School funds distribution tilts to GOP

JEFFERSON CITY — All along, the battle about how to change the way the state funds public schools was portrayed as a delicate balancing act between rural and urban interests.

In the end the votes for the new plan were largely along party lines. An analysis by The Associated Press shows that school districts with GOP representation, on the whole, fared better.

The new plan is expected to add about $800 million a year in state aid to schools when fully phased in during the 2012-2013 school year.

The analysis of funding projections per school district found that those represented mostly by Republicans in the state Senate saw greater benefit than those with largely Democratic representation. That holds true both when looking at which districts gain the most new money overall, and which districts see the highest percentage increase in state funding compared to their level in the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The lawmaker who spearheaded the plan says political affiliation had nothing to do with the results.

“It’s not a brilliant political plan. I’m not that smart,” joked Senate Majority Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph.

Shields noted that in terms of overall funding, the St. Louis and Kansas City districts — represented by Democratic senators — have among the highest gains. But because they receive significant state assistance already, their funding increase percentage isn’t that high.

The urban areas have many students, including a lot of low-income students that earns them more funding, and are in parts of the state with higher-than-average wages, another reason for an extra funding boost.

A look at the numbers:

n Of the 30 districts gaining the largest overall amount of money, just seven are represented more by Democratic than Republican senators, including St. Louis and Kansas City. (A handful have equal Democrat and Republican representation.)

n Of the top quarter of the state’s 524 school districts in overall funding gains, just 19 of the 130 are represented by Democratic senators. That 15 percent is about half the Democrats’ percentage share of Senate seats, which is 11 out of 34.

n When figuring the numbers by districts that see the greatest percentage increase in funding, just two of the top 30 districts are represented by a majority of Democratic senators.

n Of the top one-fourth of districts with the greatest proportional increase, just seven of the 130 are mostly Democratic — all within the central Missouri legislative district of Sen. Frank Barnitz of Lake Spring.

Barnitz was a House member until a few weeks ago, when he won a special election to fill a seat vacated by Republican Sarah Steelman, who became state treasurer.

Shields said the numbers show that areas needing the most help, mostly rural areas like those Barnitz represents, are getting the biggest boost. Few Missouri Democrats represent rural areas.

“It clearly builds up the bottom end,” he said. “It was really designed to do that without particular geography or politics in mind.”

But Democrats contend there was partisan mischief involved.

“By saying that a student in this state deserves more state money because his district happens to be represented by a Republican rather than a Democrat is nothing but a political ploy,” said Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti.

The plan sets aside a special $15 million annual fund to help the tiniest districts — those with 350 students or less. That fund gives a noticeable boost to many that otherwise would receive little to no new money under the formula alone.

But the plan also helps suburban areas by including a provision that increases state aid to help offset higher living expenses, calculated by average regional wages, compared to the state average.

Accordingly, some of the biggest dollar increases are in the metropolitan and surrounding communities.

Even with the new money, many school officials remain dissatisfied. A coalition of more than 200 school districts sued the state last year about the current school funding plan, saying it’s unfair and inadequate. The new plan apparently hasn’t spurred many to bow out.

The coalition surveyed its members to see if the new proposal alleviates their concerns. Of the 257 districts in the group, 105 completed the survey, and 97 said the new plan doesn’t meet their students’ needs. Just two survey respondents said they planned to drop the litigation.

School officials, even those not involved in the lawsuit, have expressed concerns about the new funding plan.

John Sharp, a school board member of the Hickman Mills district in the Kansas City area, said the new formula ignores the needs of districts such as his and doesn’t provide enough money. Hickman Mills is expected to get an additional $3.4 million, about a 10 percent boost from its current level.

“It doesn’t recognize the cost of educating a child in an urban school district,” Sharp said.