Strings Attached - Categorical Funding in Schools

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, November 13 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

In my column two weeks ago, I explained that North Tama’s certified enrollment is down by 39 students this fall compared to a year ago, and that our enrollment has decreased by about 100 students over the past six years. While our school district’s current financial position is still good, I am very concerned about the long-term implications for North Tama if the trends of declining enrollment and inadequate state funding don’t change.

In this week’s column, I’d like to explain why a school district like North Tama is able to pay for a major facility renovation project -- such as the recent new restroom building at the softball/baseball complex or the remodeling of our secondary office -- while being forced to reduce staff, share administrators, or take other cost-saving measures. It comes down to the way schools are funded in the state of Iowa. A large percentage of the money schools receive is considered categorical funding.

Categorical funding is financial support that is targeted for particular categories of students, certain special programs, or other very specific purposes. North Tama receives categorical funds in areas such as capital projects, dropout prevention, at-risk programs, special

education, core curriculum implementation, talented and gifted programs, professional development, teacher quality, and early literacy to name a few. School districts accept this money with STRINGS ATTACHED, meaning we are obligated to spend the funds exclusively as directed by the state or federal government, or the agency granting the funds. The funds that were recently spent on the new construction at the athletic complex and the remodeling at the high school came from the capital projects fund which can ONLY be spent on projects like this. Spending this money on salaries, supplies, utility bills, or other general expenses would be illegal.

While it is great to have a source of funding for construction and for other special programs and projects, the allowable uses of these funds is quite restrictive, and these funds do nothing to help us pay the general bills such as utilities and salaries. More than 80% of most school district’s budgets is taken up with these types of general expenses. Adequate funding or lack of adequate funding to pay these general expenses is the main factor in whether a school is able to maintain its long-term viability. The problem is for many schools is that the state continues to trend toward providing more categorical funding streams while providing fewer general fund dollars. To keep the school’s doors open, adequate support for our general fund is a necessity.

In a press conference on August 3, Governor Branstad spoke about his desire to continue the practice of earmarking funds for specific programs. Specifically, he stated, “It’s not like the old days -- you don’t just ‘throw money’ at schools...We want to become best in America again and I think that’s going to take specific and strategic investments in education that focus on things that really make a difference.” His strategy is to shift from providing general fund dollars to providing more categorical funding that is focused on specific programs that he believes will improve student achievement.

While I agree that many of these programs are great and will truly make a difference for our students, I think we also need to understand that when categorical funding is provided at the expense of general funding many of our smaller rural school districts will be forced to cut teachers and support staff, and may eventually need to close their school buildings or merge with another district. Is this really what is best for students?  

The North Tama School Board’s number one goal is to maintain the financial stability of the district and retain existing programs so that North Tama will remain a viable K-12 school. Declining enrollment and decreased flexibility in funding due to the shift from general funding to categorical funding will make it even more difficult for us to achieve this goal. To make this goal a reality, we will need to be intelligent and intentional with our resources and will need to take further measures to cut costs during the coming months and years.

The 2016 legislative session is just 8 weeks away. Please consider contacting your legislators and the governor's office to let them know that it is critical for them to provide adequate GENERAL FUND support for our schools. Our legislators need to realize that many smaller schools are struggling to keep the doors open due to declining enrollment and unreliable, inadequate funding. By providing adequate supplemental state aid WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED, local school boards can have the flexibility to set priorities and continue providing a quality education for our students. The students in our smaller schools deserve the same opportunity as students in larger urban and suburban schools. These students represent the future of our state, and they deserve nothing less.  

You are welcome to visit my blog at http://redhawksupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my Star Clipper columns and leave comments if you wish. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.

Lost Schools

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, October 30 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

Have you seen the new Lost Schools documentary on Iowa Public Television? We happened to catch part of this program on IPTV over the weekend, and I encourage you to try to find an opportunity to catch this outstanding documentary during one of the many rebroadcasts that are planned in the upcoming month. The program provides a sobering look at how an entire community is affected when its school is closed. 

