The Federal Relations Network Conference - Overview

Presenter By: Ruth Cruz

PSBA Minority DelegateHSD Board Director

Sunday, January 27-29, 2013 Washington, DC.

One of the purposes of this conference was the American Taxpayer Relief Act and Sequestration.

This Act postponed sequestration for 2 months (until March 1), allowing lawmakers time to forge an alternative to across the board budget cuts.

If an agreement is not reached, the law

states that the White House is to publish a report and order the budget cuts on March 1 to be enacted on March 27, 2013.

Purpose

Consequences will be the following: increase classrooms sizes, lay off teachers and staff (school counselor,

psychologist, parent’s liaison, program Director, and other staff), and

eliminate summer activities and ASP in addition to provide less services for special needs students.

Every year, our school district attends to more students with IEPs and with special needs.

Consequences

These budget cuts would affect our federal programs (except nutrition) such as Title I, special education students, programs for individual with disabilities, and English language acquisition.

Budget Cuts

Federal funding for special ed is based upon a formula determined by the government. When special ed law was originally passed, this formula was designed to permit 40% federal funding for identified special needs students. Currently, districts are funded somewhere between 15 and 20 percent. Based upon increased pressure on the federal government by school districts, this disproportionality is currently being re-examined. Hopefully, congress will act in the favor of school districts and begin to provide the full allotment of 40%.

Special Ed

As you know, the federal government continues to mandate that we provide a maximum level of services and education to every child, measured by impossible standards set by No Child Left Behind, with only a fraction of the funding promised for this work.

The estimate cut will be 5.9% for the FY 2013-2014 which amounts to $59,000 less for every $1 million a school districts receives in federal aid. This fiscal impact will be an issue for the next nine or ten years.

Consequences

In PA, state funding for school districts was slashed about $900 million in the 2012-2013. On top of this issue, our district is currently dealing with a $11 million deficit, with higher pension rates as well high medical insurance costs and charter school payments.

Consequences

Effect of sequestration on HSD

The following programs would be affect by the 8.2% Cut:

Title I – Since this is a district wide program all students will be affected by this cut.

Total Title I Allocation $6,812,170.00

8.2% Reduction Amount $558,597.94

New Total $6,253,572.06

Positions to be cut: 8 Family & Community Liaisons, 6 Social Workers, 5 Guidance CounselorsPrograms to be cut: Sci-Tech Summer Bridge

Effect of sequestration on HSD

No Students will be effected.No positions will be cut: This will cause a negative

effect to the general fund by increasing expenses by $33,414.02.

Title I School Improvement

Total Title I School Improvement Allocation $407,488.00

8.2% Reduction Projection $33,414.02New Total $374,073.98

Effect of sequestration on HSD

Approximately 75 Students will be effected by the closure of one after school site.

Position to be cut: 1 Site Director, 1 Lead Teacher, 5 Activity Leaders, 5 Tutors

21st Century Cohort 6 - After School Program (Grades K-5)

Total Title I School Improvement Allocation $500,000.00

8.2% Reduction Projection $41,000.00

New Total $459,000.00

With the current state financial picture, how is Harrisburg School District going to be affected by any additional federal cuts?

We would have to make additional staff cuts yet to be identified after stringent review of who will cause the lesser/loss impact within the educational process.

Affects of Additional Cuts

Name 5 or more programs in our District that have been cut due to the current financial situation.

Pre K program; 50% of the District level Administrators; 40% of the Teaching Staff; 35% of the Support Staff; Full Day Kindergarten cut to ½ day; Dual Enrollment Program; Funding for CASA tuition.

In jeopardy: More teachers and support staff, 1/2 day Kindergarten; Athletics; All Arts and Humanities

Affects of Additional Cuts

Sample Resolution for

Harrisburg School District Board Of School Directors Regarding Sequestration

WHEREAS, a world class public education is essential for the future success of our nation and today’s school children; and WHEREAS, the Budget Control Act of 2011 includes a provision to impose $1.2 trillion in across-the-board budget cuts to almost all federal programs including education that would become effective January 2, 2013; and WHEREAS, these across-the-board budget cuts would impact school districts during the 2013-14 school year, with the exception of the Impact Aid program, with which a reduction would become effective this school year; and WHEREAS, these across-the-board budget cuts, also known as sequestration, would impact education by a reduction in funds of 8.2 percent or more and could result in larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, possible four-day school weeks, loss of extracurricular activities, and teacher and staff lay-offs; and WHEREAS, sequestration would impact almost every public school system in the nation and the millions of students educated through programs such as Title I grants for disadvantaged students, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), English Language Acquisition, Career and Technical Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and more; and WHEREAS, Harrisburg School District as well as other public schools, would be impacted nationwide by an estimated $2.7 billion loss from just three programs alone – Title I grants, IDEA special education state grants and Head Start – that serve a combined 30.7 million children; and WHEREAS, federal funding for K-12 programs was already reduced by more than $835 million in Fiscal Year 2011, and state and local funding for education continues to be impacted by budget cuts and lower local property tax revenues; and WHEREAS, states and local governments have very limited capacity to absorb further budget cuts from sequestration, as Harrisburg School District has already implemented cuts commensurate to state and local budget conditions; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Harrisburg School District urges Congress and the Administration to amend the Budget Control Act to mitigate the drastic cuts to education that would affect our students and communities, and to protect education as an investment critical to economic stability and American competitiveness.

I had the opportunity, as well the PSBA Board Directors and the PA delegation, to provide and report the HSD's information to the following congressmen: Honorable Bob Casey, US Senator; Honorable Scott Perry, US House of Representatives; and Honorable Pat Toomey, US Senator.

Please write letters to Congress in order to "raise our voice” and concerns before the Congress makes a final decision.” Parents, students, teachers, school principals, and other staff need to write letters and send them at soon as possible (before March 1) to:

Hon. Robert P. Casey Jr.Senator PAMember of CongressSenator PA393 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510

Hon. Pat ToomeyMember of CongressSenator PA502 Hart Senate BuildingWashington, DC 20510

Hon. Scott PerryMember of CongressFourth District, PA126 Cannon BuildingWashington, DC 20515

We need to do more!

We need to work together!!!