A RESOLUTION OF THE FORT MILL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES

WHEREAS, South Carolina is experiencing a severe economic crisis that is significantly impacting state revenue; and

WHEREAS, over the past two fiscal years South Carolina K-12 public schools have received General Fund budget cuts totaling $484 million which equates to more than a 20 percent reduction; and WHEREAS, these budget cuts have reduced the base student cost to $1,764 per student, reflecting 1996-1997 funding levels; and

WHEREAS, Education Improvement Act funds have been reduced $112 million over that same two-year period; and

WHEREAS, the most recent figures for the proposed 2010-2011 state budget include additional EIA cuts of $9 million, and EFA cuts of $85 million, reflecting a base student cost of $1,630 (1995 funding level); and

WHEREAS, further cuts in revenue will harm the education of every child in South Carolina, threatening the State’s decades-long effort to raise the levels of educational achievement and personal income of the people of our State; and

WHEREAS, the negative impacts to educational achievement and personal income will significantly impair economic development efforts in our State; and

WHEREAS, Act 388 (property tax relief act of 2006) has severely hampered school districts’ ability to raise local revenue to offset state funding shoi-tfalls, and has had consequences that will, unless addressed legislatively, cause unintended shifts in the distribution of EFA funds; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly continues to give favorable consideration to legislation such as H.4243, the charter school bill, that will negatively impact local school district revenue; and

WHEREAS, it is apparent to this Board that the K-12 educational system is at risk of significant damage due to the failure to take any action, either immediate or long-term, to address our State’s fiscal crisis.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE FORT MILL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DOES HEREBY

STRONGLY URGE the South Carolina General Assembly to support public schools during this economic crisis and continue to evaluate any possible new revenue sources to prevent the loss of more jobs in South Carolina.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the South Carolina General Assembly strongly consider the recommendations of the South Carolina Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC) to provide a fair tax structure that mill preserve our public education system as well as better promote a positive business climate and economic growth.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees supports the immediate enactment by the General Assembly of maximum financial flexibility for local school districts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees supports the immediate enactment by the General Assembly of the local district ability to furlough any school district employees to absorb budget reductions; however, these furloughs should be allowed, but not mandated.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees supports the immediate enactment by the General Assembly of legislation allowing school districts to reduce the local supplements paid to teachers over the State Minimum Teacher Salary Scale in order to preserve jobs and balance local budgets.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees supports Legislative action this year to hold temporarily (for one year only) the Index of Taxpaying Ability published in February 2009 and use it for funding fiscal year 2010-2011. Further, the Fort Mill School District Board supports adoption of a revised formula for the Index calculation during the current session to be used beginning with the 2011-2012 fiscal year which does not include 4% assessed primary home property.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be furnished to our members of the Legislative Delegation and communicated to our parents, businesses and school supporters.

APPROVED by the Fort Mill School District Board of Trustees at its March 8th, 2010 Board Meeting.

One group of parents have leaped into action to try and save the middle school sports program. You can read more about the middle school athletic booster’s pay to play proposal at www.fortmillathletics.org.

Unfortunately the middle school sports program is just a small piece of the budget and program/job cut concerns. How did Fort Mill schools end up losing 8 million in funding for next year?

I received several emails of information from concerned parents. Here is a piece of the information that stuck out as a huge issue to me that deals with how sate funding is allocated to the SC school discticts:

The Department of Revenue also changed another portion of the calculation, median sales ratio, which caused more school districts to unfairly gain large amounts of revenue while others lost unjustly. With only the 4% property removed, our school district would have seen an increase in EFA State revenue of approximately $1.2 million dollars. With the additional change in the formula, the projections show our district only increasing EFA revenue by $160,000.

Here is a copy of the call to action “Keep Our Schools Strong” flyer circulating around Fort Mill:

Keep Our Schools Strong

ADVOCATE – MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

Background Information

• Fort Mill Schools are currently losing $8 million of funding annually from the state
• Next school year, funding levels are projected to be equal to 1995 levels. According to the state formula, EFA Base Student Cost should be $2720; in the present House budget it is $1630.
• Fort Mill school District has grown 160% since 1995, – 3465 students in 1995 and 9955 in 2010
• Refer to the district web site http://www.fort-mill.k12.sc.us/home to see the list of cuts for the 2010 – 2011 school year; including 47 positions, larger class sizes, middle school sports, etc.
• Fort Mill Schools are recognized as a leader in public education not only in the state, but nationally. With the budget cuts affecting our approach to providing quality programs, this success is jeopardized for all students.
• Index of Taxpaying Ability**

How can you help

Contact our local legislators, chair of the education committees, speaker of the house and senate and let them know you want to Keep Our Schools Strong.