The former Geneseo Consolidated School.

Nearly every day I drive past the former Geneseo Consolidated School building as well as the former Buckingham school on my way to or from Traer. As I pass by, I think about the dedicated parents, community members, and teachers that worked hard to provide an outstanding education for their children. Perhaps many of you experience similar thoughts as you drive past these schools, or the former school buildings in other area towns such as Dinsdale or Clutier. 

The former Clutier School.

Over 4,000 schools have been closed in the state of Iowa since 1950. The “first wave” of school closings took place because of Iowans’ desire to merge rural one-room school districts that were only able to offer schooling through the 8th grade, with the goal of offering a comprehensive high school education for all students. In the ensuing years as rural populations declined, further consolidations took place throughout Iowa, leading to more school closures. In some cases, the main reason for a consolidation was not financial but a desire to offer greater opportunities through cooperation with neighboring districts. However, the primary reason for many of these mergers and school closings was declining student numbers and the subsequent loss of funding. To put it simply, they didn’t have enough money to keep the doors open. 

The former Dinsdale school. 

Is Iowa about to experience another “wave” of school closures?  I believe there are some that would like to see that happen, and they are creating conditions that will make it very challenging for smaller schools to remain open. Most school districts in Iowa - with the exception of a few urban and suburban districts - are experiencing declining enrollment. Funding is tied to enrollment. In times of declining enrollment, schools need to be able to plan ahead in order to be fiscally responsible. 

According to Iowa law, within the first 30 days of the legislative session each January the legislature is supposed to set the rate of school funding for the next TWO fiscal years. The Iowa legislature has broken that law numerous times over the last several years, leaving Iowa districts unsure about funding levels and providing inadequate time to make adjustments. As a result, many Iowa districts are losing spending authority and each year coming closer to the point at which they are forced to have discussions about closing their schools.

At North Tama, our current financial position is healthy but we are very concerned about the long-term financial health of our district given our declining enrollment as well as the inadequate funding we have received. Our inability to plan ahead due to the legislature’s failure to follow the law has only made the problem worse. Our certified enrollment is down by 39 students this fall compared to a year ago, and down by about 100 students over the past six years. Predicting enrollment changes is more difficult than ever before due to today’s highly mobile society with families moving more often and having the ability to easily switch from district to another through open enrollment, online schooling, home-schooling and other options. When a district also can’t predict funding levels because the legislature fails to follow the law, these two unknowns (enrollment and funding) factored together make it even more difficult for schools to plan and adjust. North Tama’s board was required by law to adopt a budget last spring, even though they didn’t know what the funding levels would be at the time. As a result, we will lose a significant amount of our spending authority. While this won’t force North Tama to become another one of Iowa’s “Lost Schools,” we are very concerned about the long-term implications for North Tama if these trends don’t reverse. 

The 2016 legislative session is just a little over 9 weeks away. Our legislators need to recognize that students in small schools deserve the same opportunities as the students in urban and suburban districts, and to recognize that small town schools are a vital part of the economy of our local communities. The legislature can show us that they understand the value of small schools by placing a priority on setting reasonable state funding levels in a timely manner. Furthermore, they can make a huge difference for smaller schools by not earmarking funds for specific programs but allowing local school boards to set the priorities. I urge our Lawmakers to hold off on discussing any other legislation — such as trivial matters like the legalization of fireworks — until education funding for the next TWO years is settled as is required by law. It’s time for our legislature to follow the law and treat Iowa’s students as their top priority.

Click Here to visit a web page created by the Des Moines Register featuring the Iowa's Lost Schools series of articles and web features.

Click Here to visit Iowa Public Television's website with information on the Lost Schools Documentary program.

Click Here to learn more about a book called For All the Small Schools written by Dave and Barb Else of Cedar Falls, Iowa.  The book is a photographic pursuit designed to rekindle memories of Iowa's great rural schools and the students, parents, and communities they served.

