School-of-Thought

Seems the blogs are full of dire budget news. Pure Pierre Politics writes: 

The news gets worse. The governor’s forecast for state government’s 2011 budget shows a $170 million chasm between revenues and spending. State government has $107 million in reserves.  Someplace, somehow, $65 million of savings and revenue needs to be found. That doesn’t address what happens come the 2012 budget with no stimulus and no reserves left. 

The news doesn’t get much better when we look to the federal side.  Here’s what Education Week has to say: 

The hope of the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress has been that the $787 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—including some $100 billion for education—would soften the pain of the recession and help drive a recovery. 

But as helpful as many state and local officials have found the once-only stimulus aid in coping with current and anticipated revenue shortfalls, it creates some awfully big holes to fill when the money begins to run out late next year in what’s widely known as the “funding cliff.” 

School districts around the country are feeling the pain.  It may not be long until we do too.  

On the positive side, our school district is financially strong.  Past school boards have created a legacy of financial stability, and I have no doubt our current board will continue the tradition.   Whether we face a funding cliff, a funding slope, or any other type of funding topography, we’ll deal with it as we deal with any issue that comes before us — professionally — and always with the best interests of our children in mind.