Valley schools share budget crunch

ST. JOHN VALLEY - With budget planning season in full swing, Madawaska Superintendent Terry Wood said preliminary estimates for school funding that the State of Maine released last week could have a negative impact on schools across the St. John Valley.

According to the Preliminary Estimate for General Purpose Aid the Maine Department of Education released Feb. 1, the Madawaska School District could see a potential decrease in state funding of approximately $200,000. Specifically, the estimate reports that Grand Isle will receive $60,943.98 less than last year and Madawaska will receive $137,028.40 less than in 2011/2012.

What does this mean for the Madawaska School District?

"I know I need to make some major cuts," said Wood. "These are only preliminary figures. These are the numbers that we're trying to use to start working on our budget."

For the past several years, the school district has worked to cut its costs each budget season, but Wood said that this latest estimate and continued decreases in school funding could have a drastic impact since the school is already operating under a tightened budget belt.

"You can only sheer a sheep as long as the wool is," said Wood. "You can't get to these numbers by reducing supplies. Everything is on the line."

Wood said that as the school board moves into the budget planning season, the district will examine everything from sports programs to staff positions.

The preliminary estimates for other schools in the St. John Valley show that the Madawaska School District is not alone. SAD 33 looks to receive $122,843.71 less than last year. Allagash, SAD 10, is estimated to receive $119.61 less. SAD 27 might receive the biggest cut of schools in the Valley at an estimated $314,926.07 less than the previous year.

Wood explained that the formula used to determine the general purpose aid is complex and takes into account many different factors, including student enrollment and special education costs. She also said that this preliminary estimate might just be the beginning of news regarding school funding. The district has benefited in recent years from American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds, which are now running low.

"There's more to come," said Wood.

SAD 27/AOS 95 Superintendent Tim Doak says that he's waiting for a Form 279 from the state that will break down the exact formula used to determine the general purpose aid, but that he suspects the biggest impact in Fort Kent was an increase in the local valuation of the town. He said that there will be a shift from state to local funding.

"It means that we have to look at our budgets again and make it even tighter than it already was before," said Doak.

Wood said that the key to making it through what appears to be tough times ahead for the district and for other schools systems the cuts impact is to look at the budgets line by line and to think creatively.

"We really need to think more than outside the box at this time," said Wood.