On
Monday, October 27, 2014, the School District of the Menomonie Area
Board of Education approved the updated budget for the 2014-2015 school
year and set this year’s school tax levy. While total spending this
year is projected to be much higher than a typical school year due to
the ongoing building projects, the total school tax levy will only be
increased by 2%. Since the overall equalized property value in the
school district also increased, the tax rate will actually drop from
$10.66 per thousand dollars of property valuation last year to the
current rate of $10.64. Owners of property that maintained equal value
over the past year would realize a slight reduction in property taxes
levied by the school district.
As
noted in a previous column, the school board has control of most school
district expenses, but 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.
Most
school district expenses are related to educational staffing, student
support services and activities, transportation, technology, community
education opportunities, and ongoing facility operations and
improvements. Some other major expenses included in the 2014-2015
school budget include updating the curriculum materials used for
teaching math in grades K-5, providing more network access at Knapp
Elementary School needed for basic operations, communication and
instruction, and providing ongoing professional development and training
for our staff.
Officials
and staff in the Menomonie Area School District continue to look for
ways to increase efficiency and allocate as many resources as possible
to the direct instruction of students. On Monday evening, the school
board also approved switching health insurance carriers and modifying
the plan design to reduce expenses for the school district. Employees
who wish to continue with medical coverage outside of a more direct
discounted network will make new contributions to cover the difference
between the basic offering and more expensive option that includes a
broader network of providers.
Should
school stakeholders have any questions about the school district
budget, I invite you to visit the Administrative Service Center on Pine
Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our
schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).