School and state leaders still making public school funding a priority

Supt.

Michele Starkey protested with her teachers at the Red for Ed Rally last November.

Despite the challenges coronavirus has caused, the fight for education funding isn't over.

Holcomb announced in june that public school funding wouldn't be cut in the upcoming budget session.

However many schools now have to figure out the extra financial burdens of reopening during a pandemic.

News 18's anna darling talked with school and state leaders to understand where we are at in the fight for school funding.

"now you lay awake all night long thinking of things that you have no control over but need to have se control over" control over reopening logansport community schools in the middle of a pandemic.

Superintendent michele starkey says it's not easy.

"there are so many unknowns in what we are dealing with right now that it's extremely stressful" starkey joined her teachers in indianapolis back in november for the red for ed rally.

"i think it's important to show our kids that we are standing up for something we believe in" the biggest demand teachers had at the rally was increased funding.

Something governor holcomb promise would happen next year in the 2021 budget session.

But no one could predict the coronavirus pandemic or the devastating toll it would have.

"because of the virus, we are about a billion and a half behind on projections and as we all know we are a long ways from seeing the end of this tunnel" state senator ron alting advocated for finding ways to get teachers funding in the 2020 legislative session.

Efforts that were ultimately unsuccessful.

"i'm a big believer that you do something while you've got it because you don't know when you're going to lose it.

The majority felt otherwise, paid down some capital debts, which is also a good idea.

My vote was to go the other way, keep the capital debt at that time and reward teachers."

Lcsc did receive cares act money.

But that won't be enough to cover all the new coronavirus safety costs.

"hand sanitizer, the cleaning tools, extra hours that are going to be needed to do the sanitization" superintendent starkey says things may be paused for now, but their fight isn't over.

"we can't lose site of where we need go and what we need to do for public education" anna darling news 18 logansport's school board will be voting on its reopening plan on monday.

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