“Houston, Maybe we DO Have Problem:" Is This Best we can do in Rockwood?

Rockwood School District’s (RSD) Proposition S will be decided on April 2.

I attended an information session Wednesday at Lafayette High School in Wildwood, where RSD presented their case. Testimony was presented from school representatives, and highlights were that Prop S includes fixing the sinking floor of an entire wing of Ellisville Elementary (built in 1938), resulting in structure issues, among other problems. We also learned a classroom’s handicapped children must exit to outdoors to re-enter the cafeteria, because it is not compliant with the American Disabilities Act.

I heard, but have also seen myself, that Chesterfield Elementary has a tiny library that needs upgrading, and that they are continually, and I mean continually, regluing the hallway floor tiles back into place.

If voters really understood what passage of Prop S means to our children, including the technology spend, there would not be such vehement opposition among some.

Some who call for its defeat say the approximately $18 million remaining available in the budget should be used to cover a portion of proposed work. What I learned was sobering. Because tax receipts are down, we know the board made deep cuts to its operating budget across RSD. But some programs they did not want to cut, and also wanted to limit impact to certain budgets, so they drew a line.

This will result in a deficit in the operations budget, with the $18 million plugging that gap, with the expectation that an improving economy will, in two to three years, provide a sustainable fix.

If Prop S fails, the $18 million will, of necessity, go toward the minimum amount of facility maintenance that must be performed, requiring these additional cuts. Lafayette High's Principal, Mr. Shaughnessy, told the crowd that each school administrator has a list of further cuts that will begin to be made, if Prop S fails. 

Some question the timing of the Prop S ballot, saying they support it, but not at this time. Well, before the hue and cry, this would have been its best shot. Arcane state law requires 57 percent approval to pass on April 2, while requiring 66 percent approval next November. Recognize that the last ballot failed to pass despite a “yes” vote majority, include the currently beneficial interest rates, add the backlog of needed work and the desire to begin drawing on the $18 million to help the budget later in the year, and we then understand the April 2 ballot date.

Separately, I am not optimistic that if Prop S fails on Tuesday, it will pass in November.

Readers may be shocked to learn RSD teacher salaries are in the lower third of the 22 county districts, and we have one of the worst student-to-teacher ratios. And the administrators have it even worse, where their salaries rank 21, just ahead of a failing school district, and their ratio to students is thin, at 20th.

RSD spending per child is below the county average, and is well below our neighbor, Parkway (~$8.6K versus $12K). See graphic on this page and earlier Letter to the Editor.

Some have suggested that if the Prop. S bond fails on Tuesday, we could just put another bond issue on the ballot in November. Others, who seem to relish attacking the school board, say that district money was "wasted" by including Prop. S in the April ballot and the district should wait until November. But it is not that simple.  

Here are the associated costs and consequences of an April versus November scheduling of the bond issue vote:  RSD just paid approximately $38,000 to have the Board of Education elections and Prop. S Bond Issue placed on the April 2 ballot, where the bond needs a 57.14 percent majority to pass. RSD was already required to pay this amount because of the Board elections (RSD does not pay more to add a bond levy).  

If RSD puts a bond issue on the November ballot, it would cost us roughly $103,000 and require a 2/3 (66 percent) majority to pass, a higher hurdle. So ask yourself if these arguments to schedule the bond issue vote in November are based on saving money, or attempts to manipulate that are aimed at making it more difficult to pass.  

Decide with your vote on Tuesday.

Sincerely,

Artie Romero
Chesterfield