Schools brace for another cut

State Education Department officials are warning cash-strapped schools to brace for another funding cut before the end of June.

The reductions are projected to be between $13 million and $17 million. They would come from the Common Education Technology Revolving Fund, one of six revenue sources that support the State Aid Funding Formula. The fund is not meeting the estimated collections, officials said. Through April, it has only received $26.5 million — or 55.9 percent — of a $47.3 million appropriation based on tax revenue from oil.

Edmond Public Schools could lose between $422,809 and $549,652 if projections hold up.

“While this cut is severe, it’s not for us like it is for some other schools,” Superintendent

Towne said Thursday. “It will cut into our fund balance.”

School district superintendents were notified by letter Wednesday of possible further reductions.

“A shortfall in this funding source could result in another adjustment to your allocations before the end of this fiscal year,” the letter states. “We want to bring this to your attention as you are making budget decisions to finish this school year and are planning for the next.”

The estimated shortfalls are based on collections received to date and projected revenue from the remaining two months of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.

“Unfortunately this is money that was not received because of tax revenue shortages that did not come into the state,” state schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said during Thursday’s Board of Education meeting. “Usually by December, the money that will be received by that funding stream would already be in place.”

Oklahoma City Public Schools could lose between $818,546 and $1,064,110 in funding, according to losses projected by the state Education Department.

“While these are very difficult times for our district and schools across the state, the Oklahoma City Public Schools finance office had already projected this additional revenue hit to our budget, and our figures remain in line with this state update,” spokesman Mark Myers said Thursday.

“We continue to work hard toward making the proper adjustments and doing everything possible to cushion the financial blow to our classrooms.”

The district already has cut $13.1 million in teaching and administrative positions to counter the state’s projected revenue shortfall for the 2017 fiscal year, which begins July 1. Another $17 million in reductions to programs, services and operations are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Cuts to common education have totaled $109.2 million in the current fiscal year. In March, Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill appropriating $51 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to help offset earlier cuts to schools.

Projected losses

The state Education Department notified metro-area school districts this week of the following projected losses from the Common Education Technology Revolving Fund:

•Edmond: $422,809 to $549,652

•Guthrie: $63,799 to $82,938

•Midwest City-Del City: $274,695 to $357,103

•Moore: $435,855 to $566,612

•Mustang: $189,684 to $246,589

•Norman: $308,090 to $400,516

•Oklahoma City: $818,546 to $1,064,110

•Putnam City: $385,187 to $500,743

•Shawnee: $76,599 to $99,580

•Yukon: $151,954 to $197,528