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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.
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