Property owners in USD 257 are being asked to spend more when they pay their tax bills. SOME STUDENTS will pay more to use district computer equipment.
At a special USD 257 meeting Wednesday night the board approved for publication its 2015-16 spending plan, which calls for a 4.7-mill increase.
The district plans to support its operating budget with an ad valorem tax levy of 49.139 mills. That means the owner of a $70,000 home will be expected to spend about $350 in property taxes to support USD 257 next year, or about $38 more than was spent for 2014-15.
It’s important to note the mill levy still is lower than it was two years ago after state lawmakers — under orders from the Kansas Supreme Court — revamped their LOB equalization funding. Thus, the district’s levy was reduced from 52 to 44 mills for 2014-15.
Now, state aid for USD 257 is frozen under a new block grant system. This means the state aid the district was allotted last year is exactly the same. The general fund budget is $12,485,893.
“The governor has said there has been an increase in state aid and he’s right but it’s not where you think it is,” Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn said.
That’s because capital outlay, KPERS and other line items are now being reported as part of the district’s general fund. Placing these three items together makes it appear there is more money for the district to spend.
There is one state aid increase for USD 257 this year.
The school district has partnered with Greenbush Learning Center to create a virtual learning program. The district will receive $248,215 in virtual state aid. This money comes in from a predicted 40 full time students, five part-time students and 30 adult credits.
Total USD 257 expenditures are pegged at $23,853,535.
The board will hold a budget hearing at 6 p.m. on Aug. 10 at the district office, 305 N. Washington Ave.
Board members approved director Brett Linn’s proposal to institute a $15 technology fee for sixth- through eighth-grade students. Iola Middle School has a one-to-one initiative which allows every student to have a computer device. The district has already purchased the computers.
“When we toured other schools to look at their programs they each had a technology fee,” Linn said. “The technology department used this money to repair and maintain district devices.”
Linn said some districts charged students anywhere from $20 to $75 for a technology fee. One district had a high free and reduced-price lunch student population but students were still required to pay the fee.
“The students would volunteer two hours of their time to help out around the school to help pay for the fee,” Linn said.
Before given a device students and parents are required to sign a technology policy. This notifies families they are responsible if something happens to a district device.
“If a student accidentally cracks a computer screen for example they would have to pay to have that replaced,” Linn said.
Linn hopes to include a one-to-one initiative at the high school in the next year. This year five high school classrooms will be testing the one to one initiative.
The technology fee will be required at enrollment.
School board looking at tax increase
