Arkansas Blog

Good. I think the rest of the state has paid enough to an area of the state that has more money than the rest. Raise your sales tax to 10% like many towns and pay for it.

By God, good for the AG! Just venture outside the confines of Pulaski County and ask people how they feel about this.

ARK. BLOG: Re my comment about "red meat." Allow me an "I told you so."

The responses to points 8 & 9 are two of the best birthday presents I've ever received!

"Political red meat" or not, what else COULD the AG's office say? Hope IS fading with the passage of time. Why HASN'T the LRSD provided the required fiscal plan that falls within the parameters set by the General Assembly in Act 395? The LRSD board majority and its administration appear to be sitting on their hands doing nothing but watching as a once proud school district nears the point of implosion. Obviously, they're in way over their heads.

JUST CURIOUS FOR ALL YOU BRILLIANT LEGAL MINDS OUT THERE. CAN ANY OF YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONEY PAID TO THE STATE IN TAXES FOR SCHOOL EXPENDITURES, ETC. THAT THE PARENTS OF THE PRIVATE, PAROCHIAL, AND CHURCH SCHOOLS PAY, IN ADDITION TO THE TUITION AND OTHER EXPENSES (ALL OF THEM) FOR THEIR CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT USING THE TAX MONEY THEY PAY TO THE STATE. WHATS THE DEAL HERE. WHERE DOES IT GO. WHO USES IT.
WHY DONT THEY GET A STATE REFUND. THIS IS MADNESS. AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS, ETC. EATING UP STUDENTS AND THE MONEY THEY BRING IN FROM TAXATION... WELL ITS STILL THERE AND STILL BEING PAID, THEIR KIDS JUST ARE BEING ABLE TO USE ANY OF IT.. EVEN AFTER PAYING THRU THE NOSE . NO SPECIAL TESTING/ OH NO. THAT HAS TO BE PAID BY THE PARENTS. EVEN THO TAXES HAVE BEEN PAID BY THEM TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF SAME. WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS TREATMENT. WHO WOULD BE SAFE IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL ANYWAY.. NOT NEAR ENOUGH SECURITY.. JUST MAKE SURE THE FEDS PAY FOR THE MEALS.

L.A. - taxpayer's ad valorem (property) tax goes to the public school district. Charter schools are not legally considered "districts", but LEAs, so their students get none of the ad valorem tax, just like the private schools don't. It is not allocated on a per-pupil basis. The same for county turn back monies, state payments for desegregation, additional state funding for "phantom" students, etc. We, as citizen, are required by our state constitution to provide a system of public education.

State funding to schools IS allocated on a per pupil basis. So, in a perverse way, you are almost on target on one point. When a student is educated in a private school or a home school, or a charter school, the local district loses the state foundation aid with the loss of the student, but they retain all other funding even with the loss of the student. In a way, the more students they lose, the more money is available, per pupil, for the remaining students.

"In a way, the more students they lose, the more money is available, per pupil, for the remaining students."

But the loss of the per-pupil support surely is much greater. Losing students means losing the lion's share of what it takes to educate students. It's my understanding that most of the other state support, including desegregation payments, are to fund specific programs and can't be used to support the general educational enterprise.

As the LRSD continues to lose students, they continue to lose the limited resources they need to keep the operation functioning. It looks as if the LRSD may become a "specialty" district, serving only students who have no other options. The snowball headed down hill a long time ago. I wish that it could be stopped, but I have little hope at this point.

RE "I told you so"..........what an ass