NORTH IDAHO -- School districts across North Idaho declared financial emergencies last year in the face of budget cuts. Even though federal stimulus money helped compensate for a state funding shortfall, administrators may not be so lucky in 2010.
School districts will get the same amount of federal stimulus money next year. But what will change is how much they get from the state. By some indications, it could be up to 5% less.
The Idaho legislature meets in January, and faces a $52 million shortfall in state revenue. Last year, state school funding was cut nearly 8%. That forced districts like Coeur d'Alene to trim programs. Other districts trimmed teacher salaries. Schools will get federal money again next year, but for administrators who have already had to cut so much, any massive decrease in state funding could be devastating.
"It's going to be a tough situation. We really cut to the bone last year and we're operating on a very skeleton framework for the district. Still, good teaching and learning going on in our classrooms," said Coeur d'Alene Superintendent Hazel Bauman.
23 of Idaho's 115 school districts declared a financial emergency in 2009, which allowed them to reduce teacher salaries. One question already being asked is what could happen in 2011 when the federal stimulus money is slated to run out.
