The Funding Debate will never end...

Yesterday MPR had a lively debate about funding our schools.  If you have time to listen, it is worth your while.  My personal experience and truth lies with the fact, that over the last decade, our students have been borrowed against while our adults use their dollars to balance the budget on their backs.

Here is yesterday's discussion on MPR:



Additionally, what our tax payers may not understand, is that when the State increases the education aid payment shift, it causes districts to have to borrow money that results in interests that take away from our students directly.  That is what happened this last session, in order to balance the budget for the year.  In a recent AMSD (Assoc. of Metro School Districts) revealed that member districts are "expected to borrow approximately $382 million with interest costs close to $3 million (about the equivalent of 60 teaching positions)."  This years shift was 60/40.  In a sense, that is like your boss telling you that they don't have the money to pay you your full salary this year, so they will give you 60% of it this year and 40% next year.  Keep your fingers crossed that your mortgage lender will understand that one!

Together, we need to research the facts, so that mistruths don't lead our voters away from our future work force, in which we all will depend on.  While District 279 is fortunate this time around, to not be going out for a referendum, I wish the 126 Districts whose future depends on them the best, for all of our students sake.