AS ENERGY COSTS GO UP, EDUCATION SPENDING COMES DOWN

Here’s a fact guaranteed to make all parents and all thoughtful people demand meaningful action from Congress on energy: Pressed by rising prices on fuel, electricity and heating, almost 15% of school administrators across the country are considering going to a four-day school week. 3% will do so this year.

Administrators see ~40% higher fuel costs from the same period in 2007. Many districts are already cutting bus routes, field trips and – here’s the one that should move the issue out of the narrow domain of parents and into the consideration of all thoughtful citizens – they are considering cutting TEACHING POSITIONS.

As Virginia Governor Tim Kaine told Charley Rose July 30, the single biggest guarantee of a nation’s economic success is the society-wide level of educational accomplishment. Want to flush the U.S. economy down the toilet? Let the cost of energy become another drag on the fading quality of education.

Steven Crawford, Byng, Okla., Superintendent, AASA: "If [the high fuel and energy prices last] for a prolonged period of time, it'll change the way we do business…"

State assistance would be good. 77% of administrators report getting no new assistance from the state. States, of course, have their own budget problems.

The federal budget can't directly impact local education. Federal action on energy, however, could be a game changer.

And not just for education.

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Energy costs spurring school spending cuts
July 29, 2008 (UPI)
and
AASA Survey Finds Rising Fuel, Energy Costs Stressing School Budgets
Amy Vogt, July 29, 2008 (AASA)

WHO
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) (Steven Crawford, Byng, Okla., Superintendent)

WHAT
AASA Fuel and Energy Snapshot Results – July 2008 reveals 99% agreement among administrators that rising fuel/energy costs are impacting education.

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WHEN
The survey was taken July 15 through 18 and pertains to the upcoming 2008-09 school year.

WHERE
The survey took input from every U.S. state except Delaware, Hawaii and D.C.
61% rural districts, 27% suburban districts, 7% urban districts.

WHY
- The top 10 actions school systems are DOING in the upcoming school year:
1. Implementing energy conservation measures – 59 percent
2. Cutting back on student field trips – 44 percent
3. Cutting back on heating and air conditioning use – 37 percent
4. Consolidating bus routes – 35 percent
5. Limiting staff business travel – 34 percent
6. Eliminating/modifying support personnel positions – 33 percent
7. Cutting back on purchasing supplies – 31 percent
8. Delaying non-essential facility upgrades and repairs – 29 percent
9. Eliminating/modifying instructional personnel positions – 29 percent
10. Eliminating/modifying administrative personnel positions – 21 percent
- The top 10 actions school systems are CONSIDERING for the upcoming school year:
1. Consolidating bus routes – 35 percent
2. Eliminating bus routes – 32 percent
3. Cutting back on student field trips – 32 percent
4. Eliminating bus stops close to school sites – 27 percent
5. Eliminating/modifying athletic offerings – 27 percent
6. Eliminating/modifying extracurricular offerings – 26 percent
7. Limiting staff business travel – 26 percent
8. Implementing energy conservation measures – 21 percent
9. Changing fuel purchasing practices – 19 percent
10. Cutting back on purchasing supplies – 19 percent

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QUOTES
Quotes of adminstrators from the survey:
- “Three years ago it cost us about $32,000 to heat our facility. Our costs for the 2008-09 year are estimated at over $100,000. That does not include fuel increases for buses, which are more than double from three years ago.”
- “It is only a matter of time before the cost of energy and health benefits cause us to eliminate educational opportunities for students.”
- “Fuel and energy costs are not the only cost increases. Everything is going up: paper, textbooks, wages and salaries, benefits, insurance, data processing and staff development. It is hard to isolate fuel and energy from the perfect storm of rising costs.”
- “Besides the financial stress on our district, we are seeing the stress on families so that they are impacted by their own ability to afford participation, etc.”
- “We've begun to explore alternative calendars but are now concerned with the fact that students may be in homes that lack adequate heat.”
- “We are VERY worried. Overall funding is an issue and this is turning out to be the ‘straw that breaks the camel's back.’”