Cumberland School Board Discusses School Funding

Cumberland school board members heard the latest on state funding uncertainties at this month's meeting.

Superintendent Todd Butler said he has spent time in school funding meetings that discussed the lack of a state budget. Butler said many are predicting that there will not be a budget passed for the current fiscal year, and the Fiscal 2017 budget will probably not happen until after the November election.

At one gathering, former State Representative Roger Eddy, currently director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, mentioned the possibility of a proposed link between the funding of K-12 schools and the cooperation of legislators to reach approval of a budget. 

Eddy asked those gathered, "What would your district do if you didn't receive any State Aid until December 2016?" Butler said many districts couldn't resume school in August due to the lack of reserves.

The governor is proposing state funding for K-12 to be at 100% for the coming fiscal year. In the past seven years, the State has cut general State Aid for K-12 schools to 89% or less. Butler said under that 89% scenario, Cumberland district would go through district reserves in a hurry, but said the district would be much better off than most Illinois districts.

$6,119 has been established as the foundational level of reimbursement per student, but the amount has been prorated at 89% or less per student the past seven years, leading to cuts and reductions around the state.

In regular business, the Cumberland board voted 3-2 to relocate overhead high voltage electrical lines underground. Members Anita Hayden, Ben Bland and Pam Ross voted for the motion to do the work, while members Steve Layton and Bob Blade voted against the motion.

Following a closed session, the Cumberland board accepted the resignations of teachers Monica McNeil, Leana Gardner and Brendan Aydt as of the end of the school year. The Board also voted to hire Kim Harper as a tenured teacher for next school year, and voted to hire the following non-tenured teachers for next year: Wendy Peters, Tyler Owen, Tiffany Richter, Sydney Tipton, Jenna Young, Missie Briggs, Blake Ozier, Angie Willenborg, Jamie Martin, Andria Verdeyen, Jake Edwards, Jill Mathenia and Samantha Webb. It was also agreed to seek two elementary teachers, a middle girls Girls PE/Health teacher, and a high school Math/Science teacher.

Board members received reports on the drama and band programs, as well as the FFA Parliamentary Procedure Team, all of whom have fared well. The district's Scholastic Bowl squad and WYSE team have also been doing well, with the WYSE team advancing to state competition later this spring and the Scholastic Bowl team competed at State over the past weekend.