The Board of Education takes its fiscal and educational responsibilities seriously. In budget planning, the Board approves a needs-based budget each year focused on:
· Student learning and academic, social, and emotional opportunities for students
· Staff recruitment and retention
· Maintaining a consistent mill rate
· Preserving a strong bond rating; and
· Forward thinking debt management
The fiscal year starts July 1 and ends June 30. While many factors affecting the school district budget are unknown until the beginning/middle of October, the preliminary budget planning process begins in March/April with the initial budget plan presented at the Annual Meeting in September. The Board of Education approves the final budget in October when the tax levy is set.
The budget is developed with the classroom and the departments as the primary focus. Staff involvement is critical in developing the budget to ensure that dollars are prioritized for students first.
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