The St. Joseph School District Board of Education is looking at a new budget proposal with a deficit for the upcoming school year.
Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart proposed a budget for the 2017-18 school year Monday night, of around $133.4 million with an anticipated revenue of around $124 million. That would mean the district would continue to operate with a deficit of $9.2 million. Newhart said the district would have to tap into its reserves, reducing it to around $19 million.
“That would take us down to a 15.35 percent reserve balance,” Newhart said. “As revenues decline and expenses are slowly increasing it’s hard to maintain or improve on the education that’s being offered to the students in the district.”
Newhart said eliminating the $9.2 million would have a direct impact on students.
“The most significant area to cut would be to reduce staff. When you start reducing staff you start eating into programs, you start eating into student needs and programs that affect students individually,” Newhart said. “Ultimately the community needs to decide what direction we need to go.”
As we’ve previously reported, Newhart said one item the board is working on is getting a November revenue issue on the ballot. A series of public meetings are ongoing talking about the district’s direction and school finances under the branding, ‘One Vision. Many Voices. Our Future.’ A public town hall meeting will be held Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the East Hills Library in the Theater.
“We’re trying to balance what is best for student needs and also running the district efficiently,” Newhart said. “We’re here to provide the best opportunity for kids so they can be successful later on in life. The community has to decide if the investment is worthwhile or not.”
Newhart said enrollment has remained steady at 11,400 students and the district’s ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) division is growing.
“We’re trying to fine-tune everything we can fine-tune to where we’re spending the dollars effectively and efficiently,” Newhart said.