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Saturday, October 17, 2009
Ind. Gov't. - "Middlebury schools to sue over funding formula"
Ed Ernstes of the South Bend Tribune reported Oct. 14th:
Each year, schools across Indiana count on money from the state. But one local district says the state's school funding formula isn't fair, and that their only option is to sue.“I think the problem comes down to the fact it's an antiquated formula. It needs to be revisited,” said Jim Conner, Middlebury school superintendent.
Conner and school board members are unhappy with Indiana's current school funding formula. That's why they decided to join two other Indiana school systems in a class action lawsuit. They want the state to change its student tuition support formula that varies across the state.
“Some schools get twice as much as other school corporations,” said Conner. “We get a little less than $100 per student. Other schools are making over twice that.”
The school system wants to at least get the state average. That's roughly $665 more per student than they currently get. Right now, state support is going in the opposite direction. * * *
State Representative Wes Culver believes Middlebury gets less money because of what's called "re-ghosting". He says schools continue to collect money for students over a three year period, even if they have left that school. That means schools with declining enrollment may be getting more money per student than schools, like Middlebury, that have seen an increase in students.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 17, 2009 10:52 AM
Posted to Indiana Government