Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/477223
6 Spring 2015 | AEA Advocate Elimination of School Funding Cuts school districts an additional $113,457,200 in district additional assistance dollars (approximate loss of an extra $135 per student). This is an overall loss of $352.5 million to school districts when prior year district additional assistance formula cuts are factored in (over an 80% reduction in these funds). Background: District additional assistance was the formula created in the FY2014 budget that combined the soft capital costs (classroom materials and supplies) and CORL funding (capital funding). The formula is currently cut $239 million, and Governor Ducey's budget proposes an additional cut of $113.5 million—for a total reduction to school of $352.5 million. With this reduction, schools are losing 80% of the funding owed to them through the district additional assistance formula. Governor Ducey mandates that districts make these cuts from "non- classroom spending" via cuts to administration, plant operations, food service, student transportation, and instructional support. The superintendent and school fi nance offi cer must certify that the reduction has been made in non- classroom spending. Important: These school employees and the student services they provide are vital to a student's success, health, and safety, and compliment the work of a classroom teacher. Classroom expenditures statewide average 53.8%; however, administrative costs in Arizona are one of the lowest in the nation at 10%. In addition, there is no annual audit by the Auditor General's offi ce of classroom expenditures for charter schools. According to the Auditor General's annual report, here is the current breakdown of expenses outside the classroom (this info is only the statewide averages, so each district's expenditures look different for each category): Plant operations: School equipment repair, building maintenance, custodial services, grounds keeping, and security. In addition costs for heating and cooling and property insurance are counted here. Administration: Superintendents, principals, business managers, clerical and other staff who perform accounting, payroll, purchasing, warehousing, printing, human resources activities, and administrative technology services. Student support: Counselors, social workers, nurses, audiologists, speech pathologists and attendance clerks. Instructional support: Employees who train teaching staff and develop curriculum, special education directors, librarians, and instruction-related IT (information technology) staff. Food services: Food supplies and costs related to preparing and serving meals. Transportation: Maintaining school buses and transporting students. AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL AT THE CAPITOL Governor Ducey's FY 2015-2016 Proposed K-12 Education Budget This is an overall loss of $352.5 million to school districts when prior year district additional assistance formula cuts are factored in (over an 80% reduction in these funds). Budget as proposed in January. This publication went to print prior to fi nal changes made by Legislature in March.