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Superintendent Brian Osborne has presented an updated $249,782,641 spending plan to the board, marking a budget-to-budget increase of more than $4 million (1.76 percent) and a tax levy increase of 3.34 percent, under the cap.
The budget will be put to a public vote on Tuesday, May 19. If the public does not approve the budget, it will be put to a second vote in June, and if it again fails, a contingency spending plan would have to be put in place, including additional cuts, likely to sports, clubs and other organizations.
Officials in the school district, like many of their colleagues around the county, continue to be handcuffed by rising benefits costs and unfunded mandates. In total, employee salaries and benefits contribute to nearly 75 percent of budget expenditures.
The latest version of the budget includes allotments for part-time resource room staff members in three elementary schools, with “a full continuum of special education services.” They have also budgeted for professional development as they seek to attract the top young teaching talent.
“As staff retires, new staff is identified for training. We have made a long-term investment in program development, professional development and intervention implementation,” the board said in a joint release.
The entire detailed budget can be found online. The next public hearing regarding the budget will be held at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.
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