Bill should boost school budget

Last week’s congressional approval of a $10 billion bill aimed at helping school district’s avoid teacher layoffs did not ease Superintendent Walt Wegener’s future financial concerns for the Baker School District.

The legislation, known as the Edujobs bill, is expected to send $117 million to Oregon schools, including more than $400,000 to the Baker School District.

But Wegener says that even if all goes as planned, schools won’t know how much money will be coming their way until at least October, long after the first days of the 2010-11 school year. Most Baker students return to classes on Aug. 30.

According to the Oregon Department of Education, the Baker School District’s share of the funding would be $420,839.44, based on distribution through Oregon’s school funding formula. Pine-Eagle School District at Halfway would receive $51,648.24; Burnt River School District at Unity, $18,075.11; and Huntington School District, $29,780.87.

“Operationally, we’re trying to move forward like it’s not coming,” Wegener said Friday.

The process calls for Gov. Ted Kulongoski to apply for the money by Sept. 9, Wegener said. The final allotment is expected to be announced by Sept. 23.

Wegener is leery of the application process, which requires Oregon schools to compete with all other districts across the country.

“California, New York and Florida are arguing for the lion’s share,” he said. “I have instinctive paranoia. I don’t trust this process.”

The money is to be used for compensation and benefits for “school-level employees,” Wegener said. That would include teachers, principals, assistant principals and paraprofessionals who work directly with students in the schools, he said. It might also include cooks and janitors, but they could be considered districtwide employees and might not qualify for the additional funding.

School districts could opt to save 100 percent of the money to help stave off an even worse financial situation expected in the coming year, Wegener said. There is little hope that more federal money will be available then, he said.

The Baker School Board’s next meeting is scheduled Aug. 24. And the state’s next revenue forecast is expected Aug. 26. More will be known about state school funding and district revenue for the coming year at that time, Wegener said.