Local Legislative Delegation:

• Senate District 15: Sen. Robert W. (Wes) Hayes, (803) 212-6410
• Senate District 16: Sen J. Michael (Mick) Mulvaney, (803) 212-6024
• House District 45: Rep. Deborah Long, (803) 212-6874
• House District 48: Rep. Ralph Norman, (803) 212-6888
• South Carolina Legislative Leadership:
• Senate President Pro Tempore: Sen. Glenn McConnell, (803) 212-6610
• Speaker of the House: Rep. Bobby Harrell, (803) 734-3125
• Chair, Senate Education Committee: Sen. John E. Courson, (803) 212-6250
• Chair, House Education and Public Works Committee: Rep. Philip D. Owens, (803) 734-3053
• E-mail to Senate members: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/html-pages/senateemail.html
• E-mail to House members: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/html-pages/houseemail.html

What to say

• Ask them – to place education first and protect K-12 education from further funding cuts.
• Ask them – to strongly consider the recommendations of the SC Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC)*.
• Ask them – to enact maximum financial flexibility for local school districts.
• Ask them – to allow – not mandate – the local school district to furlough employees in order to absorb budget reductions.
• Ask them – to allow school districts to reduce local supplements paid to teachers over the State Minimum Teacher Salary Scale in order to preserve jobs and balance budgets.
• Ask them – to temporarily hold (for one year) the Index of Taxpaying Ability published in Feb 2009 and use it for funding fiscal year 2010-2011**.
• Ask them – to please email or call me back and let me know what you are doing to help Keep Our Schools Strong.

Include your name and address, that you live in their district, email address and phone number, and if you are a parent of grandparent, PTA/O member, booster club member, or any other relevant info.

A concerted advocacy effort that speaks with one positive voice is an effective tool to build relationships with legislators.

*SC Tax Realignment Commission

On June 24, 2009, the General Assembly passed, and the Governor subsequently signed, Senate Bill 12 (Act 81 of 2009), creating the “South Carolina Tax Realignment Commission”, also known as “TRAC”.

TRAC, a temporary and independent commission comprised entirely of non-legislators, was created to assess the effectiveness of the state’s current tax structure and, in doing so, make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding necessary changes, if any, to that structure. Such changes must be designed to ensure that the state’s tax structure is “balanced” so that the system is “adequate, equitable, and efficient.” The goal of TRAC, and ultimately of the state’s tax structure, is creation of a system that enhances the state’s reputation as a “…optimum competitor in efforts to attract business and individuals to locate, live, work and invest…” in South Carolina.

**Index of Taxpaying Ability (ITA)

We are supporting keeping the same ITA until a formula can be rewritten by the state so that it is fair to all school districts in the state. The ITA is simply the assessed value of taxable property in the district divided by total assessed value of taxable property in the state. The index of taxpaying ability serves as the single variable in the Education Finance Act formula that adjusts the local match a school district must make each year to fully fund the base student cost as set by the legislature. In other words, the index tells us what percentage of the total taxable property in the state, or wealth, is in this particular district.

In the current formula, 4% assessed primary-home property is still included in the ITA formula which generates less state revenue for districts like Fort Mill that are primarily residential based. Act 388 did correct this problem and removed this 4% property for next fiscal year, but the Department of Revenue also changed another portion of the calculation, median sales ratio, which caused more school districts to unfairly gain large amounts of revenue while others lost unjustly. With only the 4% property removed, our school district would have seen an increase in EFA State revenue of approximately $1.2 million dollars. With the additional change in the formula, the projections show our district only increasing EFA revenue by $160,000.

The formula must be updated to concur with the current Act 388 legislation; however, this needs to be studied and revised to a methodology fair to all school districts in South Carolina and reflective of their true tax base. This is why we are supporting keeping the ITA the same until it can be rewritten properly.

Fort Mill schools Superintendent Keith Callicutt announced in November that he would retire from the Fort  Mill school system. On Thursday December 17, 2009 the Fort Mill School Board offered the job to Chuck Epps, an associate superintendent who has worked in the Fort Mill School District for 27 years. 

The Board made a decision not to hire a firm to recruit candidates for the open superintendent position which could take as much as six months. The board wanted to select someone with knowledge and experience and Chuck Epps fits the bill.  See more information and quotes about this story at the Hearld and reporter Shawn Cetrone.