By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The Kentucky Department of Education is estimating a shortfall of $12 million in a key funding program for Kentucky public schools.
Department commissioner Robbie Fletcher announced the estimated shortfall in its Supporting Education Excellence in Kentucky, or SEEK, funding program through an email sent on Jan. 21 saying four similar shortfalls have occurred since fiscal year 2010.
“The SEEK funding program is a formula-driven allocation of state-provided funds to Kentucky’s 171 public school districts,” the release states. “The formula includes a base per-pupil funding allocation, as well as additional funding for transportation costs and the number of students identified for additional services such as special education, free or reduced-price lunch and English language assistance.”
Based on the department’s tentative allocations, Caverna Independent Schools Director of Finance Lisa Austin said the district is to get a bit more than $1.15 million. Finance Director of Barren County Schools Joe Murley wrote the district budgeted roughly $22.6 million. Glasgow schools’ Finance Officer Sandy Moore wrote the tentative general SEEK allocation was $11.36 million.
According to the press release from the department of education, surplus funding in the commonwealth’s budget determines where SEEK funds are transferred once all public schools receive their payments. Last fiscal year, SEEK had a surplus of $156.3 million, which was transferred “to the state general fund as required by the legislature.”
“These shortfall numbers are only estimates now and are subject to change in the upcoming weeks as the department completes final SEEK calculations. State law requires [the department] to complete final SEEK calculations by March 1 of each year,” the release states. “[The department] will provide information to school districts regarding the impact to individual districts as soon as those final calculations are complete.”
The shortfall represents 1.43 percent of the overall $2.7 billion SEEK funding, according to the release.
