October 4, 200718 yr The independent school districts do not have to carry the burden anywhere near the degree nor do they provide the services to a level to encourage retainment of such students.As far as serving the needs of students with disabilities, that's one area in which I'll never let anyone accuse the Ft. Thomas system of falling short. Been there. Done that. Got the sheepskin.
October 4, 200718 yr I believe you are correct. I think the city as a whole is not getting what they thought. They aren't yet directly getting the PILOT payments (PILOT stands for payments in lieu of taxes). PILOT Agreements are typically entered into when real estate is taken off the tax rolls. Since they are off the tax rollls, the city, the state, the school district and the other taxing authorities would receive no payments based on the value of the real estate. Its often necessary to take the project off the tax rolls in order to make a development economically feasible. For those that think the Levee is some great financial home run, I've seen the numbers and its not. And they are accurate numbers. The way the Levee PILOT works is that in the event the developer needs the cash that otherwise would go to the school district to meet its obligations to service the approx 91 million dollars in bonds issued to build the Levee the school district receives nothing. Once that part of the revenue waterfall is no longer needed, then the school district starts getting paid. Keep in mind that the school district isn't "out" a whole lot. The real estate that was there prior to the Levee was a bunch of run down buildings with low assessments and thus generated little real estate tax revenue for the school district. If the Levee had not happened, the district wouldn't be getting much. Also keep in mind that the Levee has generated a lot of additional development (both new and improved) that is on the tax rolls, thus benefitting the school district. My guess is that the amount of increased taxes from the other developments generated by the Levee exceeds that amount of taxes that the district had been getting from the real property that now is the Levee. Perhaps even more important to the school district is the public's perception of Newport. It's no longer considered the seedy city that it was. It's now a destination point. Monmouth Street is improving and a lot (all?) of the former strip clubs are gone. Corporex' Ovations is moving forward and will be better than anything in N. Ky or Cincinnati. The office building Riverfront Place is fully leased up or dang close to it. More and more jobs are coming to Newport. As that continues and Newport's reputation continues to improve, Newport will develop a much bigger middle class. That will help the school district out immensely. If the Levee had not happened, in my opinion (and its a pretty informed opinion), very few of the above stated new developments would have happened and Newport would still be considered the seedy town that it once was. If the Levee contributes nothing other than that to the school district, the school district will still be much better off than it would have otherwise been. And with a greater middle class, I believe that means there will be more parents that are concerned about their kids' education and that will help the CATS scores at Newport (had to get that tie in to the thread topic somehow).
October 4, 200718 yr As far as serving the needs of students with disabilities, that's one area in which I'll never let anyone accuse the Ft. Thomas system of falling short. Been there. Done that. Got the sheepskin. Actually Birdsfan I think you spoke to me about this once before some time ago. Disabilities includes many things and yes, there are issues that do involve your beloved school. Been there. Done that.
October 5, 200718 yr Actually Birdsfan I think you spoke to me about this once before some time ago. Disabilities includes many things and yes, there are issues that do involve your beloved school. Been there. Done that.As I just pointed out in my answer to your PM on this, there are two sides to every "horror" story that one hears. But again, we really do need to focus this thread on CATS testing.
October 5, 200718 yr As I just pointed out in my answer to your PM on this, there are two sides to every "horror" story that one hears. But again, we really do need to focus this thread on CATS testing. Agree with ya there. I wonder why they do not let them take the non-adjusted score? Because it is nonsense that they make them take the adjusted score due to them changing the rules over the summer.
October 5, 200718 yr I believe there is some type of time limit on that. After soo many years Newport will be receiving tax money from them. The tax incentive was to get the business to Newport but it isn't a forever thing. However, there is still alot more businesses in Newport than Ft. Thomas that do pay plenty of taxes. After a while the tax relief should expire, BUT what the owners of the Levee will do is talk about expansion and request continued tax breaks for their expansion and will only talk expansion with tax relief and then the city will cave. Cities are starved for development... For example, the new Ascent Tower in Covington which has, I believe, something close to a million dollar penthouse, and the property tax will only be around .15 cents on the dollar.
October 5, 200718 yr Boy, the nerve of us wanting SOME of our money back. We are underfunded by MILLIONS since this garbage started. According to the KY Post Fort Thomas schools receive $1,523 per pupil less than average state revenue and local taxpayers contribute $1,928 more in local revenue, for a per-pupil imbalance of $3,451 relative to state averages. About 2200 students? That's about 7.6 million per year imbalance. Without reading ahead of the thread...the disparity in the per pupil is likely because of the lack of qulaifiers for Title I funds, because of lack of free and reduced lunch, home/hospital etc... The school districts that are getting drilled are your high growth districts ala Boone County.
