As we look at the budget bills we need to acknowledge what
the House Appropriations Committee’s Elementary and Secondary Education
Subcommittee Chairman Jimmie Massie said as he presented his subcommittee
report, “JLARC reports that when we factor in inflation that we are 13% behind
2009 levels in per-pupil funding for our schools. While we are making great strides to restore
the funds, we are not there yet.”
The good news today is that neither chamber significantly decreases the level of public education funding provided in the Governor's introduced budget. Let me
offer a very high level view of the House and Senate proposals.
Please remember that state funding for teacher salaries
helps localities give raises.
SALARY
House
State workers
3%
first year, 1% second year
College
Faculty 3% first year
Teachers 2% second year beginning 7/10/17, but school
boards can get credit for the matching state funds if they give a raise in the
first year
Senate
State Workers 2% in the first year beginning 12/16
College Faculty 2% in the first year beginning 12/16
Teachers 2% in the first year beginning 12/16
The Senate plan is advantageous to teachers
as they are treated in an equitable manner, and as VEA can seek a budget
amendment in the next session to provide a salary increase in the second year
of the biennium.
PER PUPIL FUNDING
House
FY16-17 $5299 FY17-18 $5499
Senate
FY16-17 $5284 FY17-18 $5461
Total Direct Aid to Localities
House
FY16-17 $6,600,838,697 FY17-18 $6,888,926,634
Senate
FY16-17 $6,581,841,743 FY17-18 $6,840,596,023
Carol
Donohue will be providing detailed budget analysis in the days ahead.
