Senate considers funding for critical school needs

With congressional action on a supplemental appropriations bill delayed until September, school board members are encouraged to contact their senators and representatives during the August recess to urge them to support this measure, which contains critical funding for public schools.

The Senate version of the second supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008 includes $850 million for school repairs and modernization and at least $400 million for the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) postponed consideration of the bill in August, citing a time crunch with major legislation pending on energy, taxes, and other issues, but promised to take up the bill in September. The House has not yet taken up a second supplemental bill.

With so much attention in Washington focused on the presidential election, strong advocacy on the part of school boards is essential to keep education on Congress’ front burner.

Members of Congress usually are in their home districts during the August recess, making it a great time to set up meetings. An Advocacy Action Plan prepared by NSBA recommends that board members plan early, be flexible, plan school visits, and invite the media to attend. For more tips on how to be an effective advocate for public education during the recess, visit www.nsba.org/advocacy/actionplan.

The proposed funding for school repairs in the Senate bill would provide urgently needed assistance to school districts with aging, obsolete, and technologically inadequate facilities. It also would provide support for more energy-efficient and greener schools.

NSBA is part of a national coalition called Rebuild America’s Schools that is urging Congress to support the Emergency Public School Renovation and Repairs program.

Funding for this program “will help local communities provide the modern, safe schools needed to assist students in developing the educational skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century work force,” states a July 24 letter from the coalition to members of the Senate. “Modern schools will also benefit student and staff health while helping to improve energy efficiency.”

The average U.S. public school was built nearly 50 years ago, and many urban and rural schools were built before 1950, the coalition notes. “Too many of America’s children go to school in overcrowded building with leaky roofs, faulty electrical systems, and outdated technology.” Recent estimates put the total cost of school facility needs, including technology upgrades, at $300 billion.

Several school construction bills are pending in Congress, including the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R.3021), which was passed by the House in June. A companion bill is awaiting consideration in the Senate.

This measure, endorsed by NSBA, would authorize $6.4 billion in fiscal year 2009 to state education agencies and school districts for school repairs and modernization projects that improve the teaching and learning climate, student and teacher health, safety, and energy efficiency.

The Secure Rural Schools Act provides assistance to more than 4,400 school districts and 600 rural counties with federal forest lands within their borders as federal payments-in-lieu of taxes.

Affected districts cannot collect property tax revenue for this land, so without this critical source of funding, many would have to lay off teachers and cut programs.

In northern California, for example, 85 percent of the Del Norte County Unified School District is taken up by non-taxable federal and state land, including the Smith River National Recreation Area, Six Rivers National Forest, and Redwoods National Park. The district has relied on funding from the Secure Rural Schools Act to maintain school facilities, including new roofs and boiler plants.

And in Virginia, the Alleghany County school system receives about $80,000 from this program, which is the equivalent of two teaching positions.

Funding for the Secure Rural Schools Act was initially included in—but later dropped from—the first supplemental appropriation bill passed by Congress earlier this summer. President Bush had threatened to veto the bill if that measure was included.

The first supplemental did contain a provision that was also a high priority for NSBA—an extension of the moratorium on the Medicaid reimbursement regulations until April 1, 2009.

The measure, signed into law in July, addresses regulations published by the Administration that would prohibit school districts from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for administrative and transportation expenses for students with disabilities.

Districts now can continue to receive these reimbursements through the end of next March. By then, NSBA hopes a more permanent solution can be worked out.

Meanwhile, congressional action on an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2009 has been delayed until after the August recess. The Senate Appropriations Committee reported a funding bill in June that calls for $14.529 billion for Title I grants, $491.3 million for Title I school improvement grants, and $11.4 billion for special education state grants.

The committee rejected the Bush Administration’s request for $300 million for a new “Pell Grants for Kids” voucher program. Instead of going along with the Administration’s proposal to end funding for the 21st Century Learning Centers program and convert it into an $800 million voucher program, the committee would keep the program intact and maintain the current funding level of $1.1 billion. The committee also would terminate the controversial $1 billion Reading First program.

The House Appropriations Committee has not yet acted on a 2009 funding bill, but a subcommittee has proposed $14.45 billion for Title I grants, $600.3 million for school improvement grants, $11.5 billion for special education, and $1.1 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

NSBA supports Congress’ efforts to increase funding and reject President Bush’s proposed cuts but urges the appropriations committee to provide at least $2.5 billion each for Title I and special education.

Reproduced with permission from School Board News. Copyright © 2008, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789.