Raytown Superintendent Proposes Deficit Budget for 2012-13 School Year

Art Credit: KC Education Enterprise | Photo Credit: 123rf stock image | Logo Credit: Raytown School District

Raytown School District’s Board of Education met Monday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m.

In addition to routine agenda items — such as electing a board secretary and learning about in-school and out-of-school suspensions — board members heard a report about the district’s energy savings program, considered policy changes and began formulating the budget for the new school year.

Despite the fact that he was proposing a deficit budget, Superintendent Allan Markley wrote in his report to the board, “We believe this budget will allow us to maintain a strong fiscal position while offering high quality educational programs for our students, increasing our instructional leadership, retaining the best and brightest staff and meeting the 2011-2012 Board of Education goals.”

Each fiscal year, the board must approve a new budget, and that process started this evening for the upcoming school year. In addition to proposing that the district run a deficit, the superintendent also proposed reducing the operational fund balance. Details remain sketchy, largely because of incomplete information about revenues. However, it does look like local revenues from property taxes, revenues from the state and federal funding will all be down. As far as expenditures are concerned, the superintendent discussed the need for the district to become “more efficient” with staffing. Because salaries have been frozen for three years, he proposed a 3 percent raise for all employees. And health insurance costs are increasing. Attempting to offset increased expenditures, Markley is proposing cuts in transportation, food service and textbook purchases.

Regarding energy expenditures, the superintendent said the district has saved more than $3.6 million since starting its energy conservation efforts about two years ago. This is the equivalent of taking 1,295 cars off the road or growing 184,513 trees. For most districts, utility bills are one of the largest expenses next to staff salaries.

Also tonight, board members considered changes to a list of district policies, primarily in response to changes in state and federal laws. There is a July 1 deadline for the board to revise some of these policies to be in compliance with a new state law — the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act — which the Missouri General Assembly passed last year. Policies under review tonight include:

• Nonrenewal of Professional Staff Members
• Nonrenewal, Suspension and Termination of Support Staff Members
• Professional Staff Short-Term Leaves and Absences
• Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
• References
• Resignation of Professional Staff Members
• Resignation of Support Staff Members
• Support Staff Leaves and Absences
• Technology Usage
• Termination of Professional Staff Members
• Visitors to District Property/Events.

The Board of Education meeting, which was open to the public, took place in the district’s Administration Building; 6608 Raytown Road; Raytown, MO 641133. Next month, the board will meet Monday, June 11.

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