A big rain cloud is hovering above Westfield Washington Schools. Supt. Mark Keen said the biggest issue facing the district is the protected tax levy, which if not repealed by the state legislature will cause serious financial stress to many school corporations, including Westfield.
“Fifty-eight districts have reported they will lose 50 percent or more through this change when it was supposed to have no impact,” Keen said. “We don’t have the money coming in to do things that are needed.”
Keen said property tax caps cause the district to lose $7 million a year. That loss is absorbed by four funds, with each losing 19 percent of its funding: debt service, capital projects, bus replacement and transportation. The law does not allow districts to lose funding to its debt services.
“The house said it would not have an impact on anybody,” Keen said.
However, due to the implication of the 2012 law, Westfield will see its 19 percent funding loss grow to 79 percent in its capital projects, bus replacement and transportation funds. With the city and county increases in COIT funds, the proportion of the school’s tax rate in Westfield will cause the 79 percent loss to jump to 91 percent.
“Technically, we only have 9 percent of what we are supposed to be getting to run buses,” Keen said.
Keen said options available to WWS include a referendum for transportation, not transporting students, teacher layoffs to reduce the general fund, or petition the state’s Distressed Unit Appeals Board, which will refinance debt and extend it out as a short-term solution.
“None of the solutions in my opinion are very good,” he said.
Redistricting
The school board will hear proposals on redistricting the lines of elementary schools in January. Of the districts six elementary schools, Keen said three are large and the other three are small, which causes inefficiencies in the classroom.
“As an example, there’s no room left at Oak Trace. It’s at capacity. There are 30 kids in a classroom while other (schools) have 20 in a class,” he said. “You know everyone loves the school they are in right now. Every school is an ‘A’ school. Kids get a great education no matter which school they are in.”
This is the first time in Keen’s history as superintendent that redistricting is needed because of enrollment issues.
“The next time will be because a school was opened,” he said.