GRAVETTE — Schools in Arkansas are mulling the recent ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court which declared several Arkansas school districts, including Eureka Springs, will not have to return extra millage they have received from the state.
Eureka Springs and several schools sued the Arkansas Department of Education after the state agency had initially awarded those districts more than they were entitled to receive.
The lawsuit stems back to the 2010-2011 school year when the Eureka Springs millage income exceeded the $6,023 then allocated to each student by the state. The state claimed the school district had brought in more money than the state allows it to keep. Ramifications of the ruling are now determining how each school district will be affected.
Richard Page, superintendent of Gravette Schools, issued the following explanation concerning the Gravette District:
“Even though the Gravette School District would not be affected directly, it could be affected indirectly by a shortfall of state funding. In the past, districts that had an excess of local funding collected by the 25 mills mandated by the Uniform Rule of Tax Law were required to send the state those funds to be distributed to all public schools. This mechanism assured that all students were given an equitable education and adequate funding. Public schools must have a minimum millage and the state matches the difference to assure all students receive $6,267.
“By allowing districts to hold their excess local dollars, the state will have to make up the difference. The concept of equity among students will be impossible to maintain. Districts with high assessed valuation per pupil willhave greater opportunities where students from other parts of the state will be limited.
“Gravette schools receive approximately $2,633 per student from the state. If the state is not collecting the excess dollars from districts that have high local collections, state funding for schools will need to come from other sources or they may be reduced in the years ahead.
The task to resolve this issue will fall on the legislators this spring as the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the excess local collections staying with the school.”
Gentry School District superintendent Randy Barrett said the Supreme Court ruling would have no immediate impact on funding for the Gentry School District. He said the state guarantees a certain amount of dollars per student and makes up the difference in districts where that amount is not collected through taxes.
News, Pages 13 on 12/19/2012