Schools

District 197 Chalk Talk: School Board Decides on Levy Question Format, Approves 2011-2012 Final Budget

A few highlights from the June 20 meeting of the District 197 School Board.

Check back with Patch throughout the week for more information on these school board actions.

A referendum in the fall for District 197 will be one question, asking voters to renew an existing operating levy and increase it to the cap defined by state statute.

That decision followed a presentation to school board members Monday night by Decision Resources, Ltd., who conducted the annual survey of district residents.

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Results of the survey were largely positive, and suggested that the failed referendum last year put the district in a slightly better position to pass their ballot question in November of 2011.

  • The board also approved a final budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The budget reduces expenditures and increases revenue to reach $1.9 million off of the base budget. That number covers a shortfall of $1.4 million, and provides $500,000 in innovation dollars to fund projects throughout the district that will provide more effective delivery of education, with an emphasis on schools not receiving federal grant dollars issued last fall.
  • General fund spending overall will increase slightly from $49.9 million in 2010-2011 to $50 million in 2011-2012, or one-third of a percent.
  • The board also approved a directors pay agreement, holding the superintendent and directors to a hard freeze for one year, while maintaining pay for performance.

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