Message From the
Superintendent -
November 6, 2009
Two
weeks ago, I reported to you the original State School Aid bill that was passed
by our legislators cut our district $165 per student. Then within the next
week's time, the Governor line-item vetoed our 20j categorical of $280 per
student and then, issued a proration reduction of an additional $127 per
student. Added together, Novi will experience a budget cut of $572 per student
this year or $3.5 million this year. I told the Governor then, "our parents and
staff were very angry and frustrated over the lack of cooperation and inability
of our legislators to work together to come up with a school funding solution
and that the cuts need to be restored. It puts Michigan in a negative light and
wrongly uses our children in the political process." She indicated, "the $127
per student proration and the $280 (20j) per student reduction could be rolled
back in the next 30 days if revenues were used to replace the cuts." While
legislators are currently working on this issue, (yesterday the House put forth
a bill to reduce the $127 and cut the 20j categorical in half) we must continue
to let our legislators know the cuts are unacceptable and must be restored. It
is unfortunate the children of Michigan are caught in the middle of
our legislators' lack of coming up with a short term and long term
solution. Our legislators in Lansing must fix the structural issues of school
funding in Michigan. Again, I will reiterate, these cuts are unacceptable and
poorly timed for the students of Novi and the children of Michigan.
A group of educational leaders throughout the
State have formed a group called "SOS" which stands for "Save Our Students,
Schools, State."
SOS! was
established by the Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA),
Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB), and Michigan School Business
Officials (MSBO), as a vehicle to assist schools in dealing with the funding
crisis, and create solutions within the legislative process. Many school
organizations are joining this effort. If you are interested in getting
involved, please
email Novi Meadows
Elementary parent Mrs. Maria Mazza at
mariamazza@earthlink.net.
I encourage each of you to contact our
38th District State Representative, Hugh Crawford, (517.373.0827) or (HughCrawford@house.mi.gov);
Senator, Nancy Cassis, (517.373.1758) or (senncassis@senate.michigan.gov);
and the Governor, Jennifer Granholm, (517.373.3400) or wilburc@michigan.gov and
demand that education in Michigan have the highest priority and be adequately
funded.
Points to consider: 1.) Targeting the highest
achieving districts in the state will hurt our students, not help them. 2.)
Targeting our highest achieving students will hurt our State's economic
recovery, not help it. 3.) Using our schoolchildren as political pressure is
unacceptable. 4.) The leaders of tomorrow will be coming from adequately funded
school districts. Reducing funding will quickly erode the quality of our schools
in Michigan. This is exactly what we can't afford to let happen in Michigan.
There is a cost to quality education! 5.) Give your own personal reasons.
The Novi Board of Education and staff is determined, as
a school district, to continue the high quality of education and instructional
values you cherish the most. We will continue to seek cost reductions,
alternative revenue sources, and political solutions to ensure the quality of
education in Novi that meets your expectations.