News
School board approves budget's first draft
Thelma Grimes
SAN PEDRO VALLEY NEWS-Sun
Using some worksheets provided by the Arizona Department of Education, and over-estimating several line items, the budget process officially began for the Benson School District Thursday night.
David Woodall, superintendent of Benson schools, expressed some optimism that the Arizona Legislature and Governor Jan Brewer would come to an agreement and a real state budget would be in place soon.
There has been a holdup since June 4 when the legislature passed their version of the new budget, but have refused to pass it up to the governor's office for fear that she will follow through with a threatened veto.
In the meantime, however, school districts have to follow the law and hold public hearings and start a budget even though they still do not have actual numbers from the state.
A preliminary budget number can be decreased, but as the process moves forward, it cannot be increased. Connie Ayres, the district's finance director, over estimated some numbers to give the school what she called "wiggle room" once the state budget numbers are finalized.
With the state facing a nearly $4 billion deficit, all the school districts across the state are bracing for a 6-to-8-percent budget cut.
While they expect lower numbers later, Ayres gave the district room in the line item titled "Pomerene Tuition." Because Pomerene does not have a high school, most of their students graduating from eighth grade are expected to enroll in Benson High School.
Last year the budget called for $237,190 for the added students. Giving the district room to decrease the budget as needed, Ayres put in $350,000 in that line item, noting that they know there is no way that many students will be transferring over.
Ayres also said they used some recommendations from the state, and expect to have about $90 less per student in the 2009-2010 year.
Woodall said there's no doubt that several items in the proposed budget are purposely "inflated."
A public hearing will be held to discuss the proposed numbers on July 14, the same night the actual budget is expected to be approved. The new fiscal year actually begins on July 1.
Ayres said the area where the district, like many, is expected to have the largest decrease is in soft capital. Last year the district had $373,427. Even in the preliminary budget, Ayres decreased that number to $322,988.
In other business, the board also approved an intergovernmental agreement with Cochise Community College to allow high school students to take dual-credit classes. They approved a food program service agreement, to contract for audit services with Heinfeld & Meech and to hire Wendy Chiles as the new high school math and physics teacher and Theresa Clanton to teach fifth-grade math and approved the finalized list for the middle and high school coaching staff in the new school year.
Also in the area of athletics, the board had the first reading of the middle school athletic eligibility policy.
Woodall said until now, the middle school students have had a different set of rules to follow in order to participate in after-school programs and athletics. The new policy will bring the middle school more in line with the high school requirements.
Final approval of the policy is expected next month.
SAN PEDRO VALLEY NEWS-Sun
Using some worksheets provided by the Arizona Department of Education, and over-estimating several line items, the budget process officially began for the Benson School District Thursday night.
David Woodall, superintendent of Benson schools, expressed some optimism that the Arizona Legislature and Governor Jan Brewer would come to an agreement and a real state budget would be in place soon.
There has been a holdup since June 4 when the legislature passed their version of the new budget, but have refused to pass it up to the governor's office for fear that she will follow through with a threatened veto.
In the meantime, however, school districts have to follow the law and hold public hearings and start a budget even though they still do not have actual numbers from the state.
A preliminary budget number can be decreased, but as the process moves forward, it cannot be increased. Connie Ayres, the district's finance director, over estimated some numbers to give the school what she called "wiggle room" once the state budget numbers are finalized.
With the state facing a nearly $4 billion deficit, all the school districts across the state are bracing for a 6-to-8-percent budget cut.
While they expect lower numbers later, Ayres gave the district room in the line item titled "Pomerene Tuition." Because Pomerene does not have a high school, most of their students graduating from eighth grade are expected to enroll in Benson High School.
Last year the budget called for $237,190 for the added students. Giving the district room to decrease the budget as needed, Ayres put in $350,000 in that line item, noting that they know there is no way that many students will be transferring over.
Ayres also said they used some recommendations from the state, and expect to have about $90 less per student in the 2009-2010 year.
Woodall said there's no doubt that several items in the proposed budget are purposely "inflated."
A public hearing will be held to discuss the proposed numbers on July 14, the same night the actual budget is expected to be approved. The new fiscal year actually begins on July 1.
Ayres said the area where the district, like many, is expected to have the largest decrease is in soft capital. Last year the district had $373,427. Even in the preliminary budget, Ayres decreased that number to $322,988.
In other business, the board also approved an intergovernmental agreement with Cochise Community College to allow high school students to take dual-credit classes. They approved a food program service agreement, to contract for audit services with Heinfeld & Meech and to hire Wendy Chiles as the new high school math and physics teacher and Theresa Clanton to teach fifth-grade math and approved the finalized list for the middle and high school coaching staff in the new school year.
Also in the area of athletics, the board had the first reading of the middle school athletic eligibility policy.
Woodall said until now, the middle school students have had a different set of rules to follow in order to participate in after-school programs and athletics. The new policy will bring the middle school more in line with the high school requirements.
Final approval of the policy is expected next month.
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