School Board votes against Funding Formula

School Board votes against Funding Formula
Posted on 03/06/2020
School Board votes against Funding Formula

At the latest meeting of The School Board of the City of Portsmouth, a motion to approve a proposed funding formula with the City of Portsmouth was unanimously voted against by the Board in a 0-7 vote (two School Board members absent).

This was the latest in the Board’s public rebuke of the City Council-approved funding formula, which was passed by the City without any support or approval of the Board or any member of the Portsmouth Public Schools administrative team.

City Council voted to approve the formula after just one joint meeting with the School Board and despite a formal request from the Board to defer the vote until the time where both bodies could discuss the formula in depth.

Several School Board members supported putting in place a funding formula in order to cut down the conflict between the two bodies during budget season. However, the formula is projected to provide schools only an additional $500,000 in revenue. Historically, schools have had multi-million dollar requests for additional city funding during the budget cycle for needs such as increases to staff salaries, implementing instructional programs or technology additions. For the 2020-2021 school year alone, administration has requested an additional $1.1 million for division needs.

A copy of the failed resolution will be sent to City Council for their record.
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