Recalibration discussed

With budget shortfalls and potential additional cuts to Wyoming schools, school funding has been a hot topic across the state.

Residents and school employees from throughout the region converged at Rock Springs Junior High School Monday evening to make their voices heard regarding the upcoming recalibration of school funding from the state.

Recalibration is a process mandated to adjust funding levels to school districts in the state as a result of five separate lawsuits filed against the Wyoming Legislature. The state’s constitution explicitly states the legislature “shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a complete and uniform system of public instruction,” which has been the main issue behind lawsuits between school districts and the state.

Mark Fermanich, from Denver-based Augenblick Palaich and Associates, the firm contracted to conduct studies for the Legislature’s recalibration process, was impressed with the turnout.

“A lot of people have shown up ... on a Monday night to talk about education funding of all things,” he said.

Fermanich said his company was hired in June to help the state’s recalibration efforts and determine if funding is adequate for schools in the state. He said the company will use three approaches in its study, which include professional judgement from educators, an analysis of successful schools in the state and application of statistical data. The evidence-based model used in previous recalibration efforts is not being utilized.

Residents and school employees were invited to speak and give input to how funding impacts their school districts as part of the process. Sweetwater County School District No. 2 Business Manager Pete Brandjord said the funding model has become less relevant to the needs of students over time, saying areas underfunded in the model have increased while the areas overfunded and used to shore up funding deficiencies are disappearing.

Sweetwater County School District No. 1 trustee Neil Kourbelas said his district has cut 150 positions and $5.8 million out of its budget, which has resulted in increased class sizes and the closure of one school.

“What sort of things happen when we balance our check book that way,” Kourbelas asked.

Kourbelas said he sees greatness in the students within his district, but minimizing school funding will rob the region of a generation of potential entrepreneurs.

Cuts in education could threaten programs like music, theater and foreign language. A student within the Rock Springs school district, Tasha Seppie, said her love of music and art classes urged her to speak in defense of music and art classes, saying they help her express herself.

“I love music, I love drawing, I love painting,” she said.

Seppie said she doesn’t have a lot of friends and isn’t a social person, but finds music and performing arts come to her naturally. She said those classes keep school a fun place to be, saying without the arts, “I wouldn’t be here.”

However, there’s no simple answer to covering the state’s school funding during a period of revenue declines. Rep. John Freeman, D-Green River, said the problem stems from a shortfall of between $240 million and $500 million. A reserve fund of $533 million for schools was supposed to last 10 years, but only covered costs for two years.

He said oil and gas leasing sales and other revenue amounted to $93 million for the state’s school foundation, but said the $93 million is nowhere near enough to fill the shortfall. The upcoming budget session for the Wyoming Legislature can last a maximum of 23 days, at the end of which the Legislature has to have a balanced budget approved.

“We have to, the state constitution says we do,” Freeman said. “We have to look at what’s best for kids and how to fund it.”

While some have suggested using money from the state’s Permanent Mineral Trust Fund, Freeman said doing that would amount to “killing the golden goose,” as interest generated from accounts in the PMT go into the state’s general fund. The PMT also includes funds aimed at generating interest for education, Freeman said.

He said there is a way to balance the budget without cuts by raising taxes, but both Freeman and Rep. Stan Blake, D-Green River, said there’s little willingness amongst legislators to increase taxes.

The only other route is by cutting expenses, which Freeman estimates would result in cuts ranging between 25-35 percent.

Blake criticizes some legislators calling for cuts in education however, claiming a lot of legislators believe they’re experts in education, but only rely on dollar amounts to make budget cuts, not considering the impact of their decisions.

“There are legislators who think schools are overfunded,” Blake said.

Blake said he hasn’t voted in favor of the budget during the last two years, due to arbitrary cuts.

Residents can still provide input until Aug. 25 for the process by taking a survey at goo.gl/rj6323.