Local schools are pondering their budget prospects with apparent continuation of state school funding cuts referred to as the "negative factor."
On Sept. 21, the Colorado Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit challenging the negative factor as a violation of Amendment 23, passed by state voters in 2000 to restore school funding to 1988 levels. The court ruled, with three judges dissenting, that Amendment 23 refers to "base" per pupil funding, not total school funding, so the negative factor does not violate Am. 23.
State legislators implemented the negative factor in 2010. It has cut around $1 billion a year from public K-12 funding. This past school year it cost Bayfield around $1.4 million and Ignacio around $881,000.
Ignacio Superintendent Rocco Fuschetto reported to his school board on Oct. 6, "The court ruled the negative factor is constitutional. The governor says the negative factor likely will be increased. That wasn't a good day for us."
Bayfield Superintendent Troy Zabel commented to his board on Oct. 13 that a school funding report from 2008 to 2013 shows that "a good portion of states have increased funding. Colorado is fifth from the bottom in the nation for funding, and we have one of the most vibrant economies in the nation."
The Bayfield board voted reluctantly to eliminate a loyalty/ longevity bonus because of budget concerns. Finance Director Amy Lyons said, "I bring this up over and over" about the state funding that the district isn't getting. "When we were operating at full funding from the state, we were able to do this program. If we had full funding, I don't think we'd have to suspend this policy. We would have to take it out of fund balance every year." She reiterated that the district is getting $1.4 million less from the state than it should be getting.
Both districts are seeing enrollment increases. In Bayfield the preliminary tally from the Oct. 1 count day was 1,315, up from 1,282 last year.
In Ignacio Fuschetto reported a total 792, up around 100 kids from two years ago. That includes 356 at the elementary school, 196 at the mid school, and 240 at the high school.
The Ignacio board debated how to deal with large second-grade classes. Board president Toby Roderick cited a mill levy over-ride approved by voters in 2005 to keep class sizes small. As of Oct. 6, each of three second grade classrooms had around 25 kids.
"That's crazy," board member Troy Webb said.
Fuschetto said, "We had a support person. That's what the budget allows."
That's not enough, Webb insisted.
IES Principal Kathy Herrera added, "The second grade is pretty heavy with resource students as well," meaning kids who need extra attention. "We have quite a few still at a beginning first grade level in the second grade. ... We just got three new students today, and there will be another one."
Fuschetto said the board told him in September "to be very careful with our budget."
Webb continued, "That's tragic if we don't do something more than an aide." He wanted something done ASAP. "Twenty-five students, you have to think about what's effective in the classroom."
Herrera said she has a Title (special educatoion) teacher working with kids, but she also said, "I have teachers really struggling. One is a veteran teacher. I looked into her eyes today and knew we were in trouble."
Fuschetto and Zabel were at a superintendents' conference last week. Zabel said they'd be working on a letter about school finance.
The negative factor lawsuit, Dwyer vs. Colorado, was filed in June 2014. Mancos was among the school districts filing suit, along with several families, the Colorado Rural Schools Caucus, Colorado PTA and East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services.
