Probably nothing is more important to the community than its school. Not just for educating students, but as a point of pride and center of activities, and a source of future workers needed to keep the town in business. Good schools also are an attraction to bring new families to town, and to keep them here.
It’s a cliché, but good schools cost money. “Doing more with less” is not a sustainable education plan, and the risk of losing more programs from an already limited school district operation is an admission of defeat, not hope, for future students.
As the borough assembly puts together its budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, it needs to look at boosting the local contribution to the school district operating budget for next year. Which means residents, as taxpayers, need to accept the fact that someone has to step up and pay for education — someone other than the students.
The school district’s budget problems extend past the borough contribution, but that is the only piece the assembly can control.
Enrollment is down about 20% from pre-COVID numbers, which has cut deeply into state funding for the district that is based on the student count. One hope of getting back some of those students from homeschooling and correspondence programs will be to offer their families something better than slimmed-down courses.
The formula for state funding, which covers more than 60% of the school district operating budget, has not increased since 2017. The Legislature is working to approve more funding, but it is uncertain and the numbers being discussed are not enough on their own to solve Wrangell’s money problems.
Insufficient funding means more than holding bake sales for school projects or raising money for sports team travel. It shows up in the low wages and lack of benefits offered for teacher’s aides and substitutes. The staff shortage has become so bad that the schools superintendent last month said distance-learning classes taught by out-of-town teachers on a screen may become an option in lieu of in-person classroom instruction.
That’s where the borough can help. Wrangell funds the local contribution to the schools with a combination of sales tax revenues and federal payments, both of which are very healthy this year. In fact, Wrangell set a record last year for sales tax revenues.
The borough’s annual contribution to the school budget has been unchanged the past three years, at $1.3 million, but that is down substantially from more than $1.5 million in fiscal years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The district is asking the assembly for $1.592 million for the 2022-2023 school year.
The district’s federal pandemic aid will run out next year, and steep inflation is hitting the school district the same as anyone else. Pretending the schools can do a good job with less real money is not realistic. Assembly members should ask questions to ensure they fully understand the district’s fiscal challenges, measure the request against what the borough treasury can afford, and come out in support of an increase for schools.
Reader Comments(0)