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What's in the Student Base?
The Funding Committee of the Governor's Education Reform Commission met Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at the state Capitol. Much of the committee discussion revolved around whether or not to roll categorical dollars that currently stand alone outside the current QBE funding formula, like those earned by local district for educator training and experience (T & E), into the new "student base." The committee reviewed a PowerPoint that outlines the proposed formula changes as follows:
- Instead of districts earning a specific amount of money per FTE segment for each of the programs currently funded, funding would be earned through an average enrollment count.
- Each student enrolled would earn a base amount regardless of the services received or the district in which he or she lives. The base amount would be the same amount earned per student statewide.
- Districts would have the flexibility to spend the money earned to meet student needs as determined by the local district and without expenditure controls.
The power point suggests that the following funding categories will be rolled into the student base: Kindergarten, Primary Grades 1-3, Upper Elementary Grades 4-5, Kindergarten, Grades 1-3 EIP, Grades 4-5 EIP, Middle Grades 6 - 8, High School General Education, Remedial Education 6-12, Nursing Services, CTAE, Alternative Education, Central Administration, School Administration, Facility M & O, Media Center Program, 20 Days Additional Instruction, Staff & Professional Development, and Principal, Staff & Professional Development.
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What's Not in the Base?
And, the following categories may funded by the state outside the student base: T & E, State Health Benefit Plan, and teacher retirement, transportation, equalization, sparsity, hold harmless, state charter school and charter system supplements.
Traditionally, school spending mandates protected school staff, particularly media specialists, school nurses, and other school employees stationed outside the classroom. Georgia's recent trend toward relaxing these spending mandates and giving local school districts funding flexibility (represented by the IE2 and charter system governance models), coupled with the economic downturn in 2007, led to cuts in important school staff and programs. The new funding model currently under consideration represents more relaxation of state spending mandates and may impact staffing and delivery of student services at the local level.
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Weighting for Student Poverty
Based on committee conversation to date, it is likely that the student base will include an additional weight (bringing additional dollars per student) for student poverty. Like 33 other states, Georgia currently uses student qualification for the Free and Reduced Lunch program as the indicator triggering allotment of additional educational dollars. At Tuesday's meeting, the Governor's Office of Student Achievement presented committee members with information on other poverty indicators which may be used to weight low-income students in the new student base.
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Redesigning Teacher Pay
Notably, the presentation suggested that teacher T & E would continue to be calculated as is, for a period of time. Eventually, the amount of T & E funding calculated by district would be added to the student base amount while districts transition from the current teacher salary schedule to a compensation model based on teacher effectiveness, additional duties, Tiered Certification, or other methods tied to educator effectiveness.
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Upcoming Meeting Dates and Feedback
Meetings of the full Education Reform Commission and its five committees are open to the public. Review a schedule of the times and locations of upcoming meetings.
Public input on the work of the full commission and funding committee is encouraged and needed, particularly with regard to the issue of educator compensation and the state's role in ensuring success at the local school level. Public comment can be electronically submitted on the Governor's website.
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Materials from Full Commission and Committee Meetings
Supplementary material from Tuesday's funding committee meeting regarding teacher compensation, T & E, and categorical grants outside the base are now available along with additional information regarding weighting options for the student base.
Official minutes from the last full commission meeting in Tifton, Georgia and several committees have also been posted.
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