(KTNC) - The Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee has been meeting around the state, hearing from people about the formula used to fund K-12 education in the state.
One of the people who testified at the committee’s hearing in Omaha earlier this month was Pawnee City Superintendent Stephen Grizzle.
Grizzle says he had never testified before a legislative panel before. But he says it was important for committee members to hear the perspective of a small school district that relies increasingly less on state aid and more on local property taxes for funding. He says local property tax payers are paying a greater percentage of the district's budget than they did when he became Superintendent five years ago.
Five years ago, he says state aid accounted for 31-percent of the district's budget and property taxes accounted for about the same amount. Today, he says state aid is about 26-percent while property taxes are 48-percent. More than 100 school districts in Nebraska receive no state aid. In that same five years, Grizzle says property valuations have increased by 61-percent in the Pawnee City School District.
Grizzle says it was a good experience to testify before the committee about the need for small school districts in the state to receive state funding.
Grizzle doesn’t foresee the legislature making great changes to the state aid formula in the upcoming session, though he says they may make some minor tweaks to the formula.
Grizzle says committee members asked him whether he thought Pawnee City taxpayers would support a levy for the district’s Early Childhood pre-school program. He says the district’s Early Childhood program has been self-funded for the last two or three years, so he felt they would support the program.
© MSC News
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Holton man receives Hard 25 sentence for child sex crime
Horton man arrested following weekend shooting
Horton woman arrested on drug charges
Hiawatha man facing sex, drug charges waives prelim hearing
Train strikes walking man in Jackson Co; victim survives
Two arrested Thursday in Jackson Co on meth-related charges
Power outage leads to early school dismissal
Hiawatha airport project approved
Inmate dies at Lansing Correctional Facility
Vacancy filled on USD 115 board
MO grass fire battled Thursday
Community Healthcare System hires new CEO
Falls City School Board approves personnel moves and purchases
Valley Falls' future set for Wednesday eve discussion
PBPN breaks ground for new business
Sheriff issues safety reminder
Mound City Mayor Duane Nauman remembered
USD 415 board approves bids for new HS stadium lights
Johnson-Brock School not able to accept all option-in requests
LATEST STORIES
Lancaster, County, plan weekend clean up
Effingham awarded water-related grant
Brown Co Planning Commission established
Atchison firefighter receives VFW honors
Highway 73 near Verdon NE reopened
Mound City Mayor Duane Nauman remembered
Sheriff provides updated to Richardson County Board
RELATED STORIES
Mayor's choice for council fails vote
Neb Gov seeking nominations for legislative vacancies
Fire At Pawnee City Subway Restaurant
Future Improvements Meeting To Be Held in Pawnee City
Pawnee City Pool Project Time Line Updated
Grant Funds To Aid Pawnee City Business
Pawnee City Sales Tax Increase Readied