Huntington Schools Big Loser in New Budget

BY GARY L. SNYDER

While the Democrats and Republicans are busy either blaming each other or patting themselves on the back, Huntington County Schools came out the big loser from the great compromise.  Under the new funding formula, as reported by the Indianapolis Star, the Huntington County Community School Corporation will lose nearly $1.1 million over the 2010 and 2011 school years.  

The funding for 2009 currently sits at $35,207,506.  The projected funding in 2010, under the Dan Leonard approved budget, drops to $34,781,499 which represents a $426,007 cut in funding.  The projected funding for Huntington schools in 2011 is $34,539,848 which is another cut of $667,658 from the 2009 budget number.  If you can add, that is a total of $1,093,665.  I have been asking the question for the past year, who is Representative Dan really representing?

I had an opportunity to speak to Huntington County Community School Corporation President Kevin Patrick on the school funding cuts and he had this to say: "I am extremely disappointed that in our great state not all kids are not treated equally.  The funding formula is complicated and out of touch with reality.  It penalizes school corporations such as Huntington who have declining enrollment unfairly while at the same time protecting school corporations receiving in excess of the state average from a funding stand point.  In 2008, the state average per pupil of revenue was $6,499.21 while the revenue per pupil in Huntington County was $5,414.41.  We have 6,000 kids in our school system.  If Huntington County just received the average, we would have a substantial more amount of funds available." 

School Board President Kevin Partick went on to say, "On the expense side per pupil, Huntington county is ranked 272 out of 313 school corporation (including charter schools) in the state, making Huntington County one of the best values in Indiana.  Huntington County has done a tremendous job in keeping expenses as low as possible while at the same time offering a great education.  Unfortunately with less money, we are going to be climbing a very steep hill, which in my opinion was unnecessary, unfair and quite frankly, discriminatory.  Apparently, our elected state officials do not feel that all kids are worth the same.  I am hopeful as people go to the ballot box in the upcoming elections for our state representative, they remember this."

Send ProFlowers

Comments

[Stright shooter]

Danny "Boy" Leonard doesn't represerent anybody but business. I suggest the people of Huntington County boycott his store.

[Colts Girl 18]

Schools were not the only big loser so were Education Service Centers. The 9 state ESC budget from the state was 2.6 Million. In Y10 it has been cut to 2.3 Million which I am not complaining about Y10 it is Y11. The 9 State ESC will have to split between them in Y11 1 Million. We will take a 1.3 Million cut. We will do everthing to cut spending which I have been doing for the last couple of years and I can't cut the budget any further, so now it will be personnal. What I can't cut will have to be taken to our board for an increase in our membership dues which in return the schools will lose again.

In this bill Charter schools win big they get all the breaks, money and tax cuts if you send your child to a private school.

The republicans are working real hard to make public education fail. Mitch is a big supporter of private and charter education.

It is a sad day in Indiana.

[Kevin Patrick]

After learning more about what is included in the budget I am even more outraged. The budget calls for the State to put $9 million a year for 3 years into the Marion County Capital Improvement Board. I thought that we send our State Representative to Indy to represent our interests. Our schools get less funding and the capital improvement board of Indianapolis gets $27 million dollars????? Are you kidding me? It is time for a change!

[fishingcanwait]

I agree with Kevin some of the time but this time he is right! Let's vote all of them out and start over!

[Stright shooter]

I agree with Kevin Patrick it is time for achange, get rid of Danny Boy.