INDIANAPOLIS — Northwest Indiana school districts now have a clear picture of what to expect in state funding over the next two fiscal years.
Out of the region’s schools, the new funding formula hits the Gary Community School Corp. the hardest. Gary public schools received $94.2 million in state funding for 2011. But for the upcoming fiscal year funding will fall by nearly 19 percent to $76.6 million and in 2013 by 9 percent to $69.3 million.
Gary is losing money the district used to receive to cushion the loss of falling enrollment, which dramatically impacts the amount of funding the city’s schools receive.
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, called the cuts alarming.
“The cuts are too deep to save money for vouchers and to save money for charter schools,” Smith said. “I think it’s criminal.”
Gary Superintendent Myrtle Campbell said the steep cuts will require some painful choices, including laying off teachers, administrators and support staff.
“It will be a monumental task to maintain fiscal integrity,” Campbell said. “We need to look at what is best for the child. We don’t want 30 to 35 children in a class, so we need to take into account the children we have and the teachers needed.”
Campbell and the school board will consider their options — including possibly closing some school buildings — in a Saturday 8 a.m. meeting.
“We will look at all options, and we’re not taking anything off the table,” Campbell said.
Other Northwest Indiana school districts appear to fare better under the new school funding formula contained in Indiana’s $28 billion two-year budget. Merrillville Community School Corp. will see a 5 percent increase for next fiscal year to $42 million. School City of Hobart will see a modest 3 percent increase to $22.2 million in 2012.
Merrillville Community Schools Superintendent Tony Lux is concerned about the budget’s overall impact on schools, especially the cuts in ESL and professional development programs.
“It’s a major contradiction that you want highly effective teachers, but you cut out money for professional development programs,” Lux said.
While Lux is satisfied with the formula’s impact on Merrillville schools, he noted school funding isn’t near 2009 levels.
“As far as Merrillville is concerned I am because for many years we were under funded based on what we technically qualified for,” Lux said.
Crown Point Community School Corp., which is attempting to pass a general fund referendum on Tuesday, will see a slight drop in its state funding. For this fiscal year, Crown Point saw $39.6 million, but for next year, the funding will drop to $39.5 million.
Crown Point Schools Superintendent Teresa Eineman said the school funding formula doesn’t allow the growing school district to recoup any loss of funding it has experienced in recent years.
Eineman said the formula “solidifies the millions of dollars in loss” Crown Point schools has seen since 2009. She estimated the loss in funding at $13.6 million during that period of time. Crown Point is also one of the fastest-growing districts in the state but the formula drops the district to near the bottom of the list in terms of funding, Eineman said.
Staff writer Christin Nance Lazerus contributed to this report.