The Oak Ridge City Council will meet in a special session Tuesday evening to consider a one-time $250,000 transfer to the city schools, which could avert a potential loss of millions of dollars in state funding and avoid an Oct. 1 school shutdown.
The Oak Ridge City Council will meet in a special session Tuesday evening to consider a one-time $250,000 transfer to the city schools, which could avert a potential loss of millions of dollars in state funding and avoid an Oct. 1 school shutdown.
The special meeting starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.
Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson told Superintendent Bruce Borchers last week that Council had agreed to the special session to resolve the $250,000 shortfall but wanted documentation. Watson asked Borchers to respond by noon Monday.
The superintendent did so.
“We were notified by Commissioner (Kevin) Huffman’s office on July 30, 2013, that our budget will be nullified if not corrected by Sept. 30, 2013, along with the state withholding $1.8 million/month in state funding to the Oak Ridge Schools,†Borchers said in a Monday letter to Watson.
In order to avoid the withholding of the state money, the city’s intent to increase the school system’s funding by $250,000 must be verified in writing by Sept. 20, Borchers said. The school’s budget would then have to be amended in two school board meetings, and the amended budget sent to the state by Sept. 30.
The Oak Ridge Board of Education has already scheduled a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 23, presumably to consider the amended budget.
Oak Ridge Schools have failed what is known as a maintenance of effort test. It ensures that local revenues remain at least the same from year to year. The original shortfall for Oak Ridge was $393,918, but school officials were able to reduce it to $250,000 through budget changes.
School officials said the shortfall originated in City Council’s decision in May 2012 to reduce school funding by $766,470.
“While other local tax receipts have closed much of that gap, we respectfully ask that the city honor the requirements of state law and increase Fiscal Year 2014 funding to the schools by $250,000,†Borchers said.
That decision was part of a dispute between city and school officials over how to spend new revenues collected in Anderson County, but outside Oak Ridge, under a 2006 sales tax referendum. The money had been used to help pay down the debt on the $66 million renovation of the Oak Ridge High School, but school officials said a five-year “gentleman’s agreement†had expired and the money should be used for school operations.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
See the special City Council meeting agenda here.
Note: This story was last updated at 6:05 p.m.
TJGarland says
http://www.oakridger.com/article/20120501/NEWS/305019983/0/SEARCH#ixzz2evd8HwEV
For everyone that wants a better look at school finances–
Mike Mahathy says
Ok, we know you hate the school system. Now, can you actual post a relevant document?!
TJ Garland says
Strong words from someone who carries a survey meter all day.
Ever read any of John Taylor Gatto’s books?
Did you ever home school, or be around kids who were home schooled? There is no comparison to public school kids.
You mean international surveys that show the US is way down the list in educational achievement?
You mean the fact that the OR school system spends over $12,000 per student per year? $55,000,000 divided by 4588 students–
Why don’t you link the OR school budget pages that itemize the legacy costs of our system. Show where the money goes.
Kids in public schools are “taught to the test”.
This is necessary to receive state and federal funding.
I had the displeasure of volunteering to teach Junior Achievement in a local high school. The course was stupid and the kids were more so. They were seniors and had no knowledge of politics, history, economics. They did not read my course materials, and other class homework assignments. They took no notes, the teacher told me, and were taught by lecture only by the teacher, who basically previewed the tests.
The teacher was a high paid baby sitter. The students were not taught critical thinking.
Not saying all ORHS was like this, but I betcha many classes are.
Mike Mahathy says
I see you are good at personal attacks.
The schools are great. I have no regrets in supporting our schools. They are why we moved to OR. There is no linkage from your postings to the MOE shortage.
Helen Standifer says
Well, I’m glad I wasn’t in your class. Calling the material and your STUDENTS stupid is a great way to show these kids how to go out into this world. Some kids just don’t care about anything..why should they? You certainly are not willing to go the extra mile THAT THE TEACHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO. How can they learn critical thiking? I know you hate political correctness so do I, in this example. Parents or whoever have gotten soooo sensitive over the years that it has gotten where a teacher cannot express an opinion for fear it may be “indoctrination” i.e. different than what the parents’ think.. I think teachers first concern is to teach the students how to think. A teacher used to pose a question or make a statement then ask the student what they think about it.
Look up Texas education changes, they don’t WANT the kids to learn critical thinking and obviously Texas is working real hard to “dumb down”.
I’d like to hear more from you about education, TJ. You obviously care, you just don’t want to pay for it!
TJ Garland says
These are the deeds of your employers. Think this is a good idea?
http://www.enviroreporter.com/2013/07/epa-nukes-radiation-rules/all/1/
Mike Mahathy says
Please do tell what this has to do with the school system situation.
Wait, no need. It has nothing to do with it.
Joshua Hamilton says
I went to school there. I can attest that the majority of students who attended hated going to school there. We all love to think that our school system here is top notch, but that’s not everything. I’m no expert in this area, but as a former student, I feel safe saying money is going somewhere its not supposed to, and not to the students like it should. between 1999 and 2003 we lost a lot of great teachers to better offers elsewhere, and a lot of students dropped out that shouldn’t have. Just my 2 cents worth….
Aaron Wells says
Interesting read on Alex Heitman, what connection does he have to the shortfall of funds TJ?
johnhuotari says
Aaron, I removed the link because it seemed to raise a few questions here and elsewhere about whether Alex’s death a few years ago was connected to the current school system shortfall. I’m not aware of any evidence that the two events are connected, so I decided to remove the link rather than have people infer that they could be.
I’ll send TJ an e-mail separately.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you.
John
TJ Garland says
Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Mark Caldwell says
More black helicopters?
You are quite the pistol TJ. An unloaded one.
johnhuotari says
I’d like to remind those who comment here to please avoid making the debate about someone else’s character or employment. See guidelines No. 3 and No. 4 above. Thank you.