Audience questions school board
Language, finances, and graduation rates among topics
By Bobbi Mlynar
Saturday, May 5, 2007
The Emporia High School graduation rate is falling farther behind the state average, according to information provided during an Eggs and Issues breakfast meeting held Saturday morning at Mary Herbert Learning Center.
Tom Myers, a member of the audience, asked for figures on EHS graduation rates, particularly those involving Hispanics, and for information about the number of local graduates who go on to college.
Board member Mary Helmer told Myers that the rate in 2004 had been 83.2 percent; in 2005, the rate was 80.1 percent, which were the figures available on Saturday. Statewide, graduation rates were climbing, from 87.7 percent in 2004 to 90.2 percent in 2005.
"Our subgroup with the highest rate of dropouts is Hispanic males," board president Grant Riles said.
Mike Couch, board member, said that the board wanted to instill younger students with the importance of learning so they would be more inclined to stay in school and graduate when they reach high school.
"We know we need to help those kids as well," Couch said of the EHS students.
Another audience member inquired about the need for three years of advanced mathematics in high school, and suggested that the state needed to allow some students to use other technical college credits to apply to graduation credits.
The board said that high school students already are taking advantage of the courses at the Flint Hills Technical College.
Bill Barnes asked the board about its cash-balance philosophy, telling members that the state carries about 7.5 percent and state and county governments about 5 percent.
"The general fund has to be zero," said board member Jerry Fair. "The legality of it is that in the general fund, we have to be zero. If there's any cash carryover, it affects state aide."
She said that some money can be transferred to other funds to replenish them, citing recent approval of a large purchase of textbooks. Money could be placed in the textbook fund to prepare for the next purchasing need. Special Education also has some carryover funds because it is impossible to forecast the cost of some individual students' needs during the year. Budget items like food service need to have three months' worth of funds for expected expenditures.
"The government has forced you to have a 'use it or lose it' mentality," Barnes said.
"I can guarantee you our cash carryover will be less," Riles said.
Tim Mohn, whose two children attend Riverside School, said he was disappointed with the way the board had handled the dual language program. The board voted last month to phase out the program because of a lack of teachers. Mohn contended that the district had not notified parents of the possibility of a phase-out.
"When you do not have a teacher to teach, that's what you do," Helmer said. "... It was a painful decision. At this point there just weren't any teachers available to keep this going."
Mohn replied that he understood there were at least three candidates for the dual-language jobs.
"Candidates with those kinds of qualifications are very high premium," Riles said. "It's been impossible to keep them here."
"I wish we would have been informed ahead of time," Mohn said.
Another audience member, Steve Brosemer, wanted information about the early retirement bonus the district pays teachers. He asked how much money was paid to those teachers, the rationale behind the payments, which he termed an "unsigning bonus," and whether the board intended to keep that policy in place.
The board did not have precise figures available, and said that the formula used was based on a percentage of salary.
Carol Schaefer, interim board member, said that she had been on the board when the retirement bonus was created. Many of the teachers had been with the district long-term, and had reached the salary cap. The board decided to offer payment to those who would retire.
"And we could hire cheaper teachers to take their place," Schaefer said.
"Now we're facing teacher shortages in certain areas, and we don't want to lose them," Riles said.
Fair invited Brosemer to come to the board meeting on Wednesday, where discussion would center on an alternative to the retirement bonus, which would be similar in form to a 401k plan.
Board members also talked about overcrowding at some district elementary schools because of unanticipated growth in those neighborhoods, as well as adding reading strategists and all-day kindergartens at each school. The latter required use of additional classrooms.
"Our minority population has grown over the years, dramatically," Riles said. "... We're still seeing crowding. Gifted (education) is working in areas not adequate as we would like."
Plans are being made to consolidate pre-school classes at Maynard School, to help ease overcrowding.
"We know that's an issue," Couch said, "but it's an issue that can't get taken care of overnight."