School districts need answers
March 21, 2007
Free Soil Community Schools is a feisty little district east of Ludington that hopes to save itself by doing less, closing its high school after 94 years. Even that may not be enough.
But this district and many others around Michigan really don't know, because they are not getting any answers from Lansing. Public schools depend on the state for most of their money. They cannot plan wisely unless they know how much they have to plan with -- and they are feeling more pressure about it than their state leaders appear to be as they spar and dawdle over taxes and spending.
Few districts are expected to make as radical and courageous a move as Free Soil did. The school board voted last week to quit being a K-12 district next fall, instead shrinking to become the state's 30th K-8 system.
But many are facing tough choices already that will only get tougher if the state opts to cut per-pupil funding, something Gov. Jennifer Granholm says she has ruled out, although everything has to be on the table given the state's current shortfall and looming deficit. Any cuts in state aid and at least 120 of Michigan's 550 K-12 districts would be in deficit, according to a survey by the Michigan School Business Officials group. At least 420 districts, about 70%, report they will have to cut course offerings without an increase.
In Free Soil, a larger question hangs over the community: whether to dissolve the school district altogether.
"It's totally ridiculous for schools to still be wondering, with two-thirds of the year over, whether we're going to be cut," says Ron Nurunberger, who is interim superintendent and the district principal in Free Soil. "We're planning as if we have a future as a K-8, but it's really out of our hands now."
Solid cases have been made for the need to have smaller districts either consolidate or merge with larger ones. But in some rural districts, that's not as easy as it sounds. There are distance and transportation issues, not to mention local control.
Before deciding to close the high school, Free Soil trimmed everything it could. The district is down to eight teachers from 12. To balance last year's budget, parents and citizens held canned goods and scrap metal drives.
Still, Free Soil's problems, like those facing the state, are bigger than pride and its history can solve. Enrollment is down to 84 students from about 200 five years ago.
Voters twice last year rejected proposals to pass a Headlee Amendment override to raise more money. In May, the district will seek support again.
"It's obvious Michigan is in a place it hasn't been for a long time. It's hard not to sympathize," said Jeanne Oakes, superintendent of the Mason-Lake and Oceana combined Intermediate School District, which has been consulting with Free Soil.
"But if the Legislature cuts schools now," she said, "it'll probably be the straw that breaks the back of Free Soil's elementary school, too."
That's the grim picture in just one corner of this very troubled state. It's not much different in a lot of other places. And right now, it's the not knowing that's causing the biggest problems. The good people of Free Soil are doing all they can. Now the elected leaders of this state need to deliver some answers.
Copyright © 2007 Detroit Free Press Inc.
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