We posted a story a few days ago on the Auburn-Washburn audit and its efficiency. That district is running into problems with block grant funding.
“‘If things don’t change, we’ll have to look at using reserves or increasing the mill levy,’ board president Jim Gartner said during a budget workshop before Monday’s business meeting. ‘If the block grant funding formula doesn’t change, things are going to get worse.’
“For the 2015-16 school year, USD 437 has reduced custodial staff, increased class sizes, denied out-of-district transfer requests with just a few exceptions and increased textbook and other fees.
“Kansas lawmakers approved the two-year block grant state aid funding formula this past spring, saying more money would be going into the classroom because it would give districts more flexibility to spend the money they receive from the state. However, state aid to USD 437 is expected to be cut by $1,137,934 this coming year, with expenses for health insurance, utility rates and fuel to increase by an estimated $1,252,000, according to district officials.
“‘I don’t see any additional money flowing through the classroom,’ Gartner said.
“Bruce Stiles, USD 437’s director of business services, said state aid to fund the local option budget, or LOB, is ‘significantly less.’ With the board vote on Monday, he said $600,000 of the $1.7 million that was approved to be taken out of contingency funds will be used to bolster the LOB…
Board member Tom Bruno expressed his concern in using the contingency funds.
“’I struggle with spending down cash reserves,’ he said. ‘If the state misses a payment, the question is can we keep the doors open?’”
Read more here: http://cjonline.com/news/2015-08-03/auburn-washburn-board-approves-hike-mill-levy-using-17-million-reserves-fund-school