R.I. school districts making 'tough calls' in budgets
5:29 PM Fri, Feb 13, 2009 | Permalink
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By Jennifer D. Jordan Every Rhode Island school district will have to make "tough calls" in the coming months, said Education Commissioner Peter McWalters Friday. School districts that have been teetering on the edge of financial crisis for the past couple of years are now in a free-fall, from East Providence to West Warwick to Cranston to Pawtucket. Facing the worst fiscal climate in two decades, school officials say they have simply run out of money. Taxpayers say they cannot give more. Even wealthier communities are feeling intense pressure, with districts such as Portsmouth considering the messy prospect of re-opening existing contracts in an effort to get mid-year concessions and reduce costs. Even a much-anticipated federal stimulus package that could pump tens of millions of dollars into Rhode Island's public school system should not deter education leaders and lawmakers from making needed cuts and reforms, McWalters said. "The fact is, we have structural problems," McWalters said. "Labor and management have over the past 30 years constructed an environment, through contracts and local practice, that we can no longer afford." Education officials hope a generous stimulus could stave off the worst of the crisis this year and next, preventing deep teacher layoffs and a reduction in education programs. At the same time, they also see the federal bail-out as a Pandora's Box that could distract towns and school committees from painful decisions -- including reopening contracts and asking teachers for concessions.
"I think everyone will have to make sacrifices," said Patrick A. Guida, a member of the state Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education and the Barrington School Committee. "We will not solve this problem entirely on the backs of teachers, but districts will have to at least propose [reopening contracts and concessions]. It's gotten to that point." Several factors have contributed to the crisis, including the passage of a tax cap law that went into effect two years ago that limits the amount a community can raise property taxes to pay for municipal and school services. When the cap known as "3050" passed, lawmakers promised to establish an education financing formula that would reduce Rhode Island's dependence on property taxes to pay for schools, give districts a predictable funding stream from the state, and ensure that all students receive a "fair and equitable" education. Rhode Island is currently the only state without a formula and ranks second highest nationally in its dependence on local property taxes to pay for schools. However, lawmakers have been unable to reach agreement on a formula. Meanwhile, state support for education has either held steady or decreased, intensifying the pressure on cities and towns to make up the difference. Last month, Governor Carcieri announced deep cuts to both municipal and education aid in an effort to bridge a $357 million deficit this year, exacerbating the problem. Now, financially-strapped school districts that were barely in the black are being pushed to the brink. Especially vulnerable are urban districts that depend more heavily on the state to pay for schools. 
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Here we go again- attack the teachers for the state and cities mismanagement/over spending. Do people realize that RI teacher's rank about the highest in the nation into what they have to contribute to receive a pension, and percentage wise, pull in near the lower end of benefits when they retire. Thanks to our lovely governor and his brilliant ideas, RI teachers will have to pay even more into their pensions, work longer, and cash in less. Don't penalize these professionals because they work for cities and towns. I don't want my taxes to go up either, but isn't there a lot of fat in the state budget in areas other than education. Is the governor reopening his and his staffs salaries and cutting them? Is he pink slipping 20% of his staff. Start at the top and screw over everybody equally- not just teachers!!!
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Just because teachers are not the ONLY ones draining taxpayers money doesn't mean they shouldn't be on the list when it comes to contributions and cuts. Teachers are overpaid, underworked and if they have to contribute more to their OWN pensions well,,,, then they'll feel like their employers the taxpayers, won't they?
As for having to work longer, you mean until real retirement age like the rest of the real world, or 8 hours a day like the rest of the real world?
Grow up and then you'll be able to teach my kids something so they can actually pass some of the state tests instead of only achieving 48% and having you teachers clap and say 'oh look, we're up 1/2% from last year!!'
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