Local officials press lawmakers on school funding formula and voucher impacts
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Summary
School board members and lawmakers at the breakfast pressed for changes to the state funding formula, cited declining enrollment and special-education shortfalls, and discussed voucher impacts and potential decoupling as a remedy.
School funding dominated several audience questions at the legislative breakfast, with local school-board members and candidates asking legislators to address what they described as a broken funding formula that forces repeated referendums.
A local candidate for school board said the formula has not kept pace with inflation and forces districts to rely on referendums and local taxpayers. “We have not gotten inflationary increases for well over 15 years,” the candidate said, adding that the formula benefits some districts while leaving others behind.
Lawmakers acknowledged the problem but emphasized political and structural obstacles to change. One legislator said there may not be 50 votes in the Legislature to overhaul the formula because many districts currently “win” under the existing system. He urged the community to propose concrete alternatives rather than abstract calls to “fully fund” education.
Panelists also discussed the financial impacts of virtual-choice programs: a local official said roughly $1.3 million in district tax dollars were flowing to virtual charter programs, and speakers discussed proposals to decouple state choice/virtual funding from the public K–12 funding formula or to add accountability measures for low-performing choice programs.
Lawmakers urged local engagement and announced at least one upcoming roundtable to discuss school-funding specifics, and encouraged residents to bring concrete proposals for reform. No binding policy changes were made at the event.
