New Directors Workshop

David Lipscomb UniversityJanuary 15, 2014

Understanding the BEP

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BEP History and Explanation

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History of the BEP

1977 – Enactment of the Tennessee Foundation Program, a funding formula that increased state contribution and used local property values to determine a county’s ability to pay

Late 1980’s – study of Tennessee Foundation Program State Board of Education began working with various

groups to reform education funding TFP appropriations were approximately $900 million Weaknesses in the TFP

• Inadequate• No adjustment for inflation• Targeted “formula” – inflexible funding• Insignificant amount of funding resulting from consideration of

local ability to pay

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History of the BEP

1988 – 77 small school systems sued the state, claiming TN’s funding formula was inequitable. TN Supreme Court agreed and ordered the state to develop a plan to correct the school funding program.

1992 – passage of the Education Improvement Act (EIA), which implemented a new funding formula, called the Basic Education Program• Funding mechanism with components necessary for funding a

“basic” education• No “targeted” funding• Funding is flexible; BEP is a funding formula, not a spending plan• Formula considers local ability to pay at a more significant level

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BEP Components (45) Instructional

• Regular Education• Vocational Education• Special Education• Elementary & Secondary Guidance• Elementary Art, Music and Physical Education• Elementary & Secondary Librarians• ELL Instructors and Translators• Principals• Elementary and Secondary Assistant Principals• System-wide Supervisors (Regular, Special & Vocational Education)• Special Education Assessment Personnel• Social Workers & Psychologists• Staff Benefits & Insurance

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BEP Components Classroom

• K-12 At-risk Class Size Reduction• Duty-free Lunch• Textbooks• Classroom Materials & Supplies• Instructional Equipment• Classroom Related Travel• Vocational Center Transportation• Technology• Nurses• Assistants (Instructional, Special Education & Library)• Staff Benefits & Insurance• Substitute Teachers• Alternative Schools• Exit Exams

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BEP Components

Non-classroom• Superintendent• System Secretarial Support• Technology Coordinators• School Secretaries• Maintenance & Operations• Custodians• Non-instructional Equipment• Pupil Transportation• Staff Benefits & Insurance• Capital Outlay

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How Does the BEP Work?

Two Separate Parts:• Funding – Department of Education determines need.

• Equalization – based on Local Ability to Pay or Fiscal Capacity– Fiscal Capacity Indices provided by:»Tennessee Advisory Commission on

Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR)»UT Center for Business and Economic Research

(CBER)

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Determining Need - ADMs

ADMs (average daily membership) drive the Formula – funded on prior year’s ADMs.

ADMs generate:• Positions – teachers, supervisors, assistants• Funding dollars – ADMs are multiplied by a Unit Cost for

supplies, equipment, textbooks, travel, capital outlay, etc.

Funding months and weighting• Month 2 – 12.5% Month 6 – 35%• Month 3 – 17.5% Month 7 – 35%

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Unit Costs – source and calculation

Equipment, supplies, travel, substitute teachers • 3 year average• Average is inflated up two years

Textbooks• 3 year average• Average is inflated up one year

Alternative Schools, Duty Free Lunch, Maintenance & Operations• Prior year value is inflated up one year

Capital Outlay• Square footage cost obtained from RS Means publication• Formula – each ADM generates square footage, multiplied by a cost, then

amortized to arrive at a yearly cost• Includes architect fees and equipment

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Cost Differential Factor (CDF)

Used to adjust BEP funding in systems where the cost of living in the county is greater than the statewide average

Compares county wages in non-government industries to statewide wages

Counties with above-average wages according to this index receive an increase

Increase is applied to salaries, retirement contributions and FICA contributions

Eliminated in BEP 2.0 Counties receiving an adjustment currently receive 50% of the

calculated CDF

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Fiscal Capacity

CBER Model (new model)• Determines a county’s capacity to raise local revenues for

education from its property and sales tax base.• Each county’s fiscal capacity is the sum of:

– The County’s equalized assessed property plus IDBs multiplied by a statewide average property tax rate for education (1.1583) plus