October 5, 200718 yr Without reading ahead of the thread...the disparity in the per pupil is likely because of the lack of qulaifiers for Title I funds, because of lack of free and reduced lunch, home/hospital etc... The school districts that are getting drilled are your high growth districts ala Boone County. That is correct. 75 center is taking total amounts from one end to the other without consideration what is actually measured. For example, there is a transportation amount Ft. Thomas does not qualify for but other districts do. When that is added/subtracted against the measured amounts a better balance is determined. Same goes to the above categories you mentioned. They are still hit by SEEK but nowhere near other districts.
October 5, 200718 yr Why should they be judged on something they don't have in measurable numbers? I think the title is NO CHILD Left Behind. It's actual application is except when found beneficial in a measurement loophole.
October 5, 200718 yr Boy, the nerve of us wanting SOME of our money back. We are underfunded by MILLIONS since this garbage started. According to the KY Post Fort Thomas schools receive $1,523 per pupil less than average state revenue and local taxpayers contribute $1,928 more in local revenue, for a per-pupil imbalance of $3,451 relative to state averages. About 2200 students? That's about 7.6 million per year imbalance. You are not comparaing apples to apples...education is not uniform. Many districts get more money because of the kids they have cost their respective districts more to educate them because of the various services they qualify for. In a page back, I linked the 07-08 SEEK Forecast. Boone gets $2,713 per pupil Campbell $3,312.77 Ft Thomas $2,871.88 Kenton $3,254.95 Who is getting shafted? SS, does the state pick up any of the transportation costs? I know some states do not.
October 5, 200718 yr They are still hit by SEEK but nowhere near other districts. Fort Thomas schools receive $1,523 per pupil less than average state revenue, and local taxpayers contribute $1,928 more in local revenue than the state average, for a total per pupil imbalance of $3,451 relative to state averages. Boone County schools receive $1,839 less state revenue and local taxpayers offer an additional $1,455, for a total per pupil deficit of $3,294 relative to state averages.
October 5, 200718 yr I think the title is NO CHILD Left Behind. It's actual application is except when found beneficial in a measurement loophole. :lol:
October 5, 200718 yr Fort Thomas schools receive $1,523 per pupil less than average state revenue, and local taxpayers contribute $1,928 more in local revenue than the state average, for a total per pupil imbalance of $3,451 relative to state averages. Boone County schools receive $1,839 less state revenue and local taxpayers offer an additional $1,455, for a total per pupil deficit of $3,294 relative to state averages. Your calculation is the very reason why the state funding was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.
October 5, 200718 yr Your calculation is the very reason why the state funding was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.And there's the problem! SEEK is based on property values. It's not about services offered, or different kinds of students served. As property values go up, state contributions go down. At the same time, state law prohibits tax increases of more than 4%. So, if values go up 10%, your schools lose 6%. It's as simple as that.
October 5, 200718 yr Fort Thomas schools receive $1,523 per pupil less than average state revenue, and local taxpayers contribute $1,928 more in local revenue than the state average, for a total per pupil imbalance of $3,451 relative to state averages. Boone County schools receive $1,839 less state revenue and local taxpayers offer an additional $1,455, for a total per pupil deficit of $3,294 relative to state averages. Will make this easy for apples to apples. Boone Final Seek 2,713.14 less transportation 371.28 less at risk 123.95 NET SEEK AMOUNT 2,217.91 2,100.46 State adjustment due to local effort Kenton Final Seek 3,254.95 less transportation 407.92 less at risk 152.55 NET SEEK AMOUNT 2,694.48 1,833.20 state adjustment due to local effort Campbell Final Seek 3,312.77 less transportation 559.13 less at risk 146.26 NET SEEK AMOUNT 2,607.38 2,082.61 state adjustment due to local effort Beechwood Final Seek 2,871.88 less transportation 20.29 less at risk 56.28 NET SEEK AMOUNT 2,795.31 1,546.25 state adjustment due to local effort Ft. Thomas Final Seek 2,734.76 less transportation 3.25 less at risk 36.12 NET SEEK AMOUNT 2,695.39 1,741.53 state adjustment due to local effort The deductions allow for a better picture what the above districts receive to educate in the classroom. The state adjustments due to local effort is the amount the state deducts from the district due to money raised within the district locally. As stated, Ft. Thomas is hit but not as bad as others.
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.