Making sure schools are fully funded, even if they offer virtual learning, is the goal of a new recommendation from Governor Holcomb and legislative leaders. Back in June, the governor said he’d endorsed a plan to continue to fund students at 100 percent, if they’re out of the classroom due to COVID-19.
Currently, schools only receive 85 percent of the regular funding for students who get at least 50 percent of their instruction virtually. But Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has noted that such a change would require action from the General Assembly.
As a way to keep schools funded until that can happen, Holcomb says he’s asking the State Board of Education to delay the student count date from next month until at least December. “That gets us into January, and we can have a full conversation about everything under the sun, come January, and the General Assembly, obviously, back in the building, we hope,” Holcomb said during his COVID-19 press conference Wednesday. “And so we can have this and other discussions, but that will, hopefully, bring about some ease and alleviate some of the concerns, some of that uncertainty about funding for our schools.”
In a separate statement Wednesday, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jennifer McCormick said her department was still reviewing the proposal. But she noted that it was just a delay and said schools deserve a long-term solution, as they negotiate salaries and prepare next year’s budget.
