A $59 million reduction in funding for chartered nonpublic schools means less money to go around for textbooks, technology, remedial instructors and other auxiliary services at Catholic schools across Ohio this fall.
More than 70 percent of the students affected by the cuts in the proposed state budget attend Catholic schools, which will see about a 15 percent reduction in funding from both the Auxiliary Services Program (ASP) and the Administrative Cost Reimbursement Program (ACR).
That amounts to about $140 less per student this year, said Jack Altenburger, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Toledo.
“If you’ve got a school of 1,000 kids, that’s pretty darn significant,” said Mr. Altenburger. “And even a small school with 200 kids … it’s significant for them, a small school, because they have that much less income in tuition and parish subsidy and all that.”
The loss of funding will manifest in a variety of ways, depending on how each school used the money.
Mr. Altenburger explained the ASP program pays for secular textbooks, technology and remedial help personnel such as counselors and speech and hearing therapists. Catholic schools contract with public school employees for these services.
“Probably what will happen is some of these therapists and remedial teachers will have hours cut, and we’ll have the same services but fewer hours, which means there’s a direct impact on services we can provide for kids who need the help,” said Mr. Altenburger.
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“That’s the saddest thing about it all,” he added. “It has a direct impact on kids, because a lot of these services are one-on-one contact with kids — for example, a speech therapist or counselor helping a student.”
The ASP cuts may also mean schools have to delay the purchase of new textbooks or computers, he said.
Mr. Altenburger said the ACR funding differs from the ASP funding in that it reimburses schools directly for services mandated by the state, such as safety programs. Each Catholic school can then choose how to use that ACR money.
Mr. Altenburger said the 15 percent reduction in ACR funding means schools “have to do one of two things: either find a way to cut expenses, and most of our schools have continually done that, or find new sources of income.”
Since tuition is already set for next year, he said school families should not expect to see a sudden increase.
Instead, schools will likely have to appeal to donors to increase revenue.
“So it will be a combination of tightening of belts and putting things off and appealing to parishioners and donors and benefactors for help to maintain the quality,” said Mr. Altenburger.
Carolyn Jurkowitz, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio (CCO), said the cuts affect about 195,000 students attending nonpublic schools chartered by the Ohio Department of Education, including all Catholic schools and many Christian, Jewish, Islamic and secular private schools.
She estimates a typical elementary school of 350 students will see its state-funded assistance reduced by $50,000, and a typical high school of 800 students will see its assistance reduced by $114,000.
In comparison, Mr. Altenburger noted, the state budget bill made very few cuts in basic aid to public schools.
“If the cuts are to be made in the budget, we understand that, but they should be made equitably, and that’s all we ask for,” said Mr. Altenburger.
“It comes down to what’s fair for kids, in our mind. And we don’t think that this particular budget is being fair across the board to all the kids of the state,” he said.
Even though state legislators have passed the budget bill, Ms. Jurkowitz said people should continue to contact their legislators to express their disappointment.
Mr. Altenburger said school families should ask for “equal treatment” and remind their legislators that chartered nonpublic schools save Ohio taxpayers $2 billion a year.
Catholic schools can also invite their legislators to visit for a tour, he added.
Ms. Jurkowitz noted people in the Diocese of Toledo “did a wonderful job” lobbying their legislators to oppose the budget cuts. “If everybody was as active as the Diocese of Toledo, this might have been a different story,” said Ms. Jurkowitz.
The CCO, the official representative of the Catholic Church in public matters affecting the church and the general welfare of the citizens of Ohio, will lead a push to get the funding restored when the Ohio General Assembly returns from recess this fall.
“We’re not just going to sit back here by any means,” said Ms. Jurkowitz.
Ms. Jurkowitz said 142,700 students attended 432 Catholic elementary, middle and secondary schools in Ohio during the 2008-2009 school year.
In the Diocese of Toledo, 22,648 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade attended 81 Catholic schools.
To find the state legislator who represents your Catholic school, visit www.ohiocathconf.org.
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