To: SCSBA Members and Advocates 

From: Scott Price, SCSBA General Counsel

Re: Action Needed On School Funding Flexibility Bill

Action Needed Now

Contact Senator Kevin Bryant of Anderson County (even if he is not your senator) by emailing him atbryantk@scsenate.org or calling his office at 803.212.6024 and urge him to remove his transparency amendment from the joint resolution (H.3352) that would provide school districts funding flexibility for the current year and for 2009-10. The amendment is holding up passage of the resolution in the Senate and could also delay passage in the House if the bill winds up having to go to conference committee.

Background Summary

An objection (a legislative procedure that stops debate and vote on a bill) was placed on the funding flexibility bill during debate on Bryant’s amendment that would require school districts to post all their expenditures on their Web sites. The amendment is similar to two, “SC Truth In Spending” bills (S.229 and S.221) that currently reside in the Senate Finance Committee.

In addition, the resolution has been set for special order (calls for the bill to be debated and voted on one way or the other on a specified date that has not been determined), which could jeopardize the bill if the amendment is not removed.  

Sample Message to Sen. Bryant

Dear Sen. Bryant:

Please remove your transparency in spending amendment from the school funding flexibility joint resolution. While the amendment may have merit, it is holding up passage of flexibility schools need to efficiently manage the $387 million cut to public schools statewide in this fiscal year alone. Two other bills “SC Truth In Spending” (S.229 and S.221) that currently reside in the Senate Finance Committee would provide the measures you seek.

Local boards are struggling with developing budgets for 2009-10 and are relying on flexibility to help plan for projected lower revenues and provide a better grasp of year-end projections. Districts have taken a variety of measures to protect teaching positions and minimize the impact of budget cuts on classroom instruction. Virtually all districts have slashed administrative costs, put off building maintenance and repairs, restricted travel, eliminated student field trips, and declined to fill vacant positions.  Many districts have furloughed employees – some multiple times – and dipped into reserve funds to fill budget holes and avoid classroom cuts. With reserves depleted and other options exhausted, however, the reduced budgets to come will be felt by teachers and students in classrooms unless we are provided greater flexibility.

Allow the funding flexibility resolution as passed by the Senate Finance Committee to proceed for passage by removing your amendment now. Thank you for the opportunity to express request and for your service to the State of South Carolina. South Carolina public schools need your support.

Sincerely,

[Name]

Board Member
[School District]

Some say that we’re not reaching across the aisle, we’re reaching across the universe! Bryant and Ford cosponsoring a bill is just that, reaching across the universe. We’ve joined hands today to publicly cry for better options for our kids. As you can see in the picture (courtesy of fitsnews.com), this event drew the attention of the whole lobby.

This may be a once in a lifetime occurrence in the General Assembly so ya’ll may want to pay attention. I am cosponsoring a bill with my good friend, Sen. Robert Ford (D-Charleston). Many times I have butted heads with Sen. Ford. The definition of marriage, pork barrel spending, gambling, & capital punishment to name a few. Our voting records would probably show the most differences than any other two members of the Legislature. Yet, today, we’ve found an issue that we both feel passionate about; school choice.
                     
This week,  Sen. Ford introduced a bill (S. 520) that would allow parents more options in education. This bill gives a fraction of the total expenditures to a tax credit to families that are trapped in a failing school. On average, we spend over $ 11,000 per student per year on education. This bill gives a tax credit to parents that want to try a different approach for their child. Choice and competition gives students more options as well as it gives school districts incentives to improve.

Also, this bill is revenue positive for the public school system. As families opt out, 2/3 of the funding stays in the public system for empty chairs! This bill increases per pupil funding for public education.

From left, Sens. Lee Bright, Shane Martin, Kevin Bryant, David Thomas and Rep. Joey Millwood roll up their sleeves in Daniel Morgan Square in Spartanburg Monday to show support for Gov. Mark Sanford. The governor seeks to use stimulus funds to pay down the state’s debt.

As you know, TERI (Teacher and Empolyee Retention Incentive) was developed to give incentives to seasoned teachers. TERI’s original good intentions were to fill a gap of needed experienced teachers. These good intentions did not materialize, however, as our research summary below will show.

TERI was designed to keep experienced teachers in the classroom longer thereby alleviating the looming teacher shortage. By that measure, it has failed. The State Department of Education website noted in late 2006 that, “The situation for K-12 education in South Carolina’s public schools is critical. Over the next decade we will face a shortage of as many as 40,000 teachers.” Clearly, TERI did little, if anything, to alleviate this problem, nor should it have been expected to.

Meanwhile, of course, TERI saddled South Carolina with myriad problems. First, the state Supreme Court ruled it open to all state employees. TERI, now open to everyone, along with the reduction in retirement eligibility from 30-28 years, cost the Retirement System nearly $2 billion. The majority of TERI participants do not even work in the public schools, much less teach there.

TERI costs our public colleges and universities tens of millions in compensation for leave and retirement contributions while TERI employees, of course, made no contributions to the System. That same has been true at our technical schools through.

TERI has wreaked havoc with agency management. TERI employees were, up until July 2007, employees at their demand instead of the discretion of management. That, of course destroyed the ability of managers to mange. I got many, many e-mails and letters from frustrated state employees who complained that TERI employees who refused to leave made advancement nearly impossible. Many frustrated employees simply left.

TERI did absolutely nothing to help South Carolina. It placed a massive burden on the Retirement System, destroyed the ability of agency managers to manage, and in no way alleviated the teacher shortage in SC.

I’m hopeful you’ll agree that TERI has shown insignificant benefit, yet has jeopardized the morale and solvency of South Carolina’s employment and post-employment systems.