Underspent funds support learning

School board approves spending plan focusing on technology, staff development, curriculum and maintenance
Thursday during a special meeting, school board members unanimously (Cindy Meyer absent) approved a spending plan to use $1.7 million of underspent funds from the 2014-2015 General Fund budget. The district underspent its 2014-2015 budget by approximately 2 percent as a result of sound budgeting monitoring practices and conservative budgeting. The approved spending plan for this one-time money centers on districtwide curriculum, technology, staff development, facility maintenance and improvement and Special Education.

“The school district administration, with broad input from staff, has been working on a spending plan for these dollars since October,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan. “The purchase of supplies, materials, technology, and services takes time, so we appreciate the school board taking action during this special board meeting so these funds can begin to have an immediate impact on student learning and district operations.”

Following the Great Recession and a trend of less state allocated revenue to fully fund the district’s program and a series of missed enrollment projections, the district took a more conservative stance with its 2014-2015 budget to better ensure alignment with its expenditures to revenue. This conservative budgeting tactic helped the district not be in a position to use reserves to balance the General Fund budget as had been the case in recent years.

“This type of budget scenario is less likely and not guaranteed in coming years as the district continues to balance expenditures to revenue as the enrollment picture becomes clearer,” said Dr. Jordan. “This has been a team effort from our entire staff to carefully account for every expenditure and ensure all funds have a direct impact on students and their achievement.”
The district General Fund balance target is 6 to 8 percent of expenditures. The approved spending plan keeps the district within the established fund balance window.