Schools on Notice: Mid-year cuts from Frankfort are possible

This from the Crittenden Press by way of KSBA.

Crittenden County Schools to seek tax hike

Hammered by rising energy costs, Crittenden County Board of Education is again turning to taxpayers to help close a gap that has led to cuts in programs and personnel across the school district.

When board members meet later this month, they are expected to ask the county’s property owners for more money to prepare the community’s children for tomorrow’s world. A proposed 1.3-cent increase on each $100 of real and personal property is anticipated to generate almost $185,000 in additional revenue for the school system.

“Increased energy cost certainly makes the school district’s budget … much more difficult to manage,” said Superintendent Dr. Rachel Yarbrough.

The 3.1-percent tax hike would see the owner of a $100,000 home paying $13 more in real estate taxes. However, this will be the second consecutive year the district has sought a tax increase after leaving rates put since 2003...

...“Rural school districts seem to be caught in an ongoing dilemma between decreases in revenue sources and an increase in student achievement accountability performance,” Yarbrough said. “We will continue to try and maintain the integrity of the instructional programs for Crittenden County students so that they receive a high quality education each year of their school career.”

The superintendent said state-allocated funding has been flat while expenses have soared. She added that all school districts in the commonwealth have been put on notice by Frankfort to be prepared for a potential unfavorable, mid-year adjustment to the state’s funding formula.

Compared to 2003 when the school district increased its property tax rate from 39.0 cents to 40.2 cents, the board is today paying $117,000 more annually in combined electricity and natural gas costs, which does not include proposed increases to both that could take effect before winter.

As for fuel costs, the numbers are staggering compared to just 10 years ago. The last load of diesel fuel delivered before school resumed last week was $31,947, more than the annual cost each year from 1996 to 1999.

Aside from increased energy expenses, state-mandated contributions to the County Employee Retirement System have doubled from 6.34 percent of the annual payroll for classified employees in 2003 to 13.5 percent. In that same period, the starting salary for a teacher has also increased $6,797 to $34,267, and salaries across the board face a mandated one-percent increase. Food costs, too, have increased drastically....