Oak Ridge Today

Council to consider opposing use of public funds for private schools unless certain conditions met

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oak-ridge-city-council-december-2016

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in December 2016. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider opposing the use of public funds for private schools unless certain conditions are met.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education has already taken a position. In November 2016, the Board of Education said it opposed the taking of funds from public education in any Tennessee community unless the local school board agrees, there is statutory assurance that schools receiving the funds will comply with the same curriculum and testing standards required of public schools, and until the Basic Education Program is “adequately funded” by the Tennessee General Assembly.

There has been increased discussion of the potential use of school vouchers, at least in part because of the nomination and confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the new U.S. education secretary.

In a memo to City Council members, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said the Tennessee General Assembly has debated the merits of implementing a school voucher system for many years as a way to provide quality education for all students in the state.

“This system would allow a freedom of choice for all students to choose to leave their geographical-centered public school to another school, taking the state-allocated funds for that public school system to the new system, be it public or private,” Watson said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge school board to consider opposing use of public funds for private schools

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The Oak Ridge school board on Monday will consider opposing the use of public funds for private schools.

A resolution to be considered by the Oak Ridge Board of Education “strongly opposes” taking funds from public education in any community in the state without agreement from a local school board, without a legal guarantee that the schools receiving the funds will comply with the same curriculum and testing standards required of public schools, and until the state’s Basic Education Program, or BEP, is fully funded by the Tennessee General Assembly.

The resolution says the Tennessee General Assembly, the state’s legislature, will consider legislation in 2017 that would use public funds to pay tuition costs for students to attend private, religious, and non-religious schools.

The General Assembly and Tennessee State Board of Education have adopted high standards for student and teacher performance in public schools, but private schools are not held to the same accountability standards as public schools with regard to academic performance or student access, the resolution says. [Read more…]

Haslam appoints task force to focus on education funding

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Group to study Basic Education Program formula

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Tuesday announced the creation of a task force to study the Basic Education Program, or BEP, which is the state’s funding formula for K-12 schools.

The most recent revision to the BEP, known as BEP 2.0, was adopted in 2007. The formula takes factors such as local property and sales tax revenue into account when calculating how much money Tennessee school districts will receive from the state each year. A number of districts, both large and small, have raised questions and concerns about the formula and whether it distributes funds in a fair and equitable manner.

“The last significant revision of the BEP was seven years ago, and education in Tennessee has changed a lot since then,” Haslam said. “It is the appropriate time to take a fresh look at the formula, identify strengths and weaknesses and determine whether or not changes should be made.” [Read more…]

Council gives schools $250,000, school shutdown avoided

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Bruce Borchers and Mark Watson

During a special meeting Tuesday, Oak Ridge municipal officials agreed to give the city school system an extra $250,000 to avoid a potential loss of millions of dollars in state funding and avert a possible Oct. 1 school shutdown. Pictured above are Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers, left, and City Manager Mark Watson, who recommended the extra funding on Tuesday. (File photo)

In a short special meeting Tuesday, the Oak Ridge City Council agreed to give the city’s schools $250,000 to allow the system to avoid a potential loss of millions of dollars in state funding and avert a possible Oct. 1 shutdown.

The one-time transfer will come from higher-than-expected sales tax revenues in Roane County.

The vote was 4-1-1. Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller, and Council members Chuck Hope and Charlie Hensley voted in favor of the extra funding, which had been recommended by City Manager Mark Watson. [Read more…]

Council agrees to special meeting on school shortfall but wants documentation

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

The Oak Ridge City Council has agreed to meet in a special session next week to try to resolve a $250,000 school funding shortfall that education officials claim could lead to a loss of millions of dollars in state funding and a temporary school shutdown if it’s not resolved by Oct. 1.

But Council members want documentation to accompany the request, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson told Superintendent Bruce Borchers in a Sept. 11 letter. It should include an explanation of why the money is needed, information on decisions made by the Oak Ridge Board of Education to close schools on Oct. 1 if the funding is not obtained, and copies of any formal notice from the Tennessee education commissioner that he has agreed to withhold all of the state funding for Oak Ridge Schools starting in October, the city manager said. [Read more…]

Nothing to report yet on Oak Ridge Schools funding, state official says

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Tennessee officials had little to say on Wednesday about the potential loss of state education funding that Oak Ridge school officials have said could cost the school system $1.87 million per month—and lead to a temporary school shutdown on Oct. 1.

