By Linda Kor During Tuesday’s meeting of the Holbrook Unified School District Governing Board, Superintendent Robbie Koerperich addressed the board regarding a serious issue under consideration by lawmakers to reduce and eventually eliminate desegregation funding. Dr. Koerperich told the board that the funding is critical to Holbrook schools, as well as 18 other districts in the state that use those funds to provide education to low income and minority students. The funding is provided through property taxes, and for Holbrook schools it would amount to a $2.5 million loss over five years if it is removed. The total funding serves 246,384 students in all 19 districts, and would create a loss of $211 million for those schools. “This would be devastating for us. Those funds provide for 18 teachers, technology in the classrooms and professional development,” explained Koerperich when discussing the impact to the district following the meeting. He clarified that funds provided by Proposition 123, the $3.5 billion education funding package going before the voters in November, would not compensate for the loss and was not intended to. “I hope this is not being viewed in the sense of give a little and take more away. This is funded by property taxes and not part of the state budget, so I feel there is an overreach taking place,” stated Koerperich. He explained that these funds are crucial in assisting students who are English language learners to succeed in school. He said those funds are the reason that the district has an 86 percent graduation rate for Native American students and a 92 percent graduation rate for Hispanic students, more than 20 percent higher than the state average in both instances. The funds were initiated in 2009 for schools to improve education accessibility for students enrolled in less affluent districts, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities for success. SB 1125 would reduce desegregation funding and force districts to go to voters to approve budget overrides, which are funded by local property taxes, instead of receiving desegregation funding. Another bill targeting desegregation funding is House Bill 2401, which would reduce and eliminate desegregation funding in five to 10 years. SB 1125 and HB 2401 went before the Arizona Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday for consideration. In other business Feb. 9, the board: * Authorized the signing of a letter of declaration for a line of credit with Wells Fargo as presented. * Approved the extra duty job descriptions for the positions of network administrator, Computer Specialist I and Computer Specialist II. * Approved out of state travel for Mike McClellan and Jeff Meeks to attend the Utah Career Fair from March 14-17; and for Robbie Koerperich, Lance Phaturos and Jeri McKinnon to attend the Oregon Job Fair from April 5-7. * Held the first readings of revisions to the policies pertaining to Post Retirement Employment Option (PREO) outlining post-retirement benefits for certified and support staff members. * Approved the continuation of current policies pertaining to community use of school facilities. * Approved the 2016-17 school calendars. * Approved the Arizona Mutual Aid Compact with Navajo County Emergency Management. * Approved the support staff employment of Kim Livingston as Holbrook Junior High School and Holbrook High School attendance receptionist; Kylie Koerperich, special education substitute aide and daycare substitute; Danielle Larsen, student bus monitor; Ciara Brown, assistant daycare; Meagan Newton-Pender, HHS assistant softball coach; Brandon O’Dell, HHS assistant track coach; Sheila Chee, substitute cafeteria worker; Ed Heward and Jesse McPherson, Internet student technicians; and Markos Serna, night bus monitor. * Approved the support staff retirement and return to employment of Stanley Chester as maintenance personnel. * Approved the certified employment of Kathleen Mendes, Debbie Wehrman, Cathy Luke, Twyla Taylor and Kylie Koerperich as substitute teachers; and Gypsi Gover, Indian Wells Elementary School kindergarten teacher. * Approved extra duty for Beth Plumb and Dawn Turley as HHS game help; Jennifer Oldham and Loren Silver, HJHS game help; Victor Paz, Paul Demuth and Loriel Beck, HJHS officials; Cary Simpson, HHS special education long-term suspension; Linda Best, substitute school secretary; Delmar Johnson, HHS assistant softball coach; Paul Demuth, HHS head track coach; and Brady Pond, Park Elementary School English Language Learner tutor. * Approved volunteers Alex Baldonado and Jacob Baker for HHS baseball. * Authorized donations of a Gardens for Learning teacher manual, one fruit and vegetable matching card game, a Success with School and Community Gardens book, one set of vegetable posters, two AZ specialty crop guides and 10 seed packets to Park Elementary School; a Billion Mile Race Grant in the amount of $500 to Park School; and Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign funds in the amount of $19.23 to the district donor fund. * Approved professional leave for Sarah Meeks to attend the Arizona Music Educators Conference scheduled Jan. 29 and 30 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $400.26; Jacob Boyle, Teri Tafoya and Deb Warner, Student Attendance Workshop, Feb. 9 in Flagstaff at an estimated cost of $360, plus the use of a district vehicle; Sylvia Jackson, Loren Silver and Arletta Nez, Teachings from the Male Perspective, Jan. 20 in Tuba City at an estimated cost of $650, plus the use of a district vehicle; Cindy Percy, Community Mass Care and Emergency Assistance, Jan. 27 and 28 in Show Low at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; and Cindy Percy, Tradition Meets New Knowledge, Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Tucson at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle. Also, Robin Stradling and Cindy Percy, Emergency Management, Jan. 27 in Show Low at an estimated cost of use of a district vehicle; Robin Stradling, Education & Career Action Plan, Feb. 17 in Flagstaff; Jeannette Maxwell and Annette Rothman, Strategies Gold, Jan. 29 and 30 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $876, plus the use of a district vehicle; Jeannette Maxwell and Melody Myers, Ongoing Progress Monitoring, Feb. 19 in Snowflake; and Charlie Haussman, Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology Administrators Meeting, Jan. 26 in Taylor. Also, Charlie Haussman, Arizona Department of Education Local Administrators Conference, Feb. 4 and 5 in Prescott at an estimated cost of $587, plus the use of a district vehicle; Peggy Redmon, Schoolmaster Training, Feb. 11 and 12 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $770, plus the use of a district vehicle; Jeri McKinnon, Special Ed Law Conference, Feb. 5 in Scottsdale; and Jeff Meeks, Cary Simpson, Carey Kester, Cheryl Carlson and Donna Campbell, Secondary Transition Mentoring Project/College and Career Readiness Team Training Grant, April 12 and 13 in Phoenix at an estimated cost of $2,790.28, plus the use of a district vehicle. * Approved expense and revolving fund vouchers totaling $380,329.56, and payroll and expense vouchers totaling $1,218,657.36. * Approved fundraisers, including HHS Baseball Club Spring Fundraiser, selling packaged coffee beans/grinds, snacks and hot cocoa, with estimated earnings of $625; HHS Band Pre-Tour Ice Cream Social for estimated earnings of $2,000; and A Night at the Movies Dinner Show for estimated earnings of $2,000. * Approved revisions to the policy for criteria for accepting transfer credits from charter schools, school districts and Arizona online instruction.