, but next year's budget is worse."

Local school districts will see some immediate ramifications from the cuts in smaller ways, such as the elimination of the textbook loan program that allowed schools to replace textbooks more frequently.

However, new Monmouth-Roseville Superintendent Paul Woehlke said the state's 2011 budget is the one that will really affect local school districts. Because staff members are laid off in March through a process called Reduction In Force, even if there is not money for a program there is little the school can do until then.

"There's not that much we can do to cut staff at this point. Most of the cost of programs is salary and benefits, so there's not a lot we can do to react at this point," Woehlke said.

Taking over this month after serving as the Galesburg school district's finance director, Woehlke said he was optimistic the state would address school funding — until mid-July rolled around.

"Now, with the governor pulling the tax increase off the table until January, legislators will be in election mode. If it's not going to happen in the odd years, I don't know when it's ever going to happen," he said. "We are putting at risk the education of our children and, therefore, their ability to compete in the global economy in the future. And if they're not able to compete as well and maintain their standard of living in the future, who is going to pay for social security, medicaid benefits my generation have earned? Their generation won't be able to maintain standard of living we've enjoyed."


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