State Senators Clash Over School Funding Formula (MO)

March 30, 2011

Jefferson City — The Senate debated a bill Monday night that would mean more money for Springfield-area schools, but two St. Louis County senators delayed it because their districts would get less.

The bill by Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, would make changes to a complex formula that determines how much money each K-12 district receives from the state. The debate sparked discussion about the formula and how changes need to be made.

In 2005, the General Assembly implemented a new formula to distribute money to districts, and the law says no school would get less than it did under the old formula. Thus, those schools are funded at the amount of the old formula rather than the new one.

Such schools are called "hold harmless schools." Which formula a district is funded under can change based on things like attendance and enrollment.

The General Assembly has never fully funded K-12 districts. This bill would decrease the amount of money going to hold harmless districts.

As the budget stands, schools will receive the same amount of general funds next year as this year, and less for transportation. Any changes to the formula mean some schools would get less money next year than otherwise, and vice versa.

"Each of those tweaks creates heartburn to a group of people," said Majority Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles.

Springfield and surrounding districts would probably get more money under the bill.

Opponents said that if lawmakers make changes, they should rework the whole formula instead of small parts of it.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, said the bill reneges on promises made to hold harmless districts. He called it a "Band-aid" for problems with the formula.

Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue, joined Schmitt in his criticism.

"I think we’ve got bad data in this formula," he said.

Dempsey said he may bring up the bill again, but not this week.

"It’s one of the biggest decisions that the legislature wrestles with," he said.