| Lawmakers give blame to economy AIKEN - Like an old-time gospel revival, there's a call and response between the money the South Carolina Legislature has promised to give public schools across the state and what those schools actually get each year. For 26 years - ever since the South Carolina Education Finance Act took effect - there has been a formula to determine how many dollars the state should pay to educate each public school pupil. Rarely has the Legislature's response been dollar perfect. And for the past three school years, thanks to a persistently sour economy that has forced educators to raise taxes, cut programs and fire teachers, the financial song lawmakers have been singing to public schools has been millions of dollars off-key. "It's definitely the economy," said state Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater. "But it's also been a lack of leadership and a failure to meet our promise to fund education in this state." Since the 1978-79 school year, the Legislature has met the money target, known as the base student cost, only five times, according to South Carolina Department of Education figures. For the first 23 years of the Education Finance Act, the gap between what was promised and what was given has been relatively small, ranging from $2 a pupil in the 1984-85 school year to $108 in the first school year the act was in effect. For the current school year, the target was $2,201. Schools are supposed to get $1,777 to educate each pupil, $424 less than what the formula calls for. Thanks to a decision by state officials to "sequester" 1 percent of every agency's revenue, schools will see $17.77 less for each pupil, further widening the gap between what's promised and what's delivered by about $442 a pupil. With Gov. Mark Sanford predicting more budget cuts and state education officials telling school administrators to expect a revenue reduction of between 2 percent and 5 percent, that gap could grow by $71. Republican legislators acknowledge that the economy is still sour. They also know they can't count on the same slug of one-time federal money that allowed them to boost this year's base pupil cost from $1,643 to $1,777 at the last legislative second this spring. But they hope they don't have to slash public schools as drastically in the legislative session that starts in January. "Wishful thinking on my part - I hope that's not the case, and I hope we can increase the per-student cost substantially," said state Rep. Roland Smith, R-Langley, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee's subcommittee that deals with kindergarten through grade 12. "We're facing another tough year, but education should be a top priority." Mr. Moore, facing a Republican governor and a GOP-controlled Legislature, is more pessimistic. "Yes, it's going to be worse," he said. "Absolutely. It comes back to three options: We can cut services; we can find alternative sources of revenue; or we can raise taxes. Probably some combination of the three. To keep pulling the covers over your head won't get it done." GETTING WIDER With a sour economy and six state budget cuts, the gap between target and actual school funding has widened significantly in the past three school years: 2001-02: Target was $2,073 per pupil; schools received $1,881; a $192 gap 2002-03: Target was $2,133; schools received $1,770; a $363 gap 2003-04: Target was $2,201; schools received $1,777; a $424 gap State education officials have warned of future budget cuts of between 2 percent and 5 percent, which could mean schools will get even less. Source: South Carolina Department of Education Reach Jim Nesbitt at (803) 648-1395 or jim.nesbitt@augustachronicle.com.
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