Missouri’s K-12 funding formula is coming up about $190 million short this year, and a few school districts Missourinet talked to say they are already feeling the strain.
In northeast Missouri, Bowling Green Superintendent Nick Larson said the shortfall means his district will receive about $400,000 less. He said that will affect staffing, salaries, and long-term building needs.
“And that impacts everything from staff salaries to capital projects,” Larson said. “As this continues to go on, you’re going to see facilities continue to deteriorate, and you’re going to see school districts have to go to their local taxpayer and ask them to foot the bill because the state’s not pulling their weight.”
Similar concerns are being raised in other parts of the state. In central Missouri, North Callaway Superintendent Kenya Thompson said her district relies heavily on state funding, which makes up about 40% of its revenue.
“So, for us this year, the difference is about $230,000,” Thompson said. “So, we’re looking at potentially a position where maybe somebody had left the district and decided that we might just not fill that role again next year.”
In mid-Missouri, Mexico Superintendent Troy Lentz said his district will receive more than $1 million less in state revenue. He said that could lead to larger class sizes and fewer staff positions.
“Soon we will see districts freeze salaries, not fill positions, which will lead to bigger class sizes,” Lentz said. “I feel like we are maybe the first generation of people to say that we don’t want the kids to have more than what we had.”
Lawmakers approved a $50.7 billion state budget that includes more than $4.2 billion for K-12 education, the same amount as last year. Some educators say the formula falls short because it is based on lower state revenue projections.
House Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins, R-Bowling Green, disputes that claim. He said schools are fully funded under state law because they are receiving more than the required share of general revenue.
“The law says you must get 25% of our given revenue,” Perkins said. “We always give them 25% of that or more. I think this year it’s like 31%.”
Perkins also said lawmakers used conservative revenue estimates rather than inflating projections, arguing that approach keeps the state’s budget stable.
The disagreement leaves school leaders and lawmakers divided over whether Missouri’s funding formula is meeting the needs of public schools.
A statewide task force is working to update the formula used to fund K-12 public education. The equation has not been changed in about 20 years. Whether the task force moves to a model that will end up giving schools more or less funding remains to be seen.
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