Board schedules 3 meetings on school budget

The Shawano School Board will hold public meetings about the school district’s proposed 2014-15 budget on July 15, 16 and 31. “We want to be as open and as transparent as possible,” Superintendent Gary Cumberland said. Board members discussed the budget sessions Monday. “There will be three opportunities here in July for community input,” Michael Sleeper said. “We are very hopeful that the community will turn out and hope they will ask critical questions. We are hoping it can turn into a positive process.” Board president Tyler Schmidt encouraged residents to attend any of the sessions so “questions can be answered accordingly.” Residents will be able to vote on the tax levy at the district’s annual meeting Aug. 18. A preliminary budget discussed by the board in May included a $14 million levy, which would translate into a tax rate of about $11.20 per $1,000 of equalized value. The district levied $12.9 million in 2013-14, about $700,000 below the cap allowed by the state. The district’s tax rate went from $8.98 per $1,000 of equalized value in 2011 to $9.95 in 2012, and to $10.31 last year, meaning the owner of a home valued at $100,000 paid $898 in school taxes in 2011, $995 in 2012 and $1,031 last year. The district learned last week it is expected to receive $13.4 million in general state aid for 2014-15—a 5.15 percent, or about $700,000, increase over this school year, according to Department of Public Instruction estimates. Officials cautioned, however, that the final numbers won’t be known until October. “That is anticipated at this point,” Cumberland said. “It is not a concrete number.” Shawano School District received $11.9 million in state aid in 2011-12, $12.1 million in 2012-13 and $12.7 million in 2013-14. The final aid numbers are dependent on the official enrollment count, which is taken on the third Friday of September, property values from each of the state’s 424 districts and shared costs of each district. The DPI certifies the general aid amounts on Oct. 15. The DPI’s general aid estimates do not include per-pupil categorical aid, which is paid in March. The appropriation for that aid is $127 million, or $150 per pupil, a $75 per-pupil increase over 2013-14.