OKLAHOMA CITY - State Superintendent Sandy Garrett announced Wednesday that all Oklahoma school districts have been sent their mid-term funding adjustment notices for the current school year. The notices indicate the total amount of State Aid (commonly referred to as formula funding)districts will receive for the current school year, and are based in part on their 2008-2009 enrollment.

Most Grady County Schools will receive an increase in funds, with Amber-Pocasset Schools receiving the greatest increase at 7.82 percent or $84,988.

Other increases include Verden Schools with a 5.23 percent increase, or $43,502, Tuttle Schools with an increase of 4.72 percent or $195,083 and Pioneer Schools with an increase of 4.47 percent or $58,632.Chickasha schools will receive an increase of 0.94 percent which translates into an increase in funds of $73,520.

“Basically, we will try to build our carryover with the funds,” said Chickasha Schools Superintendent Jim Glaze.

“Right now, it’s $300,000, which is low for a school district our size. Mid-term is hard to forecast and depends on other school’s numbers. But it’s nice, we’re happy with the mid-term, it’s the first time it’s been up in the last four years,” he said.

Despite the increased mid-term allotment, Glaze said his school district is looking at restricting some of its operations next semester.

“The state has $310 million less to spend and a lot of people will be taking cuts. I’m sure education will be one area to take cuts next year, so we are trying to prepare for that,” said Glaze.

Grady County Schools whose numbers went down instead of up include Friend Schools with a -1.69 percent decrease, or a loss of $13,531, Ninnekah Schools with a -0.98 percent decrease or a $11,766 loss and Rush Springs with a -0.01 percent decrease or a loss of $144.School officials from those districts could not be reached because schools are still closed for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Funding allocation notices are provided to school districts twice a year, in July and late December. The July notice projects what a district will receive based on data from the previous school year. The December notice 'adjusts' the allocation based on the district's current-year enrollment and other data collections submitted to the agency from the first nine weeks of the school year. State Aid is distributed to schools according to state law in 11 monthly deposits.

Funding is based on what the Legislature appropriates to schools through a school funding formula based primarily on student population. By law, funding for a district also is impacted by other factors, including local economic growth or decline and property tax settlements and disputes.

Garrett said, "Statewide, schools are operating under a standstill education appropriation despite steady increases in student enrollment and inflationary operational costs.Fortunately, we've been given no indication that proration (across-the-board cuts) will be necessary during the spring semester, though we are monitoring revenue collections and the state's economy closely.

"Operational cost increases include rising health care premiums as state law mandates school districts pay 100 percent of the premium for single coverage for teachers and support staff.

The state has been informed that single coverage premiums will increase 13 percent effective January 1, which is a $9.1 million cost to school districts. As such, the State Board of Education has requested supplemental funding from the Legislature for the current school year for schools.