Did the Elkhart Community Schools get any of the state budget money?

By Kirk Mason (mason@wsbt.com)

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Elkhart Schools are looking at consolidating bus routes, changing the start time of school or changing student walking zones next year in order to save money. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Jul 6, 2009 at 3:02 PM EST

Story Updated: Jul 6, 2009 at 3:09 PM EST

When Indiana legislatures passed a new state budget last week much was made of how much money certain school districts got over others.

Melissa Nehls of Elkhart has a Good Question: “Did the Elkhart Community Schools get any of the state budget money?"

WSBT’S Kirk Mason looked into it.

How much of the state budget money, if any, is going to the Elkhart Community Schools? Many Indiana lawmakers don’t like complicated state funding, arguing that it leads to great inequity when funding local school districts.

State Representative Craig Fry of Mishawaka sounded off last week after learning that South Bend would receive an extra $1.6 million in funding for 2010 while Mishawaka Schools would see a $39,000 drop.

“Let me tell you about South Bend Schools — they fail at everything," Fry said. "Their school board is a disaster. It’s an embarrassment and it goes right down the line.”

A million dollar budget deficit for Elkhart Community Schools has forced the school district to cut back on busing starting this fall. Elkhart is getting close to a $500,000 increase in state funding for 2010, but almost all of that gain is lost in 2011.

Indiana's projections for funding of school districts across the state are conservative projections. So if the economy turns around and the state takes in more in sales and gas tax, all school districts could see their budgets increase.

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