Decline In Enrollment Should Not Hurt District’s Budget This School Year

By Doug Carder

Even though Osawatomie USD 367’s official enrollment is down 12 students from last year, the budget will not be adversely affected by the decline.

The district’s official head count was 1,161, down from 1,173 students last year.

“We can use last year’s numbers, because we’re allowed to use a three year average, so the budget will not be affected,” Superintendent Gary French said.

French told the board of education last Wednesday that there has been no talk in the state Legislature about cutting education funding this year. But the prospects do not look as rosy next year.

“The state potentially is facing a large budget shortfall next year,” French said in an interview Friday. “So, we have to brace ourselves for potential cuts next year.”

Any cut in state aid could hurt the school district.

The district’s local property tax levy of 38.75 mills generates about $1,254 per student, but it costs about $10,000 to educate each child.

“Our district relies heavily on state aid,” French said.

The district has done a good job of holding the line on expenses, French said. As of last week, the district had spent $909,369, or 10.8 percent of its budget for the 2010-11 school year. Through mid-October last school year, the district had spent $900,747, and at the same point in the 2008-2009 school year, the district had spent $1.1 million.

In other business, the Board of Education:

* Reviewed goals for the school year.

* Voted unanimously two purchase two Suburbans to transport special education students. One of the district’s Suburbans had been put out of commission last year when it struck a deer, and the district’s other transports were getting high in mileage. The two vehicles will be purchased for $33,729 each – one from Lang Chevrolet and one from Beckman Motors.

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Posted by admin on Oct 20 2010. Filed under News and Updates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry