Birmingham - It was night school for the Birmingham Board of Education. Wednesday's finance lesson was for new members who are tackling the second year of proration for the first time. But old members also got a chance to rethink funding options.

The board members don't expect to find an answer that solves the funding shortfall right now. But some do believe increasing staff by one person could help.

April Williams' last Birmingham school lesson was in 1981.

"That's when I finished high school and I didn't feel proration. It's not something that resonated with me, so I am hopeful we can shield our students the same way," said April Williams, president of the Birmingham Board of Education.

So, Williams and the other board members were getting back to basics with finance lessons.

"From here on end, the only thing that saves us is federal stimulus money and that's going run out," said Jim Williams, a school funding expert from Samford University who went over school district's funding sources.

Last year, Governor Bob Riley declared proration and cleaned out the rainy day fund.

Schools are still in proration and Birmingham City Schools could lose another 9.3 million dollars in funding from the state because the primary state funding source, the Education Trust Fund, rises and falls with the economy.

"Anytime you get new information, there is an opportunity to think what can you do differently," said Williams.

"You can't just rely on the same old, what you been doing the whole time," said Emanuel Ford, a newly elected board member.

But the new could actually be an old idea that never made it off the table.... hiring a grant writer.

"You have someone that's constantly monitoring those websites to see what's out there," explained Ford.

While the grants aren't the funding solution, many members admit it's a start

"It is public education and that means the doors have to be open," said Ford.

Part of the grants would include money to pay the grant writer.

The school district is also down 868 students this year, which means even less funding from the state.

Some members say it's an issue they are still working on but hope more transparency will create a better relationship with the community.

 Email To Friend