School Board Opts Out of Federal Education Funding Program

January 6, 2010

The La Crosse School District’s race to the top ended Monday when the school board voted against signing papers needed to continue its eligibility for the federal education funding.

The board’s move means La Crosse will forego any potential share of more than $4 billion in federal grants under the Race to the Top program.

"Without signing, we’re totally out of t he picture. We have no chance of getting any money now," board treasurer Connie Troyanek said.

"All it was is a memo of understanding. It bind(ed) us to nothing, but without signing we don’t get anything. We don’t have a chance."

The decision will cost the district an estimated $60 per pupil, or $420,000, plus the ability to apply for $19 million in grants if Wisconsin is chosen to receive its share of funding, Superintendent Jerry Kember said Tuesday.

District administrators recommended the board sign the document "knowing we had the opportunity to opt out later in the process," Kember said.

Gov. Jim Doyle had asked that school boards, superintendents and local education associations sign his application for funding.

But several board members were critical of the federal education program’s criteria, its looming deadline this month and future financing. Neil Duresky’s motion to not sign the Race to the Top memorandum of understanding passed, 5-2.

"There are too many negative conditions and too much political red tape," said board member Dave Rudolph, who supported the motion along with vice president Deb Suchla, Steve Kopp and Ken French.

Troyanek and board clerk Mary Larson voted against the motion. Board president Chris Clair and Tom Thompson were absent.

"I voted against it because I saw what happened with the No Child Left Behind Act, when a 700-page bill was voted on essentially in the dark of night," Duresky said.

"There were a lot of unintended consequences and ramifications that school districts didn’t expect and are still dealing with. This (Race to the Top) is based on conditions we don’t even know exist yet."

Duresky also expressed concern that after Race to the Top’s first four years end, the school district could be left with unfunded mandates that need to be supported with local tax dollars.

"I’m just leery of taking federal dollars when there are unknown strings attached," he said, adding "the United States Constitution leaves education to the states and I think the federal government has been meddling too much."

The Bangor School Board will consider the Race to the Top memorandum tonight, while Holmen and Onalaska have it on their Jan. 11 agendas.