A Note on the School Budget

It seems long ago that the school budget was a matter of community interest or notice in the newspapers. I am also guilty of not paying attention any more and not reporting on salient points of the budget. One thing to keep in mind is that after 15 years of a fixed tax levy, in 2008 Plainfield and other "Abbott" districts were called on to contribute more locally. The Plainfield district was getting about 20 percent from local property owners and 80 percent in state funding, the reverse of most suburban districts. The plan to level the balance began with modest increases at the local level, which voters rejected but the state was mandated to restore.

Click here to read a 2010 Plaintalker post on the subject.

Before deeming it too much of a burden to try to blog comprehensively on the school board as well as municipal government and land use boards, Plaintalker tried to track trends in charter school funding, enrollment patterns and other major changes. Maria also followed district actions closely for a long time, and for a while there was a flurry of new blogs on education..

Plaintalker's last big effort.was following the Gallon saga. The new superintendent has received very little press notice, although the district web site makes up in part for the lack of outside attention. Is there anyone out there who wants to try to cover the school district?

--Bernice