24 | <strong>July</strong> <strong>2010</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Newspaper</strong> • Lake Travis/Westlake Edition Education CONTINUED FROM | 1 district, for the school district.” This year LTEF awarded $130,000 to teachers in grants to fund a variety of programs, including Lego Mindstorm NXT kits for robotics at Lake Travis Middle School and a Mobile Netbook Wireless Lab at Lake Travis High School to allow students to do research via the Internet. Since the foundation’s establishment in 1985, LTEF has supported LTISD schools with more than $2.4 million in grants and scholarships. About the foundations The first education foundations began about 50 years ago in California and have since spread across the nation. “I think it’s becoming a preferred avenue of funding because so many districts have had mandates put on them or their general operating budget can only stretch so far and they really can’t do innovative programs, or things above and beyond. I think that’s where the education foundations come in,” said Laurie Cromwell, an education foundation consultant for Foundation Innovation, a firm in Buda that works with foundations in Texas, Kansas and Oregon. She said foundations generally fund innovative classroom projects through grants to teachers but sometimes will even fund essentials such as teacher salaries. However, she said she does not advise foundations to assist with dayto-day operations of a district because it is difficult to fund year after year. “[The foundations] can fund any priorities they deem appropriate, but what we tell them is even though you’re an independent organization, you rely on the expertise of the school district or the superintendent to tell you what those needs are,” Cromwell said. While foundations have helped start new programs in districts, Cromwell said she believes districts could make do without foundations. “The money is great—you’re seeing funding from $10,000 up to millions of dollars, but it really is not—percentagewise—impacting your general operating budget. However, the community engagement involvement has become more important than anything,” Cromwell said. How much is being funneled out of the districts? Each year districts are evaluated on their status as Chapter 41, and each Chapter 41 district is affected differently because the state uses a formula to determine the amount a district should be getting versus how much it is getting. The formula is complicated but generally includes two key factors: the number of students in the district and property values within the district. In EISD, for example, more than half of the funds it collects from residential taxes are recaptured by the state. Wally Moore, executive director for Eanes Education Foundation, said the foundation became much more Lake Travis Education Foundation Lake Travis ISD became Chapter 41: 1993 Preliminary cost of recapture 2009-10*: $29,573,388 Foundation established: 1985 Amount foundation has raised to date: $2.4 million+ Education Foundation contact: P.O. Box 340759, Austin, TX 78734 533-6095 • email@laketraviseducationfoundation.org www.laketraviseducationfoundation.org Eanes Education Foundation Eanes ISD became Chapter 41: 1994-1995 Preliminary cost of recapture 2009-10*: $56,184,069 Foundation established: 2004 Amount foundation has raised to date: $3.45 million Education Foundation contact: 601 Camp Craft Road, Austin, TX 78746 732-9065 • eef@eanesisd.net www.eaneseducationfoundation.org involved after the recapture rate for Eanes went above 50 percent. “[Eanes] basically went from having 100 percent of its property taxes to half or less than half, so it’s required major adjustments,” Moore said. “It didn’t happen all in one year, so there’s been some time for those adjustments. Also [state] funding has been capped for several years and expenses continue to go up, so the district continually has to operate less on a per pupil basis.” For the past three years, the EEF has awarded EISD grants between $850,000 and $900,000 to be earmarked for teacher compensation. “I think [Eanes] really does rely on us. The grant we’re able to make is significant and needed while their budget is below the breaking point,” Moore said. And he does not feel like this will soon change. “I don’t believe any other revenue sources will become easier for them. The formula [used in determining how much a district must give back] is not likely to be adjusted in the future,” Moore said. He said community members can get involved with the EEF by learning about school legislation and finance, being advocates of public school funding or through volunteering or donating. The foundation raises funds through an annual campaign, a gala and events throughout the year, receiving about 1,600 cash gifts of varying sizes yearly. “The foundation’s role provides a way for the community that cares about the quality of education at EISD to have an impact through voluntary donations,” Moore said. Eanes ISD agrees the grants are an important funding Leander Excellence in Education Foundation Leander ISD became Chapter 41: 2008-09 Preliminary cost of recapture 2009-10*: $236,526 Foundation established: 2006 Amount foundation has raised through Aug. 31, 2009: $168,085 Education Foundation contact: P.O. Box 358 Cedar Park, TX 78630-0358 www.leanderedfound.org *Source: TEA MENTION COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER AND RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT FOR FIRST TIME STUDENTS WEEK-LONG CAMPS ALL SUMMER! CALL FOR DETAILS! source for education within the district. “Our foundation is an important support for us as we navigate through challenging financial times,” Eanes ISD Superintendent Nola Wellman said. “Challenges include state funding levels being frozen at 2006 levels and a very large portion of our property tax revenue being recaptured by the state. The annual EEF grant supports staff positions and provides flexibility in staffing so that our students’ needs can be served at the highest level possible.” Filling the gap The Leander Excellence in Education Foundation was started four years ago. Although LISD became a Chapter 41 district in the 2008–09 fiscal year and has not been affected as much as LTISD and EISD, it will give $236,526 back to the state, according to TEA, for redistribution for 2009–10. LEEF was able to award innovative grants to teachers for special classroom projects and give need-based book scholarships to high school students enrolled in Austin <strong>Community</strong> College dual-enrollment programs in which students take classes for college credit. The education foundation was also able to fund other programs in the district. “We’re trying to fund that gap between what the state can provide and what the district and community expects out of our school district,” LEEF board President Brian Haullotte said. “In my opinion this is the best charity in town. We’re talking about kids—our own children, our neighbors’ children—and it’s an investment in their future and our future.” Comment at more.impactnews.com/8903
<strong>Community</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Newspaper</strong> • impactnews.com <strong>July</strong> <strong>2010</strong> | 25 7/31/10.
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