The Davenport School Board has decided to join Superintendent Art Tate "out on a limb," and ask permission from the state to spend more money than allowed by law. Monday night it unanimously approved his recommendation to apply to the Iowa School Budget Review Committee.
Tate will ask to spend an additional $1.6 million, for the fiscal year that ended last June.
"We actually overspent it by $4 million because what we are telling the state is I took $2.7 million out of the reserves - that's the amount I feel they owe us - it's $175 per student. So I took that amount out and then even beyond that we need to find the other $11.6 million."
He says it's unfair that many neighboring school districts can spend $175 more per student than Davenport, using a school funding formula that's 40 years old.
Doctor Tate says the school budget review committee understands the situation, but says only the Iowa legislature has the power to change the formula.
"We've presented bills in two legislative sessions - last year and the year before - and have not been successful. We're just going to keep trying."
The Iowa School Budget Review Committee is scheduled to meet next month.
Meanwhile he's continuing to reduce spending, saying it's necessary even if the state eventually raises the authorized spending levels for his district.