Make Every Day Count

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, October 2 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

On the first day of school in August, I challenged our students to make the most of every day this school year by being an active participant in their learning.  Perhaps you’ve heard the saying “You can’t win if you don’t play.”  You may have seen on the news that about a month ago that a man from Jesup won $1 million when he bought a Powerball ticket at a gas station in Washburn, about 25 miles from here. I’m not sharing this information to promote gambling -- I’m illustrating a point about participation. While your odds of winning a lottery jackpot are very slim, I guarantee you that there is a 100% chance that this man wouldn't have won anything if he hadn’t bought that lottery ticket. You can’t win if you don’t play.  

The same thing is true of our learning...You can’t win if you don’t play. What does that mean?  To me, it means two things: 1) ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT. Students need to be at school - every day, on time, so they won’t miss out on important opportunities for learning; and, 2) PARTICIPATE!  At North Tama, we have so many wonderful ways for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom.  I challenge every student to take advantage of North Tama’s unique “Plus One” days. This is an opportunity that students in most school districts simply don’t have. I also challenge every 7-12 student to participate in in at least one sport, at least one club or organization, and at least one fine arts activity. Students that participate in activities are more likely to have higher academic achievement, less likely to drop out of school, and more likely to become involved members of their communities as adults.

Parents can make a big difference in a child’s education by doing their part to encourage good attendance and participation. They can encourage their children to participate in opportunities like “Plus One” days and extracurriculars, and provide the necessary transportation, resources, and support. While all students may need to be absent from school on occasion, parents can also play a critical role in ensuring good attendance. Here are some tips for good attendance provided by the National Association of Elementary School Principals:

1. Plan ahead when scheduling vacations. Take a look at North Tama’s school calendar – there are several three-day weekends and even longer breaks during the year that will allow family fun without having to miss school. Also, plan ahead when it comes to parents and siblings’ appointments – does every child in the family need to go if the appointment is just for one family member?
2. Prioritize your schedule. Many times, doctor appointments can be scheduled to take place in the hours immediately following school or on Saturdays. At minimum, appointments can usually be made so that a student misses a half-day of school rather than a full day.
3. Have a regular bedtime. Establish an evening routine that includes time for reading and other activities that help your child to become calm and relaxed before bed.
4. Teach organizational skills so your child can get out the door with the proper materials, homework, etc.
5. Encourage healthy habits. Make sure your child has breakfast and nutritious snacks. Emphasize hand washing and cleanliness each and every day.

I hope you find these tips to be helpful. Do you have another tip to share, or a comment about this article? You are welcome to visit my blog at http://redhawksupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my Star Clipper columns and leave comments if you wish. I also occasionally post pictures and other content that is not submitted to the paper or additional information that expands upon what was submitted to the paper. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.  We at North Tama truly appreciate parents’ efforts in teaching their children the importance of good attendance and participation. Let’s make every day count!  

Beware of False Redhawks

New website has no connection with North Tama Schools

Recently, the Star Clipper printed a front-page article announcing the launch of a new website run by a private company called DigitalTown, Inc. According to the article, this new website has been launched “Just in time for back to school…” The article also claims that the new website is “...for the Red Hawks community.” (Note the use of “Red Hawks” rather than “Redhawks.”)

I want to make it very clear that this web site is NOT affiliated with the North Tama County Community School District or any booster organization that supports our school. I have not mentioned the web address here, as I don’t want to give this “False Redhawk” website any publicity or increase the website’s traffic.  

The fact that the site is selling shirts
promoting North Tama's non-existent
Water Polo team makes it obvious that
the site owners have no connection with
North Tama Schools. 

The web site claims to feature “...a team store with latest gear and apparel.” When clicking on the team store link, it’s obvious that this site is not affiliated with the school because customers can purchase T-shirts and jackets for North Tama’s non-existent tennis team, the water polo squad, and even the rowing team, along with athletic programs that we do actually have like football and volleyball.

The web site encourages local businesses to purchase advertising on the site, and promotes the purchase of “Red Hawk Bucks” which can be used to purchase apparel and other gear.  For a website that claims to have such a strong connection to the North Tama Redhawks and the community, it is noted that in the fine print on the website it reads, “DIGITALTOWN.COM and its network are not affiliated with North Tama Red Hawks...”

Further investigation reveals that this same company has produced similar websites to capitalize on the name and mascot of many other area schools, including the BCLUW Comets, the GMG Wolverines, the Union Knights, and the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Rebels.  In fact, the company has registered thousands of domain names that are similar to school names across the country. While I’m a big supporter of free enterprise and what this company is doing may be technically legal, I personally think it is despicable that this company is deceiving people and businesses that simply want to support their local schools. Please don’t fall into this trap. There are much better ways to show your support of our school. These include membership in our local booster clubs. donations to the boosters or directly to the school, volunteering at the school, and purchasing Redhawks apparel and gear from reputable local businesses or the boosters.

Redhawks Yoga Squad? Really?

Again, BEWARE OF FALSE REDHAWKS. Please understand that if you were to purchase items from this website or purchase an advertisement on this website, your purchase will not benefit North Tama in any way.  At North Tama, we truly appreciate the strong, ongoing support that the school has received over the years from businesses and individuals that believe in this school and want our students to succeed. We hope that none of our supporters are deceived by this private business that is trying to hijack the school’s name and mascot for profit. Thanks to all of our loyal fans, parents, alumni, and community members for your support of authentic North Tama programs.  We appreciate your support!  

Academic & Athletic Excellence

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, September 4 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

North Tama’s student-athletes are continuing to achieve excellence, on the playing field/court well as in the classroom. The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) has a recognition program for academic achievement by athletic teams and cheerleading squads. IHSAA recognizes those teams that collectively excel in the classroom.

North Tama recently received some great news from the IHSAA regarding the academic excellence of our student athletes. I am proud to announce that based on grade point averages from the recently completed school year, a total of NINE athletic teams from North Tama High School have achieved one of the two academic distinctions recognized by IHSAA. The recognized teams are as follows (in no particular order):

Girls Cross Country (Excellence)

Volleyball (Distinguished Achievement)

Football Cheerleaders (Excellence)

Boys Basketball (Excellence)     

Girls Basketball (Distinguished Achievement)

Basketball Cheerleaders (Excellence)

Girls Track (Distinguished Achievement)

Girls Golf (Distinguished Achievement)

Softball (Distinguished Achievement)

The two academic awards are defined as follows: (1) Excellence in Academic Achievement is presented to teams that achieve a combined grade point average of 3.00-3.24. (2) The Distinguished Academic Achievement award is given to the teams that achieve a combined grade point average of 3.25-4.00. The team average is calculated by taking a mathematical average of all high school team members in grades 9-12, regardless of whether they play on a freshman, sophomore, junior varsity, or varsity team.  Managers are included as team members.  Grade grade point averages for this award are figured on a standard 4.00 system: A = 4.00; B = 3.00; C = 2.00; D = 1.00.

These students and their dedicated coaches deserve to be commended for their hard work and achievement. The ability to maintain a solid grade point average while also being busy with practices, workouts, and a busy schedule of games is a real accomplishment! These students are learning valuable lessons in self-discipline and time management that will serve them well regardless of their post-high school plans. If you see members of these teams or their coaches, be sure to give them a pat on the back and let them know that you are proud of them. They represent our school well and set a great example for our younger students. Great work, Redhawks!

A Work in Progress

This blog post was submitted for publication in the Friday, August 21 edition of the Traer Star Clipper.

When school begins on August 26, our North Tama secondary students and staff will be dealing with a bit of a mess....or as I like to call it, a “work in progress.”  During the first few weeks of school, we will be temporarily inconvenienced by an incomplete remodeling and expansion project at the secondary office.  Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the second week of September.  In the meantime, our principal and secondary secretaries will be working out of temporary locations.  

The office remodeling project was much needed. The previous secondary office was quite small, and lacked a conference room space for teacher collaboration, committee meetings, and individual parent conferences.  Lack of visibility in the previous office was a concern. The paneled walls of the old office left much to be desired, both in terms of aesthetics as well as lack of soundproofing for privacy.  

The main reception area of the office in the early stages of the project.

The new secondary office will be located in the same space as the previous office, but will also expand into the adjacent science room that had been used in recent years as a study hall. This study hall room will still be a usable classroom space for us in the fall but will be about half the previous size. The classroom will have a new floor, ceiling, fresh paint, and energy-efficient lights. The office will include an expanded work space for our high school secretary and activities secretary, along with a conference room for meetings, a student room, and a larger principal’s office with additional space for meetings. It will feature soundproof walls, a window between the office and the hallway for improved visibility, new cabinets and countertops, along with new floors, ceilings, and energy-efficient lights.

The main reception area after drywall, texturing, and painting.

The project was designed by StruXture architects, with Failor-Hurley Construction of Hudson submitting the low bid for general contractor services. Due to long lead times on many of the materials that needed to be ordered for the project, the remodeling won’t be finished in time for the start of school so we will all have a period of inconvenience. I have been involved with several major facility projects during my years in school administration, and I don’t think a single one of them has been done by the projected completion date. While this can be frustrating, in retrospect we’ve been very pleased with the results of these projects and in the end, we are happy to have what we have...looking back, we barely remember that the projects took longer than expected.  While we will all be inconvenienced for a while, the end result will be a much more functional office setting for our secondary staff.

Some may wonder how the school can afford a project like this during a period of declining enrollment and reduced revenues. You may be aware that the school has reduced several positions, including the superintendency...so how can North Tama afford this? Facilities projects like this are generally paid for with funds that can’t legally be spent on teacher salaries, books, or other operating expenses. At North Tama, we are using combination of dollars from the Physical Plant & Equipment Levy (PPEL) and the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds. PPEL funds come from a 33-cent property tax levy, and SAVE funds come from the extra penny of sales tax that Iowans pay when making purchases. No money is being borrowed and tax rates will not be affected. Projects like this are one of the few limited ways that schools can legally use these funds. In a future column, I will share more information on categorical funding and all of the restrictions related to school funding.

The diagram above shows the basic plan for the office remodeling project.  The office is in the same location, but has expanded into the study hall room next door.  PPEL & SAVE funds are being used to make this much-needed project a reality.  

I hope you have enjoyed the columns that I have submitted to the Star Clipper during my first two months as your superintendent. I believe that open and clear communication is more important than ever before, especially since I am part-time in this position and have duties in another district. I plan to continue these columns once or twice each month as part of my plan for open communication. I invite your thoughts and your feedback. You are welcome to visit my blog at http://redhawksupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my Star Clipper columns and leave comments if you wish. I also occasionally post pictures and other content that is not submitted to the paper or additional information that expands upon what was submitted to the paper. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter (@DavidRobertHill) where I will occasionally post photos of the remodeling project or other activities taking place at school. We’re looking forward to a great school year at North Tama!

More photos will be posted as the work continues!

House Salvage Auction this Thursday

North Tama District Patrons: The school district recently purchased the house at 503 7th Street in Traer - adjacent to the bus garage - with the intent of demolishing the house to allow additional spaces for parking. This Thursday from 3-7 p.m. during back-to-school registration, sealed bids will be taken for any items that can be removed from the house prior to demolition.  The advertisement below provides all of the details:

Additional Auction Information:

1. Sealed bids will only be accepted on Thursday, August 6 between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m.
2. The district will review bids and contact successful bidders on Friday, August 7.
3. Successful bidders must submit payment within one week of notification. If payment is not received by Friday, August 14 the second highest bidder will be contacted.
4. Items must be removed from the house no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25. No refund will be given on items not retrieved by the buyer by this deadline.     
5. The North Tama County Community School District reserves the right to accept or reject any bids.