School officials react to school funding legislation

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada R5 Board of Education had a full agenda Wednesday night as they heard from several administrators, teachers and students. The teacher of the year was announced; Dr. Ted Davis, R-5 superintendent, gave the board a legislative update; Bryan principal Debbie Spaur proposed a new teaching technique and Bryan and Brandi Thomsen gave a review of handheld computers in the classroom.

However, one issue continues to be an area of concern for the board -- the state school funding formula and its impact on the district's bottom line.

While House and Senate negotiators hammered out a compromise, Davis told the board the Missouri House had just passed a bill that would change the foundation formula that funded schools in Missouri.

The Missouri Senate had previously passed a similar bill and the bills will go into conference to work out the differences between the two.

"The two bills are very similar," Davis said. "The differences are small," Davis said. "I'm certain that legislation is going to be worked out by Friday when the session ends. I doubt they will need a special session."

Davis was questioned on the possibility that the group the school belongs to would drop the lawsuit against the state if the new foundation formula changes.

"I was told that it would go on," Davis said.

When contacted Thursday morning with news that a possible compromise had been reached, Davis said he isn't sure the compromise would fix all the problems faced by the schools.

"I question whether their solution would actually solve the problem, whether it would get to the core of the problem," Davis said. "As for the lawsuit I'm glad they dropped the requirement it be dismissed for the formula to take effect. As I said I don't think it will be dropped.

Davis said the new foundation formula isn't a cure-all and that lawmakers were still wrestling with funding other departments, noting that there had to be cuts somewhere.

"The statewide picture isn't all that positive," Davis said. "Locally we're not as bad off, the new formula has the potential to be positive. The picture is a little brighter than I had expected, if you're not in one of the programs that being decreased."

The new plan faces final votes in both chambers but could be forwarded to the governor as early as today.