News Headlines
Source: KSBA eNews Servcie, Frankfort, March 11, 2010
KBE asks General Assembly to reconsider cutting two instructional days
By Staff report
The Kentucky Board of Education on Thursday called on legislators to find “an alternative solution” to producing a balanced biennial state budget without reducing the school year by two instructional days.
In a letter to all state representatives and senators, KBE Chairman Joe Brothers said he and the other state board members “are extremely concerned about the effect of House Bill 290 (the budget bill) to eliminate two days of instruction from Kentucky’s public school year.
“The board members strongly support the recent remarks by Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday, in which he said, ‘Shortening the year by two days would move us backward,’” Brothers said.
The House passed the $17.5 billion budget bill on Wednesday, including a provision to eliminate $72 million in state funding for the two school days, as part of a plan to address a projected $1.5 billion revenue shortfall over the next two years.
Adding to the state board members’ worries is the possible impact this decision could have on Kentucky’s application for up to $200 million in federal Race to the Top funds.
“General spending reductions by the other state finalists for this grant competition are a common issue and should not attract national attention for Kentucky. However, reducing instructional time is likely to damage Kentucky’s position compared to the other state finalists, as none of the other 15 finalists are reducing instructional time,” Brothers said.
“While the members of the board understand and support the legislature’s difficult task to balance the state budget, we strongly urge you to look for other sources of funds to help fill the deficit rather than eliminating the two instructional days,” he said.
Brothers encouraged legislators to show the same cooperation involvedin the passing of Senate Bill 1 – reforming the school accountability system – in 2009 and House Bill 176 – the Race to the Top legislation passed earlier in the 2010 session.
“If the same collaborative process that produced these pieces of legislation is applied to this issue, we are confident that you will be able to determine an alternative solution,” he said.
The Senate is expected to begin hearings on the budget bill as early as today.