Special Board Meeting 11/22/05

[Diane Blevins]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

November 22, 2005

 

Call to Order

 

The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana, was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, November 22, at 5:30 p.m.

 

Those present included: Superintendent Rod Svee, Trustees Malcolm Goodrich, Conrad Stroebe, Katharin Kelker, Karen Moses, Sandra Mossman, and District Clerk Leo Hudetz.

 

Registered guests included Laura Tode, Corey Stapleton, Don Roberts, Mark Noenning, Elsie Arntzen, A. J. Michelotti, Tom McGillvray, Roy Brown, Wanda Grinde, Gary Branae, Emelie Eaton, Dennis Himmelberger, and Michael Lange.

 

Montana Quality Schools Interim Committee and School Funding Update

 

Trustee Mossman reported she received a call informing her the Governor will call for a Special Session. Superintendent Svee reviewed the handout on ‘Montana’s Promise’. As the definition has been developed, the proposal costs out SB152. In the proposed bill, there are some districts that would lose funding. The per-student entitlement have been addressed and upgraded on a fairly consistent basis. The per-student entitlement has been based on the 2004 budget with inflation. It is 6% of FY2007 and is $52,750,216. SB152 impacts LEP (Limited English Proficiency) the most but is not in this funding system and will have to be funded at a later time. LEP includes Native American students. The definition reads that at some point in time a system to bring all of those students up to proficiency will have to be implemented but will be very expensive. American Indian Education for all is a separate category and has been consistently contained within the proposal.

 

Classroom entitlement is the most difficult as it must define the number of teachers. The accredited program entitlement pays for those personnel as mandated by law. The building operation and maintenance entitlement is based on an amount per district and a square footage per student. This portion has varied from $90,000,000 to $123,000,000 with the most current proposal at $106,000,000. The Special Education block grants remains as it is and the transportation entitlement also remains the same but are left out of the general fund. The Capital Projects entitlement is being committed at $25,000,000 in one time only money, $23,000,000 for deferred maintenance and weatherization, and $2,000,000 for a statewide study on school facilities. Debt service entitlement will be the same as before, allocation to support bond issues that have been passed.

 

Superintendent Svee reported the State’s share of school funding was at 44% a week ago, whereas the State provided 81.2% of school funding in 1949. Mr. Svee has informed the committee repeatedly the State cannot have an equalized system to treat each student the same and have it depend on a vote. Elsie Artnzen asked which one of the bases on page 5 is the most slanted. Mr. Svee reported the classroom entitlement has the greatest amount of impact.

 

Roy Brown voiced his concern that no one can tell him what the 189-page bill will do. He didn’t feel they should be looking at this bill, as there are too many fluctuations. Wanda Grinde would be in favor of a stop gap measure. Gary Branae asked Rod Svee if he thought there was a potential for this plan to be implemented. Mr. Svee thought it might be possible for a portion of it, but it cannot be designed to save money. The plan has to be designed to fund the definition of quality education. The Chair stated the definition is a lot better than they had anticipated. It mirrors what is in the accreditation standards.

 

Trustee Kelker reported all of the Montana school districts have agreed on the Montana’s Promise: Phase I handout. Trustee Mossman stated Phase I provides $4,000 for each certified professional employed in the district, which is a major difference. It would give local control back to each district. The districts would then determine how that money is to be spent. Trustee Stroebe stated Montana’s Promise brought the urban and rural districts together, but QSIC (Quality Schools Interim Committee) completely ignored it. Trustee Mossman stated the districts support the state health plan, which would not be implemented until 2007. The Chair stated it is amazing that urban and rural schools are cooperating so it must be something worth looking at. What the legislators call a teacher is something important the legislators should take to the special session. It is not just classroom teachers that are certified but other professionals that are required by statutes. Chair Kelker discussed the importance of the legislators providing a funding ‘bridge’ to assist Montana’s children until a permanent solution can be established.

 

Corey Stapleton asked how the legislators could go to Helena without knowing what there is to support. Trustee Stroebe felt the plan is better than anything that had been proposed. Trustee Moses stated Montana’s Promise is good and would keep the District going until the plan is worked out. Roy Brown informed those present the special session would only address a certain bill. If 70% of the legislators would agree on another plan, it could be expanded. The Governor can call the special session for a certain item. Gary Branae urged everyone to work together and move forward with a positive attitude.

 

The Chair reported a consequence for the second year would be the lay-offs of teachers, especially in the elementary district. There is pressure to have excellent test scores for No Child Left Behind and smaller classrooms. Trustee Mossman told the legislators that they would do anything they could to help them with obtaining information or whatever is needed.

 

The next meeting of MQEC will be at 10:00 a.m. on November 29th and December 5th for the Interim Committee. Mike Lange stated the Governor would call the special session on his terms. He felt it was time to play hardball and get funding for the schools.

 

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Katharin Kelker, Chair

 

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder