Solving the problems with funding education is the most important issue facing School District 55 and its board, newly appointed board member Dave VanDerlip said.
“The School District has a really serious problem with funding,” VanDerlip said. “The district is trying to deal with what I think is a dysfunctional system for funding education.”
While the district has some control over the expenditure side the equation, it has little control over the revenue side, VanDerlip said. “I think we just have a huge challenge ahead of us, the district, teachers and administrators, trying to figure out how to keep schools open. I’m not really sure about what the solution is yet.”
No matter what the solution, he said, it is going to cause a lot of stress in the community.
School District 55 is anticipating a deficit of $68,000 at the end of the year based on state revenue projections if Measure 28 fails on Jan. 28. Measure 28 is a request for a surcharge on the income tax to help fill a shortfall in projected revenues at the state level, which provides the majority of school funding.
Supt. Larry Horton outlined potential solutions to balance the district’s budget, including cutting school days, cutting programs and staffing, using a special accrual authorized by the legislature this year and a freeze on spending.
VanDerlip said he tries to listen to all sides and consider all the facts from everyone as he makes decisions, and he likes to get everyone working together on the problem, including teachers, administrators, schools and the community.
The board will need to make difficult choices, likely with unpleasant consequences, he said. “Personally, I think the wrong thing to do is close the schools any amount of time. I really hope we can avoid that.”
The accrual option is not a good solution either, VanDerlip said. The problem with it is that it allows district to put this year’s problem off into the next. After making such a move, “I would be concerned about the district’s financial statement.”
Under the accrual option, the state is withholding its June payment, about 8 percent of state revenues, until July. The district would be allowed to count the revenue for June to balance its budget on paper. Business Manager Russ Allen said that would generate a negative comment on the annual audit and jeopardize the district’s credit rating. Under the option, the district would essentially be keeping two sets of books. The district would then need to continue accruing the final state payment every year.
“Maybe, we need to bite the bullet right now,” VanDerlip said. If not this year, the district will have to face the shortfall in the future.
“We need to have a stable and predictable source of funds for our schools,” VanDerlip said. “Lacking a funding system, I don’t see the level of commitment we as a society ought to have (to education).”
Education may not be a priority, VanDerlip said. If it were, the state would find a different way to finance schools.
The budget problem itself creates more problems than budget cuts, VanDerlip said. “What kind of message are we sending the kids attending school when we waffle? The kids are like pawns in this big political battle about education. We have failed.”
VanDerlip said he has much to learn about education and funding, but he hopes he can make a contribution to that end.
“I need to listen a lot more,” VanDerlip said. “Right now, I just need to listen and get educated and up to speed.”
VanDerlip is a grant consultant. He has been working privately for about 11 years. His office is located in Lebanon and lives on Courtney Creek Drive.
He succeeds Lee Babcock, who died Sept. 18, representing the Crawfordsville area.
VanDerlip is married to Rachel VanDerlip. Of six children, one is still attending the junior high school. The other five have graduated from Sweet Home High School.
“Sweet Home has been a good town,” VanDerlip said. “I haven’t done much volunteer work in my life. This is an opportunity.… I felt I needed to do something for my community. I guess maybe guilt is part of it. I feel I really don’t do enough.”
With his children all using the local school system, he feels like time on the volunteer board is a way of paying the community back.
“I want to be there to help try and see things through,” VanDerlip said.
He has lived in the Sweet Home area since 1977 when he moved from Maine. He had previously lived in California and earned his bachelor’s degree in management science at Linfield College in McMinnville.
VanDerlip will run for election in May to complete the two remaining years of Babcock’s term.