The 2006-2007 school year for the St Louis schools brings with



it a financial deficit and accreditation problems carried over

from the previous board majority. Additionally, superintendent

Creg Williams? proposed budget was voted down on June 13,

so currently there is no budget for the upcoming school year.

Financial Deficit

The current financial deficit was caused by the state, when

it refused to honor its contract with the St Louis schools

under the desegregation agreement of 1999. Abruptly

during the 2002-2003 school year, the state cut off the

funding and flatly refused to honor the agreement to pay

the required funding -- and has not paid a cent since.

The St Louis schools sued the state and won the lawsuit

in circuit court. The state appealed the decision and has

been dragging out the process ever since, delaying any

decision on the appeal. The total amount in arrears that

the state owes the St Louis schools is more than $120

million. This is the sole cause of the deficit for the

upcoming school year.

Politics within the St Louis Schools

Adding to the financial troubles are the political problems

that began in 2003, when board control of the St Louis

schools was taken over by members loyal to Mayor

Francis Slay. Voter support that was previously enjoyed

by the St Louis schools was almost immediately lost.

There was nearly three years of disastrous performance in

the St Louis schools. This majority essentially gave control

of the St Louis schools to the New York management,

consulting firm they hired, which resulted in the following:

* There were three different superintendents within just one

budget year; * They closed 16 schools without regard to

educational or community considerations, basing their

decisions solely upon the recommendations of a Houston

subcontractor; and * In the first two years, the learning

environment deteriorated to the point of the whole system

being exposed to losing accreditation -- they lost 25

accreditation points.

Before 2003, the students were making steady academic

progress over the previous four years. Additionally, the St

Louis schools were close to regaining full state accreditation,

falling short by only two accreditation points.

The current St Louis schools board majority gained control

in April of 2006. Though overall improvements are expected

in the next few years, the St Louis schools legacy from the

last board majority is a poor learning environment, larger

class sizes, greater reliance on uncertified substitute

teachers, serious student discipline problems, and poor

staff morale. What improvements have been made during

the short tenure of the new majority have been greatly

overshadowed by the problems.

Budget Voted Down

The budget for the 2006-2007 school year proposed by the St

Louis schools superintendent was shot down due to its broad

spending of nearly $500 million with no coherent, detailed plan

of action, oversight or accountability.

Williams must trim down his proposed budget or locate new

funding sources to support it, as well as create a detailed plan

with oversight and accountability. The St Louis schools board

believes that the public, parents and the board have a right to

know how scarce monies are being spent.

Currently, the most urgent need for the St Louis schools is a

measurable plan for solving the current problems, while providing

the greatest possible opportunities for learning within a

dependable and stable educational environment.

Article written by Patricia Hawke.