Opinion ID: 1756151
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: cola

Text: No cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was added to the foundation-funding amount of $5,400 per student for the 2005-2006 school year. A COLA had been recommended by personnel at the Department of Education and at the Department of Finance and Administration of 1.875%, which would have raised the $5,400 figure by $101 at a cost of $45 million. Though foundation funding did not receive a cost-of-living adjustment, all state employees did receive such an increase, including members of the General Assembly. Various explanations were given to the Masters at the hearings for the failure to add the COLA for 2005-2006:(1) $35,000,000 was provided for the teacher health-insurance fund; (2) the General Assembly lacked sufficient information that would indicate it was warranted; (3) the COLA money was [S]hifted . . . into facilities; and (4) the General Assembly wanted to see how the $380 million in newly appropriated funds for 2004-2005 for K-12 had been spent. The General Assembly had $52 million in the General Improvement Fund, from which thirty-five senators were allotted $750,000 each to fund projects of their choosing.