House Bill 220 "Adjusting Base Student Allocation For Inflation; Rolling FY 2003 LOGS Into Foundation Formula"
Click for PDF: http://www.akdmeocrats.org/sponsor/HB220_ss_rep_gara.pdfInflation has cut school funding, in real terms, by roughly $200/student since our current Foundation Formula was adopted in 1998. HB 220 provides for a base student allocation amount that is, in real dollars, the same as what was adopted in 1998.
Since 1998 we’ve cut school funding by roughly 5% in real dollars, after taking inflation into account. In the past decade, funding has decreased, in real dollars by roughly 25%. We can’t keep ignoring the needs of our schools and our children. The proposed increase is in line with the recommendations of the panel of educators and professionals who wrote the A+ report, the last comprehensive report on school needs in this state.
The Base Student Allocation in 1998 (FY 1999) was $3,940 per student. Today, 5 years later, it is only $4,010. In FY ’03 we also appropriated $29.34 million in Learning Opportunity Grant and additional non-Foundation Formula funds.
To keep up with inflation since 1998, the Base Student Allocation should be $4,303/student. The Department of Education has confirmed that this is the amount needed to keep us in line with inflations dating to 1998is number. Roughly $150 of the per student increase will come from rolling last year’s $29.3 million in LOG and non-Foundation Formula funding into the formula, and will not result in any budget increase over last year. The other $150 increase in the Base Student Allocation will require a roughly 3% increase in funding over last year. This is not too much to ask if we are to take the education of our children seriously.
The testimony we’ve heard from our educators is that flat funding from last year will cause significant teacher layoffs. For example, the Kenai Peninsula School District is facing a likely layoff of over 50 teachers, and a dramatic increase in class sizes. We can do better. HB 220 will help ensure a bright future for our children. I hope you will join me is supporting this bill.