– The County’s sales tax base multiplied by a statewide sales tax rate for education (1.5570%)

• Each county’s fiscal capacity index is the ratio of its fiscal capacity to the total statewide fiscal capacity

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Fiscal Capacity

TACIR Model (complex multiple-regression model)• Per pupil own-source revenue• Per pupil equalized property assessment• Per pupil taxable sales• Pre capita income• Tax Burden• Service Burden• Additional variables

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CBER Calculation Example

Volunteer County Equalized Assessed Property plus IDBs (3 year average)

$19,130,924,199 Sales Tax Base (3 year average)

$10,702,878,267

Fiscal Capacity = ($19,130,924,199 x 1.1583% + ($10,702,878,267 x 1.5570%)

= $221,593,495 + $166,643,815 = $388,237,310

= $388,237,310 / $2,754,000,000 (state total)

Fiscal Capacity Index (CBER) = 14.10%

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Fiscal Capacity Used in FY 14 BEP

50% of TACIR Model & 50% of CBER Model

Volunteer County Index• (TACIR Capacity Index x 50%) + (CBER Capacity Index x

50%)» (1.83% x 50%) + (1.71% x 50%)» 0.915% + .855%

» = 1.77%

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Equalization

Volunteer County – calculation of state/local instructional shares

Total instructional amount generated by formula X LEA Fiscal Capacity X 1-.70_________________________________________________________

LEA instructional amount generated by formula

= Local Share of Instructional Funding

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Equalization

Volunteer County – calculation of state/local instructional shares

3,388,244,000 X 1.7% X .30 __________________________________ = 39.57% 45,411,000

45,411,000 X 39.57% = 17,967,000 (local share)

45,411,000 X 60.43% = 27,444,000 (state share)

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Maintenance of Effort

Supplanting test used to insure maintenance of local effort

Governed by TCA 49-2-203 and TCA 49-3-314

Budgeted local revenue must be equal to or greater than the previous year’s budgeted amount, unless ADMs have decreased

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3% Fund Balance Test

If budgeted expenditures exceed revenues, LEA must have 3% of operating expenditures in fund balance before budget will be approved by the State.

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Uses of Fund Balance

Governed by TCA 49-3-352(c) Provisions applicable after operating budget is

adopted• . . . Shall be available to offset shortfalls of budgeted

revenues . . .• . . . Shall be available to meet unforeseen increases in

operating expenses

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Uses of Fund Balance

The accumulated fund balance in excess of three percent (3%) of the budgeted annual operating expenses for the current fiscal year may be budgeted and expended for any education purposes but must be recommended by the board of education prior to appropriation by the local legislative body.

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Uses of Fund Balance

In other words, there is no requirement to have 3% of operating expenditures in fund balance – BUT LEAs cannot use fund balance unless the fund balance exceeds 3% of operating expenditures.

If fund balance is in excess of 3% of operating expenditures, then the excess can be used for any education purpose, as long as the use is first approved by the board of education.

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Stability Provision

An LEA is on stability if the total state BEP funds it generates in the current year are less than the total state BEP funds generated the previous year.

Occurs most often due to declining ADMs. Provides a one-year grace period before funding is reduced.

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Mandatory Increase

Allows systems on stability to receive additional funds for state-mandated increases in salary, TCRS contributions or insurance.

Receives mandatory increase amount for each BEP generated position.

Received in addition to stability amount

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For further information . . .

Tennessee Basic Education Program: An Analysis• http://www.comptroller1.state.tn.us/orea/• See legislative brief

State Board of Education• http://www.tn.gov/sbe/bep.html• BEP Blue Book – up to date data on BEP components• Recommendations of BEP Review Committee

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QUESTIONS?

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FRAUD, WASTE or ABUSE

Citizens and agencies are encouraged to report fraud, waste or abuse in State and Local government.

NOTICE: This agency is a recipient of taxpayer funding. If you observe an agency director or employee engaging in any activity which you consider to be illegal, improper or wasteful, please call the state Comptroller’s toll-free

Hotline:

1-800-232-5454

Notifications can also be submitted electronically at:

http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/hotline