NEAR `EDGE': SCHOOLS AGAIN HIT BY CUTS IN STATE BUDGET

An additional $34 million cut from state funding pushes Missouri public school districts even closer to the financial edge, say local school administrators.

Terry Stewart, assistant state commissioner of education, said the second round of cuts announced last week by Gov. John Ashcroft brings the total amount of money cut from school budgets to over $75 million.

When cuts and budget withholdings are added together, Stewart said, the total is almost $90 million less for elementary and secondary education.

"School districts have already incurred all their contracts and budgets," he said. "Now they're going to have to absorb this additional cut. But he said, "I don't think there is much of a chance school districts can absorb this cut; it will be very difficult."

Most of the cuts will begin in January and will be spread out monthly through June.

Scott City Superintendent Robert Brison said, "I think most people really don't realize the seriousness of this situation."

Brison said the most precise information he has seen states the cuts will result in about $44 less per student in state funding.

"For us, that's about $37,000 in additional cuts on top of what we've already received," he said.

Larry Dew, Cape Girardeau business manager, said, "We're going to be expected to solve more problems with less money and we'll have to solve the problems more quickly."

Dew said the district hasn't receive an accounting of how much money will be lost by this round of cuts.

"We just have to keep a tight leash on our costs and carefully consider any new expenditures," he said.

"The best thing that could happen to us would be an improved economy," Dew said. "Until that happens, we may have to look at reductions or increased taxes locally."

Dew said that statewide the education community is supporting passage of Proposition B. The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is scheduled to consider approval of a resolution supporting Proposition B at their meeting tonight.

Oak Ridge Superintendent Roger Tatum said: "Proposition B is a light at the end of the tunnel, if it were to pass. Unfortunately, we don't know how it would help us in particular but it will help education in the state. Something is better than nothing, and it's the only thing going on right now."

The latest round of budget cuts is necessary to fund multimillion-dollar building projects ordered as part of the long-running Kansas City School desegregation case.

"Most of the schools in outstate have already achieved desegregation," Brison said. "I really blame the current administration for using public school money to address this issue. It seems as though there should be a separate source of funding."

Now, he said, desegregation is costing other agencies in the state. All state agencies incurred a 3 percent spending cut.

"All the state services will suffer immensely because of this. And this is not really their burden; it's not our burden."

Tatum said: "It looks like we are hurting one segment of society to help another segment. I don't call that equal. I don't think the rest of the state, particularly the children in Southeast Missouri, should have to pay for past mistakes in St. Louis and Kansas City."

Tatum said the budget cuts hurt schools, too. "I just did another projection on the computer to see how much money we are going to be short," he said. "This year we are deficit-spending in the teachers fund approximately $27,000. We ended the year last year with about $75,000 in the teachers fund. At the end of this year we will be left with about $49,000.

"You can only do that for one or two years," Tatum said.

Oak Ridge has already reduced its number of teachers by half a position. "We are looking at next year and one position we can cut," he said.

Tatum said he also has created two budgetary contingency plans. "One allows us to make some cuts without really hurting the academic program. I have a second plan where it will hurt the academic program.

"We are also trying to save every dollar we can. Unless it's an emergency or a needed repair, our administrators have been instructed to say no."

Jackson R-2 School District business manager Howard Alexander said Jackson, for the first time in recent memory, has budgeted a deficit in the teachers fund.

"This particular year were going to be deficit-spending in the special fund, which includes teachers salaries," Alexander said. "We anticipated that and planned a transfer from the general fund. Now it appears we will have to transfer more money.

"This is the first that we will plan for a deficit in a fund," Alexander said. "When the year is over we will have zero balances in that fund.

"When you are spending balances, you are spending savings. That can't be made back up," Alexander said. "If things don't change for next year, this will actually have a greater impact next year. That money will not be there to spend. It is getting to the point that it is very, very serious."