Currently
there are 424 school districts in Wisconsin. The School District of the
Menomonie Area (SDMA) is one of 377 Wisconsin school districts that
will be hosting an annual school district meeting this year. According
to state statute, every common and union high school district is
required to hold an annual meeting at which district electors are able
to provide input and vote on specific items described in state law.
While the school board is charged by statute with the care, control, and
management of the property and affairs of the school district, this
charge is subject to the authority vested in the annual school district
meeting (Wisconsin Association of School Boards, 2014).
The
2014 annual meeting of the School District of the Menomonie Area will
be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, August 25. Preceding the annual meeting
will be a committee meeting of the SDMA Board of Education at 5:00 p.m.,
and the annual budget hearing which is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m.
Due to construction in the school district and for the convenience of
everyone, each of these meetings will be held in the commons area at
Menomonie Middle School.
Understanding
all of the details of school finance in Wisconsin can be quite complex,
but there are a few key components of the budgeting process that make
it easier for the general public to understand the school district’s
budget. The fiscal year in Wisconsin school districts runs from July 1
to June 30. During the preceding school year, the school board and
school district staff will develop a preliminary budget on which many
decisions for the following school year will be made. Since
approximately 80% of the school district’s budget is designated for
staffing, much of the district’s budget is determined when contracts are
issued in the spring. At the annual meeting and budget hearing (coming
up in August), the public has the opportunity to provide input on the
school district’s budget and operations, and, in October, the school
board is charged with approving a final budget and setting the annual
tax levy. Any major budget adjustments during the year are approved by
the Board and published for electors, and the annual audit is completed
and made available to the public before January 1.
While
the school board has control of most school district expenses,
increasing state and federal mandates and new expectations related to
technology, curriculum, and instruction continue to absorb more of the
budget. The large majority of school district revenue is comprised of
the local tax levy, state aid, and some funding from the federal
government. Nearly all of the district’s revenue is controlled by state
revenue limits that are dependent on student enrollment. The school tax
levy is largely affected by state aid which is mostly determined by
property valuation, enrollment, and prior year spending in Menomonie and
the rest of the state.
All
school district stakeholders are invited to attend the annual meeting,
but there is no need to wait until the meeting to share your questions,
concerns, or suggestions related to the operations of our school
district. The school district has procedures in place to encourage
public participation in our decision-making processes, and I invite you
to visit the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me
at 715-232-1642 if you have any questions or concerns about our
schools. More information about our schools can be found on the school
district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and I regularly post school-related information on Twitter (www.twitter.com/joezydowsky).