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South Coast schools get Common Schools Funds
By Hallie Winchell, Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 | No comments posted.
In the largest distribution since 1999, the Oregon Department of Education has distributed $24 million in earnings from the Common School Fund to Oregon's 198 school districts. Out of that hefty chunk of change, South Coast schools received $577,595, or 2 percent.
Last January, ODE distributed roughly $23 million to schools, with the South Coast receiving about $558,742, according to an ODE press release. This year, local schools received an increase of about 3 percent.
The Common School Fund is a part of ODE's state funding formula for schools and helps support districts' annual budgets. A portion of the fund is distributed to districts twice a year, based on the number of children and young people, aged 4 to 20 years old in each county.
The Common School Fund makes a big difference for Oregon's school districts, with every dollar going to help ensure students are successful, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo said in an ODE press release.
“Basically this is part of our state school formula. We have already budgeted this money toward our regular education programs,” said Rod Danielson, business manager at Coos Bay School District. The school received about $4,000 more this year than last, and the increase is always welcome, he added.
According to an ODE press release, the increase contributed to the greater distribution this year.
� was a landmark year for the Common School Fund,” said Louise Solliday, director of the Department of State Lands. “We've seen the greatest annual growth in the fund since 1999.”
Twice yearly, a Common School Fund distribution is made according to a sliding-scale policy based on the annual change in value of the fund. The fund's balance is now more than $1 billion.
The state treasurer, one of three members of the State Land Board and the Oregon Investment Council invest the fund. By law, the funds are dedicated for “support and maintenance of common schools in each school district.”
The lands and resources that finance the Common School Fund include nearly 644,000 acres of rangeland and agricultural land; 500 acres of industrial, commercial, and residential lands; about 133,000 acres of forest land; 800,000 acres of waterways; estates with no known heirs or beneficiaries; and assorted unclaimed properties, such as abandoned funds, accounts, unclaimed checks and safe deposit boxes.
A large part of the forestlands are in the Elliot State Forest, a 93,564-acre forest between the Umpqua and the Coos rivers, in Douglas and Coos counties.
“Any money coming into the district is going to be used by the district for the benefit of students,” said North Bend Superintendent Dr. BJ Hollensteiner. Getting funds contributed to the fund by the Elliot State Forest, back into the community, also is a great feeling, she added.
The state constitution requires the Land Board to manage lands under its care to obtain the greatest benefit for Oregonians - consistent with the conservation of these resources under sound techniques of land management. The agency leases range, agricultural land and waterways for a variety of business activities, investing the earnings to provide widespread profits to Oregon's school districts.
Annual distributions in recent years have fluctuated from $9 million to $45 million, depending on board policies and market conditions.
Last January, ODE distributed roughly $23 million to schools, with the South Coast receiving about $558,742, according to an ODE press release. This year, local schools received an increase of about 3 percent.
The Common School Fund is a part of ODE's state funding formula for schools and helps support districts' annual budgets. A portion of the fund is distributed to districts twice a year, based on the number of children and young people, aged 4 to 20 years old in each county.
The Common School Fund makes a big difference for Oregon's school districts, with every dollar going to help ensure students are successful, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo said in an ODE press release.
“Basically this is part of our state school formula. We have already budgeted this money toward our regular education programs,” said Rod Danielson, business manager at Coos Bay School District. The school received about $4,000 more this year than last, and the increase is always welcome, he added.
According to an ODE press release, the increase contributed to the greater distribution this year.
� was a landmark year for the Common School Fund,” said Louise Solliday, director of the Department of State Lands. “We've seen the greatest annual growth in the fund since 1999.”
Twice yearly, a Common School Fund distribution is made according to a sliding-scale policy based on the annual change in value of the fund. The fund's balance is now more than $1 billion.
The state treasurer, one of three members of the State Land Board and the Oregon Investment Council invest the fund. By law, the funds are dedicated for “support and maintenance of common schools in each school district.”
The lands and resources that finance the Common School Fund include nearly 644,000 acres of rangeland and agricultural land; 500 acres of industrial, commercial, and residential lands; about 133,000 acres of forest land; 800,000 acres of waterways; estates with no known heirs or beneficiaries; and assorted unclaimed properties, such as abandoned funds, accounts, unclaimed checks and safe deposit boxes.
A large part of the forestlands are in the Elliot State Forest, a 93,564-acre forest between the Umpqua and the Coos rivers, in Douglas and Coos counties.
“Any money coming into the district is going to be used by the district for the benefit of students,” said North Bend Superintendent Dr. BJ Hollensteiner. Getting funds contributed to the fund by the Elliot State Forest, back into the community, also is a great feeling, she added.
The state constitution requires the Land Board to manage lands under its care to obtain the greatest benefit for Oregonians - consistent with the conservation of these resources under sound techniques of land management. The agency leases range, agricultural land and waterways for a variety of business activities, investing the earnings to provide widespread profits to Oregon's school districts.
Annual distributions in recent years have fluctuated from $9 million to $45 million, depending on board policies and market conditions.
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