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 Survey
Indicates State’s Budget Crisis is Hitting Classrooms
Press Release, Public Education Advocates, December 2,
2003
Contact Tom White at (517) 327-2580
For more articles like this
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https://www.bridges4kids.org.
Lansing, Mich. –
Schools in Michigan have already made significant cuts in
programs that affect students, employees and their communities.
The cuts will continue unless something is done to address the
state’s financial crisis according to survey results released
today by the Michigan School Business Officials and a host of
other education associations representing public schools in
Michigan. The survey covered actions taken by school districts
over the past two years of financial downturn and asked about
plans for the 2004-05 school year if the state’s budget problems
continue.
“Schools are closing buildings, reducing busing, cutting student
programs and laying off staff. The state cannot expect schools
to continue cutting their way out of this mess,” said Tom White,
executive director of MSBO. “There are districts in Michigan
where there is nothing left to cut.”
Based on the input of school business managers from 339 school
districts serving more than 900,000 of Michigan’s 1.7 million
public school students, the survey shows that school cuts are
clearly having an impact on student programs. While schools
reported doing as much as possible to avoid cutting programs
that directly impact students, the state’s revenue shortfall
caused schools to put off needed repairs to buildings, not
replace aging buses, lay off non-instructional staff and
eliminate funds for professional development. However, the trend
over the three years covered by the survey is that with each
reduction in funds from the state comes more and more budget
cuts directly impacting kids in the classroom.
White said the survey also shows an unintended consequence of
state budget cuts; cuts in state funding to school districts
could have a negative impact on Michigan’s economy since public
schools are a major employer across the state and continued
layoffs, reduced purchases of supplies and services and delayed
construction projects have a direct impact on those doing
business with schools.
“Our survey showed that school districts plan to cut
construction projects that totaled more than $40 million this
year alone,” White said. “Losing that work is a big hit to
construction firms and other businesses that do a major part of
their business with schools across the state.”
According to the survey, 58 percent of Michigan schools have
already laid off some employees because of financial issues. If
per-pupil funding, the state’s main source of funding for
schools, remains frozen next year, as it has for the last two
years, and pending cuts are not replaced, about 91 percent of
school districts indicated they will layoff staff and/or not
replace employees who leave. Many schools reported using funds
set aside for a financial rainy day to get through last year and
the anticipated cuts for the current year.
Even if the cuts are ultimately less than $200 per pupil this
year, the survey reveals that school districts across Michigan
will still need to make deep cuts to students programs unless
measures are taken to deal with the state’s structural budget
deficit.
For the 2004-05 school year, if funding to schools remains
unchanged, schools indicated that more cuts will be necessary.
An estimated 82 percent of districts in Michigan expect to
increase class size. Roughly 74 percent will reduce or eliminate
specific educational programs such as foreign language classes
and reading programs, and 70 percent will delay or reduce the
purchase of textbooks. More than half the schools responding
indicated that they will increase student fees for
non-curricular activities such as sports and band, and 46
percent will reduce busing services for students.
White said ultimately the survey results clearly show the
ongoing effects of problems within Michigan’s school finance
system.
“We’re hopeful that the Governor and Legislature will find ways
to soften the impact of recently announced revenue shortfalls
for 2003-04,” White said. “But we cannot continue to put
band-aids on a wound that’s not healing; we need to address the
structural problems in Michigan’s budget for schools to ensure
that all kids have access to a high quality education in our
public schools.”
Survey Results
Figures below are converted to reflect the impact on all 524
school districts in the state.
From January 2003 through mid-November, in response to revenue
reductions made BEFORE those that have recently been announced,
school districts took the following actions:
· 303(58%) laid off employees
· 366 (70%) did not fill open positions
· 188 (36%) eliminated existing educational programs or services
· 288 (55%) had larger class sizes
· 147 (28%) froze salaries and benefits for some employees
· 277(53%) reduced or eliminated field trips
· 115 (22%) reduced transportation services
· 246 (47%) deferred maintenance on existing facilities
If a reduction of $200 per pupil is imposed this month, school
districts expect to take the following additional actions:
· 57 (11%) will reduce the length of their school year
· 303 (58%) will layoff employees or not replace those who quit
· 246 (42%) will put off renovations and/or maintenance to
facilities totaling approximately $40 million
· 256 (49%) will delay or reduce the purchase of textbooks
· 105 (20%) will reduce transportation affecting around 19,000
students
· 188 (36%) will cut educational programs like Reading Recovery,
honors classes, remedial programs, and extra-curricular
activities
· 105 (20%) will increase student fees for non-curricular
activities
If cuts from 2003-04 are not replaced and there are no further
cuts for 2004-05, districts expected to take the following
actions in the 2004-05 school year:
· 477 (91%) will institute layoffs or not replace employees who
quit
· 430 (82%) will increase class size
· 241 (46%) will reduce transportation services to students
· 267 (51%) will increase student fees for non-curricular
activities
· 366 (70%) will delay or reduce the purchase of textbooks
· 388 (74%) will reduce educational programs
· 455 (87%) will reduce spending on supplies and services
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