Well, we have a first look at a proposed ETF budget for FY 13 and it is not looking good. From the Senate, the proposal is for an increase in divisors of 0.4 across all grade levels. The loss of teachers statewide would be more than 1100 with an additional 600 support jobs lost. Locally, the SDE is showing us losing 4.57 total units. The Senate has included a provision to lower the divisors by 0.15 if the Start Date bill passes. There is an allocation of $31.35 per pupil for textbooks and $300 for teacher materials and supplies. Other Current Expense and Transportation may also see cuts. Interestingly enough, there is a $1,000,000 allocation to pilot digital textbooks in State School Board District II.
Speaking of such, the School Start Date bill has left the House (by a vote of 62-30) and is in the Senate. This bill states that students may not start school prior to 2 weeks before Labor Day (Aug. 20, 2012) and must end by Memorial Day. There is a flexible language that will give Boards the option of selecting a calendar with hour equivalencies in lieu of 180 instruction days. Passage of this bill would mean that we would have to adopt a new calendar.
There will be much more to come in the days ahead. Stay tuned.
