December 6, 2021 at 6:00 PM - Budget Committee Meeting

Description:  The purpose of this discussion is to review the Federal funding opportunities available to the District, as a result of the various Federal stimulus packages. The funding opportunities include:

• ESSER1 $63,244 (budgeted and spent in 20-21)
• ESSER2 $626,122 (budgeted but not spent in 21-22)
• ESSER3 $557,027 (not budgeted or spent in 21-22)
• Special Education Flow-Through ESSER3 $198,957 (budgeted and partially spent in 21-22)
• Special Education PreSchool ESSER3 $22,403 (budgeted but not spent in 21-22)
• Governor's Per Pupil Aid $495,720 (budgeted in 21-22 and spent in 21-22)

As a reminder, Administration recommended the funding for the additional Arboretum special education paraeducators come from the $198,957 referenced above. The balance remains unspent. Administration is recommending utilizing the ESSER2 funds in 21-22 on existing expenditures for HVAC service and the math and reading interventionist positions approved by the School Board in May of 2021. Administration is recommending utilizing the ESSER3 funds in 22-23 on existing expenditures for HVAC service and the math and reading interventionist positions approved by the School Board in May of 2021. We are required to begin the application process for ESSER3 during the 21-22 school year but we are able to spend the funds in 22-23. Administration is seeking feedback from the Budget Committee on these recommendations.

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to review the projected end of the year balance. The 21-22 Fund 10 budget approved by the School Board in October was balanced and included a $100,000 contingency. As of the end of November, no expenditures have come from the contingency fund and no other significant changes to the budget have taken place. Administration will begin detailed projections for the end of the year balance during the early part of Spring 2022.

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to discuss the draft of the 2022-2023 budget process. Attached please find the budget timeline. 

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to review a draft template for a budget planning process. The Budget Committee voted 3-0 to request a 3-year budget planning process from all buildings/departments. Administration is requesting feedback on this draft template. The intent is to require the staffing requests to be submitted by January 14th and the non-staffing requests to be submitted by April 14th. The draft template that is attached references the staffing requests and a separate template will be created for the non-staffing requests. The draft template references a single building and we will then build additional worksheets for each building/department after receiving your feedback.

Additional information on the staffing planning includes:

1. The Budget Planning Template is to be used for any staff additions unrelated to enrollment increases. As an example, if our enrollment projections show the need for an additional kindergarten teacher, this teacher would not be entered in the Budget Planning Template, but would instead be added through our traditional staffing increases due to student enrollment.
2. Central Office Administrators will complete the budget planning for their areas of responsibility across all district buildings. As an example, Chris Mand will enter the English Language Learner requests on a District-wide basis instead of having each building principal enter their own requests.

We look forward to hearing your feedback.

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to review enrollment projection scenarios. Attached please find a document that includes the Third Friday in September count from 2021-22 and three enrollment scenarios for 2022-23. Administration is recommending a budget planning process utilizing Scenario #3 for enrollment planning. The most significant take-away from the attached document is that we will have a reduction in our student count of 81 students by moving our existing enrollment from one grade to the next. Scenario #3 is projecting an increase of 100 new students, which nets out to a +19 overall. Administration will also review the revenue planning scenarios that are associated with each enrollment projection scenario. Administration is seeking feedback from the Budget Committee on this topic.

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to review the District open enrollment policy. The School Board is required to identify the number of open enrollment spaces available per grade level at the January meeting. Our open enrollment policy is based on the optimal class size level, not the maximum class size level. The State Budget for 2022-23 is based on a $0 per pupil increase in the revenue limit formula. Administration is seeking feedback from the Budget Committee on this topic, specifically whether or not additional capacity for open enrollment students should be considered in the 2022-23 school year as an option for increasing revenues. Administration will share some examples as to the methodology for calculating the number of open enrollment spaces and how this methodology is connected to the enrollment planning scenarios discussed in a prior agenda item, as well as optimal vs maximum class size levels.

Description:  The purpose of this agenda item is to discuss the connection between our 2022-23 budget planning process and the November 2022 referendum planning process. Administration will share initial thoughts as to how these two processes are connected and we will be seeking committee member feedback during this discussion.

Description:  There are no proposals for review this month.

Description:  None.

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