EFAB

James Berthold, Superintendent of Cambridge CUSD #227

My name is Jim Berthold. I am superintendent of Cambridge CUSD #227. Cambridge is located about 30 miles east and south of the Quad Cities. We are a small rural district of approximately 590 students. Funding is a major concern for us.        

Our EAV has gone from $30.6 million in 1982, down to $20.2 million in 1992, and up to $37.0 million in 200 1. The growth in our EAV should slow dramatically since farmland assessments will begin to decline with this year's levy. 

Our student population has declined from 700 students in 1995 to under 600 students this year.        

Due to the increases in our EAV and declines in our ADA, we are one of several hundred districts that receive hold harmless payments. Last year our hold harmless payment was over $70,000, this year over $200,000, and would likely be over $300,000 next year if hold harmless is still around.        

We cannot cut expenditures nor raise taxes enough to cover the shortfall that would occur if hold harmless were completely eliminated.         

Although the fact that Cambridge Schools receive hold harmless payments seems to imply that we are inefficient and spending more per student than we should, quite the opposite is true. Our per capita tuition is $4747 vs. $5537 for unit districts statewide and $6059 for all districts statewide. We are in fact a rather frugal district.        

Senator Hawkinson and Representatives Moffit and Leitch have formed an education task force composed of interested parties to look at funding problems of Senate District 47 schools and to make concrete recommendations back to the three District 47 legislators. The areas of concern that were our top priorities were:

  1. the foundation level - should reflect the increases in cost of educating students 
  2. the poverty grant - should be available for students regardless of the percentage of poverty in the school 
  3. special education funding - the state needs to shoulder a higher        percentage of the cost of special education 
  4. hold harmless - needs to be phased out but only as the state provides adequate funding of the foundation level, poverty grant, and special education 
CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT #227
ASSUMPTIONS
% OF TOTAL ENROLLMENT
TOTAL ENROLLMENT 572
SPECIAL EDUCATION ENROLLMENT
RESOURCE 51   8.92%
OTHER (FULL DAY) 20
TOTAL 71 12.41%
EDUCATION FUND COSTS (EXCLUDING GRANTS, FOOD SERVICE, SPECIAL ED, & OTHER REIMBURSED EXPENDITURES) $2,424,450
REVENUE
SPECIAL ED LEVY (LOCAL) $14,800
PRIVATE FACILITY (STATE) $14,000
EXTRAORDINARY (STATE) $3,900
SPECIAL ED PERSONNEL (STATE) $42,000
SPECIAL ED ORPHANAGE (STATE) $5,600
SPECIAL ED SUMMER SCHOOL (STATE) $6,000
GENERAL STATE AID ($1627800*.1241) $202,010
TOTAL $288,310
EXPENDITURES
LOCAL SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS $148,300
SPECIAL ED COOPERATIVE $164,296
SPECIAL ED PRIVATE FACILITY $23,800
REGULAR PROGRAMS IN WHICH SPECIAL ED STUDENTS PARTICIPATE ($2424450*.0892) $216,261
TOTAL $552,657
In 1983 personnel reimbursement was $8,000 per special education teacher, which was approximately 33% of the average teacher's salary.

In 2000 personnel reimbursement is $8,000 per special education teachers, which is approximately 17% of the average teacher's salary today.