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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > December > 02 > Entry
Cates fights for funding fix for fast-growing schools
See the press release below from Ohio Sen. Gary Cates, R-Butler County. Do you think these are needed measures?
The release:
COLUMBUS—State Senator Gary Cates (R-Butler County) today gave sponsor testimony on two important bills designed to address major challenges facing school districts in Butler County and across the state.
In the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee this afternoon, Sen. Cates urged his colleagues to support Senate Bill 363, legislation that would help ease the financial impact on fast-growing school districts like Lakota in Butler County, which is one of 19 districts across the state that see growth of 100 or more students per year.
Currently, the state school funding formula does not account for this jump in enrollment, so districts must scramble to find funds to pay for these extra students. SB 363 would help alleviate this funding gap by paying school districts, which experience growth of more than 100 students in a year, an additional transitional aid amount in fiscal year 2009.
“Since passage of the last budget bill, I have heard from students, parents, teachers, administrators and other concerned residents from across Ohio, asking the state to solve this funding dilemma and provide our schools with the funds they need,” said Cates. “While there are several areas of the state’s school funding system that could be improved, SB 363 is an important part of this effort that will ease the financial burden on Ohio’s fast-growing districts and allow these schools and communities to enjoy continued success.”
Sen. Cates also gave sponsor testimony in the Senate Education Committee on Senate Bill 360, a proposal which works to modify the state’s performance rating system for school districts and buildings.
Cates explained that in the past year, several high-performing schools that were previously rated “Excellent” have seen their state ratings drop to “Continuous Improvement,” because they failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards for certain subgroups of students. SB 360 would revise these standards by preventing a school district or building from dropping by more than one classification based solely on AYP requirements.
Specifically, a district or building would be declared “Excellent” if it meets at least 94 percent of the applicable state performance indicators or has a performance index score established by the Ohio Department of Education. However, if two or more of the same subgroups do not make adequate yearly progress for three or more years, the school would be declared “Effective.” If a district or building meets at least 75 percent of the state performance marks, it would be rated “Effective” unless two or more of the same subgroups do not make adequate yearly progress for three or more years. Then, the school’s rating would drop to “Continuous Improvement.”
“The state’s current rating system does not accurately reflect the overall performance of our school districts, threatening to cloud the reputation of traditionally high-performing schools,” said Cates. “SB 360 would create a system that provides more accurate information about the performance of our schools, while still holding districts and buildings accountable for the yearly progress of each student.”
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Comments
By Patty
December 3, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
Deport the illegals and quit letting more illegals settle and then you won’t have the increase and you won’t need the funding. Take care of Americans that pay for the schooling.