The following are summaries of governors’ budget requests for precollegiate education and highlights of proposals that rank high on the states’ education agendas.
ALABAMA
Governor: Guy Hunt (R)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $6.1 billion
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $1.7 billion
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $1.7 billion
Percent change K-12 budget: No change
Highlights:
Governor has proposed a sweeping education-reform package that includes intradistrict school choice, alternative teacher certification, a core curriculum, greater school-based decisionmaking, and lengthening the school year by four days.
Governor also has ordered a 6.5 percent reduction in state aid to schools, or about $159.4 million, deepening an across-the-board 3.72 percent proration ordered in January.
RHODE ISLAND
Governor: Bruce Sundlun (D)
FY 1992 proposed state budget: $1.4 billion
FY 1992 proposed K-12 budget: $284 million
FY 1991 K-12 budget: $337 million
Percent change K-12 budget: -15.6
Highlights:
Governor has proposed consolidating state’s 37 school districts into no more than 6. The proposal also calls for implementation of site-based management.
Also seeking to allow districts to ignore state and local mandates for a single year as a cost-saving measure.
In addition to deep cuts in public-school funding, budget seeks cuts in private-school aid.
Legislature is considering giving districts the option of using Channel One, the commercial-supported television-news program for students, which is currently prohibited in state schools.