“We are starting to have meetings with various people regarding this situation, but at this point, we don’t have anything to report,” said Kelli Gauthier, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Education. [Read more…]

School officials say millions in state funding at risk, could close schools Oct. 1

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Bruce Borchers and Mark Watson

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers, left, and City Manager Mark Watson have had a series of meetings concerning the school system’s failure to pass a state maintenance of effort test, and a possible resolution of a $250,000 shortfall to avoid a potential loss in state funding of up to $1.87 million per month.

Schools want city to cover $250,000 shortfall, could require 2.5-cent tax increase

It’s a high-stakes battle between the city and the schools, with a potential loss of up to $1.87 million per month in state funding—and a possible shutdown of the school system on Oct. 1.

School officials said the Oak Ridge system has failed a state maintenance of effort test that requires local funding to remain at least the same from year to year. After some budget adjustments, there is a $250,000 shortfall, school officials said, and they want the city to cover it. It’s the equivalent of a 2.5-cent property tax rate increase.

“Unfortunately, we’re just in the position to ask the city to help us,” Oak Ridge Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Thursday. “They’re going to have to find that $250,000.” [Read more…]

Guest column: Oak Ridge Schools explain funding issues, maintenance of effort test

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In the spirit of collaboration, the Oak Ridge Schools would like to share pertinent information in regard to the current maintenance of effort (MOE) issue that faces our community. Tennessee law requires that local governments fund local school systems by at least the same amount each year.

In August, Oak Ridge Schools were notified by the State Department of Education, Office of Local Finance, about the failure to pass the MOE test. Failure to correct this problem by Oct. 1 will result in a loss of Basic Education Program (BEP) funding at a rate of $1.87 million per month.

The only possible resolution to satisfy state law is an increase in local funding from the city general fund in the amount of $250,000. This budget amendment would need to be approved in two readings by City Council, and two readings by the Board of Education.

Numerous meetings have occurred between city and schools staff. In addition, the “high school debt/potential failure of MOE” item has been an ongoing discussion for the past two years. To date, no meetings have been scheduled by the City Council to make the necessary budget amendments. [Read more…]

BBB: Roane commission OKs school reserve expenditure

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Information from WYSH Radio

(BBB-TV) On Monday night, the Roane County Commission passed a resolution authorizing the School Board to use approximately half a million dollars from its reserve accounts to help keep the Alternative Education Facility open and keep extracurricular positions from being eliminated as well. It didn’t come without a grueling 45-minute discussion that included several questions from commissioners, who drilled School Superintendent Gary Aytes and school budget director Eric Harbin as to how they plan on to improve the system’s financial situation.

This year’s budget was balanced by making several deep cuts to make up a $1.5 million shortfall. Aytes said changes to the state Basic Education Program funding were the main reasons the school system had trouble balancing the budget, but also told the commission the board is looking at other systems in the area for innovative ideas to deal with future budget problems.

With revenues down, Oak Ridge Schools could cut 18 positions, six could lose jobs

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Bob Smallridge

Bob Smallridge

Revenues could be down about $1 million, and Oak Ridge Schools officials have recommended cutting 18 positions, including roughly eight teaching spots.

Six employees could lose their jobs, Oak Ridge Interim Superintendent Bob Smallridge said during a special meeting Monday. The rest of the cuts could occur through retirements and employees taking new jobs, among other things.

The 18 reductions could save about $1.1 million, Smallridge said. One special education teaching position would be added. [Read more…]

State of State: Education investment, fiscal restraint set Tennessee apart

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Governor Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday delivered his 2013 State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly, contrasting Tennessee with Washington, D.C., and other states across the country that have struggled to keep their fiscal houses in order.

“Unlike the news coming out of our nation’s capital and so many other states around the country, good things are happening in Tennessee,” Haslam said. “We have a long history of fiscal restraint that crosses party lines. We have been deliberate about not spending money we don’t have and in making a concerted effort to save for the future…And now we are well-positioned to continue to invest in a thoughtful, strategic manner.”

[Read more…]