Educators grapple with funding, test issues

Under pressure from charter school officials concerned that a deep budget slash would threaten the viability of more than a dozen schools, the State Board of Education voted Friday to modify its 2010-11 budget proposal to more evenly spread funding cuts among all public schools.

The state's original proposal — inadvertently, state board officials said — cut charter school funding by more than 18 percent while trimming district school funding by only 2.6 percent. Under the modified budget, the charter school local replacement fund, money meant to compensate for charters' inability to levy taxes, will take only a 1.8 percent cut.

The State Board voted one to 13 to approve its $2.5 billion budget Friday afternoon. The budget is the same as the 2009-10 budget. This is despite a projected increase of 11,000 more students, creating, in effect, a 2 percent budget cut.

Board member Kim Burningham cast the dissenting vote. "It is my concern that figure will go downhill and they (the Legislature) will compromise it, which would be a great detriment," he said.

The budget must have legislative approval.

Lincoln Fillmore, who as president of Charter Solutions manages finances for about a dozen Utah charter schools, breathed a sigh of relief when officials announced the change for charter schools.

"That's good news," he said.

After the state board first introduced its proposal last month, Fillmore, along with the State Charter School Board, predicted a grim future for charter schools. Eighteen probably wouldn't survive the cut, reports indicated. Others would be forced to lay off staff.

To ease the crunch on the charter school replacement fund, educators spread cutbacks among a number of other programs, such as English language learner literacy centers, elementary school reading improvement and high-ability student initiatives.

State Charter School Board Chairman Brian Allen seemed pleased when he heard of the change.

"We just think everyone in education should be treated equally," he said. "It looks like this will likely accomplish that goal."

As the proposal stands now, Todd Hauber, associate superintendent for business services for the State Office of Education, estimated district schools will see a bigger change in funding than charter schools. Both types of schools will lose 1.8 percent in basic per-pupil spending, called the weighted pupil unit. While charter schools will be out another 1.8 percent from the charter school local replacement fund, district schools stand to lose close to 6 percent in local revenue, which is affected by ever-lowering assessed property valuations, he said.

Education leaders weren't optimistic Friday.