MONTPELIER — The state of affairs Board of Education has voted to bolster a disputatious proposition by Gov. James Douglas to restrict per-pupil situation funding of schools to current-year levels. "I pay respect that all of state government, personal business and taxpayers are all being asked to affirm hard choices," Board Chairman Tom James said. "The provisions acknowledges that the decisions will be strong to produce for local boards and districts, but the take meals recognizes we are all in the same boat.
" The lodge itself does not have the power to inflict such a restriction, which would mean less state assets for many schools with declining enrollment. But the ratification of the idea by the board, whose members are appointed for defined terms by the governor, has an high-ranking situation in what is likely to be an touchy battle over the idea. The position Board of Education, in its Friday 6-1 decision, eminent that its support of the outline is dependant on the Legislature making the life-or-death statutory changes to allow such an scheme to become law. "We did, in fact, accept a motion to support that.
We also made certainly a few caveats," James said. "We recognized that in engage to do the floor funding from (fiscal year) '09 to (fiscal year) '10 there are a include of statutory changes that would have to occur." For one thing, schools should possibly be relieved of some of the many mandates placed on them by the land and federal government, James said. Douglas proposed the approximation of level-funding schools on a per disciple foundation in piece because the rest period of confirm government is expected to face turbulent cuts from the current fiscal year to the economic year 2010 budget. To nip in the bud larger cuts in humane services and other areas of maintain government — which is contemplating a nearly 8 percent reduction in articulate employees — about $40 million in teachers' retirement spending and other costs should be shifted to the Education Fund, Douglas has said.
That, in turn, means schools should be tear down funded in terms of per tiro testify funding, the governor said. Those changes will "free up General Fund dollars to leverage some federal Medicaid programs and deprecate the change on our mortal services programs that consult the greatest expanse of call for when our restraint is under distress," he said. Douglas said he welcomes the promote from the constitution board. "I did not be aware they were bewitching it up, frankly, but I am very pleased," he said. "The Board of Education represents the grass roots of Vermont. They are not a curious interest.
They have a wide burden for the well being of our lore system. "These are folks who, in some cases, have served on town instil boards," he added. Legislative leaders have said that project would captain to higher local property taxes, since fashion boards have already drafted their budgets. But Douglas said the schools must be able to without delay set right their budgets in the mask of declining revenue, just as the state has.
Angelo Dorta, the chairperson of the Vermont National Education Association, said via e-mail the end is the strange path for the state to go. "We credence in that most Vermonters agree with us that a one-size-fits-all mandate from Montpelier is an untimely movement to make school investment decisions," Dorta said in retort to the advisers vote. "Indeed, the members of the affirm board, like Governor Douglas, do not go through the excruciating work that every Vermont community goes through every year to occupation a school budget." Douglas said the conception that set of beliefs boards don't have time to swop their budgets ignores the realities of the budgetary times.
"I realize it is serviceable for some to talk about the timing and the process, but we have to get beyond that to the crux of the issue," Douglas said. "If someone is laid off, that folks has to close their budget immediately." James, the accommodate chairman, said he does not assume that Douglas' suggestion will damage schools if they have the other inescapable changes in hand from the Legislature. Contact Louis Porter at.
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