Lynchburg-area officials await details to Kaine's cuts

Now that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has made public his proposals to reduce public education spending, Lynchburg-area education officials await the details to gauge the affect in local classrooms.

Education represents the state’s single-largest expenditure and has been untouched in previous cuts. This year though, Kaine said, the revenue reductions needed are so dramatic schools could not be spared.

He has proposed capping state spending on support staff, such as aides and administrative staff, and reducing state funds for school construction, which could save about $27.5 million.

According to Kaine’s proposal, the state would fund one support position for every 4.03 instructional positions, a formula expected to save more than $340 million in the 2009-10 school year, when the formula would take effect. Virginia has not used a formula to fund support staff in the past but does use one, based on student-teacher ratios, to fund instructional staff.

The Virginia Education Association issued a statement objecting to the funding formula, stating education cuts should be minimal and temporary.

“One-time cuts should be employed only if necessary. There should be no changes to the funding formula, which would reduce education funding even after the economy improves,” the statement said.

When Kaine unveiled his budget to the Senate Finance and House Appropriations committees on Wednesday morning, he said he looked at items driving spending.

“You can’t whittle away a $2.9 billion deficit just by making cuts. You have to ask yourself questions about policy,” he said. “Why have support positions in education risen so much faster than instruction positions?”

Just how much the proposed funding formula would cut for local divisions and what support staff could be lost is unknown. Lynchburg-area education officials said they expect more division-specific numbers in the coming days.

William Perrow, Appomattox County Schools’ director of business, said the support positions cap is concerning, but he didn’t know the extent of its impact.

“I don’t have enough details,” he said.

Perrow did say Kaine’s proposal to reduce state funds for school construction would likely cost his division about $160,000.

Kaine has proposed eliminating state support for school construction grants and using $55 million in lottery funds to cover instructional expenses instead of construction costs.

In Lynchburg, Superintendent Paul McKendrick also said it was too soon to speculate about how the governor’s proposals may affect city schools. He did say cuts to construction grants would likely mean $200,000 less for his school system.

McKendrick, along with other Virginia superintendents, will meet Friday in Richmond to discuss the budget with state education officials. Most divisions then break for the holidays and tackle budgets in January.

“It’s a little early,” said George Nolley, Campbell County superintendent, of the potential impact of the proposed cutbacks.

“I don’t want to get people all excited or concerned.”

— Staff writer Ray Reed contributed