Education Supplemental Agreement Reached
Governor Brad Henry and legislative budget leaders Rep. Ken Miller and Senators Johnnie Crutchfield and Mike Johnson assured education officials their April budgets will not have to be cut because of a shortfall in the state's 1017 fund.
The governor and legislative leaders today announced an initial supplemental appropriation to the public schools to address the shortfall in the education fund. The bipartisan agreement also contains additional funding for an educational achievement program and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The agreement includes: Department of Education: $10 million in 1017 shortfall funds; $1.5 million to the Academic Achievement Award program; Corporation Commission: $3.1 million to supplement delayed federal funding.
Henry and budget leaders believe additional money will be needed in the remaining three months of this fiscal year to make up the projected 1017 fund shortfall. But, the priority was to get a first supplemental installment to the school districts before their April budget checks had to be cut.
The projected shortfall has decreased since the education department's initial funding request and may continue to do so as actual revenue collections are made. Once they have a better revenue picture later in April, the governor and legislative leaders have committed to provide a second supplemental appropriation to education to address its remaining 1017 fund needs if the initial supplemental proves to be inadequate to address the shortfall.
"This is a good first step to addressing our public schools' immediate budget needs, but it is only a first step," said Henry. "It is critical that we deliver additional funds to common education as quickly as possible to address the remaining school funding shortfall. I commend legislative leaders for their work to date and will work with them to appropriate the additional funds."
"This agreement heads off the April budget cuts for schools that had been planned by Superintendent Garrett, and addresses shortfalls in the Academic Achievement Awards program and for the Corporation Commission," said Senator Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "As budget negotiations continue, we will monitor the projected shortfall in the 1017 fund and will consider additional supplemental funding when it becomes necessary."
"This bipartisan agreement that includes necessary funding to keep schools across Oklahoma operating shows our commitment to education," Crutchfield, Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said. "In a tight budget year we know we have to work harder to put together the pieces of the budget puzzle and we are committed to doing our part to make certain our schools are on strong financial footing. Once we know with certainty the total shortfall of the 1017 fund we will provide additional supplemental funding to eliminate that shortfall."
"This initial payment ensures our schools will get their full funding for April," said Miller, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. "Moving forward we will be mindful of additional supplemental needs for the Education Department while also working to craft an overall budget. We are especially pleased to fund the AAA program because that proves our schools are going above and beyond in competing for these awards."
The governor and legislative leaders today announced an initial supplemental appropriation to the public schools to address the shortfall in the education fund. The bipartisan agreement also contains additional funding for an educational achievement program and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The agreement includes: Department of Education: $10 million in 1017 shortfall funds; $1.5 million to the Academic Achievement Award program; Corporation Commission: $3.1 million to supplement delayed federal funding.
Henry and budget leaders believe additional money will be needed in the remaining three months of this fiscal year to make up the projected 1017 fund shortfall. But, the priority was to get a first supplemental installment to the school districts before their April budget checks had to be cut.
The projected shortfall has decreased since the education department's initial funding request and may continue to do so as actual revenue collections are made. Once they have a better revenue picture later in April, the governor and legislative leaders have committed to provide a second supplemental appropriation to education to address its remaining 1017 fund needs if the initial supplemental proves to be inadequate to address the shortfall.
"This is a good first step to addressing our public schools' immediate budget needs, but it is only a first step," said Henry. "It is critical that we deliver additional funds to common education as quickly as possible to address the remaining school funding shortfall. I commend legislative leaders for their work to date and will work with them to appropriate the additional funds."
"This agreement heads off the April budget cuts for schools that had been planned by Superintendent Garrett, and addresses shortfalls in the Academic Achievement Awards program and for the Corporation Commission," said Senator Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "As budget negotiations continue, we will monitor the projected shortfall in the 1017 fund and will consider additional supplemental funding when it becomes necessary."
"This bipartisan agreement that includes necessary funding to keep schools across Oklahoma operating shows our commitment to education," Crutchfield, Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said. "In a tight budget year we know we have to work harder to put together the pieces of the budget puzzle and we are committed to doing our part to make certain our schools are on strong financial footing. Once we know with certainty the total shortfall of the 1017 fund we will provide additional supplemental funding to eliminate that shortfall."
"This initial payment ensures our schools will get their full funding for April," said Miller, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. "Moving forward we will be mindful of additional supplemental needs for the Education Department while also working to craft an overall budget. We are especially pleased to fund the AAA program because that proves our schools are going above and beyond in competing for these awards."
Labels: Brad Henry, Education Supplemental Appropriation, Johnnie Crutchfield, Ken Miller, Mike Johnson
posted by Mike McCarville @ 1:37 PM
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