SJ-R STATES OPINION ABOUT DRASTIC CUTS TO EDUCATION
CLICK THE LINK TO READ THE MOST RECENT ARTICLE.http://bit.ly/L1tEhv
May 21, 2012
The Governor and General Assembly has proposed three possible scenario's for education reductions. The first and least drastic proposes a $258 million reduction in education spending. The second proposes a $500 million reduction and last is a $750 million dollar reduction to state spending on Education in Illinois. To put these reductions in perspective for all our PORTA families, the State currently sends $2,802,285 for the 2011-12 school year. If the State reduces General State Aid by $258 million state wide, PORTA's GSA would be reduced to $2,159,362 a $643,000 reduction in revenue. A 500 million reduction in state spending would force a $768,000 reduction in Revenue for the PORTA District. The Final and most drastic reduction of $700 million state wide would reduce PORTA's General State aid to $1,904,257, meaning a $898,000 reduction in revenues for the upcoming school year.
In terms of planning for these reductions, all school districts in Illinois who are adversely affected by the reductions will be forced to reduce staff in very large numbers. Unfortunately, public schools in Illinois will be unable to make those reductions until the Spring of 2013 per State of Illinois law. In the interim School Districts will be left reducing cash reserves, considering borrowing option or entertaining potential referenda for a tax increase to make ends meet. Specifically, PORTA will be forced to reduce staff, which could include up to ten teachers and at least one administrator. Reductions at this level will force the district to reduce programs to a level that will insure students will have enough courses to graduate high school. Advanced programming,industrial arts and fine arts programs will become non-existent.
Obviously, as a district we do not want to see more reductions and so we ask that you contact your local representatives and state senators to voice your concern about potential cuts to education.
