“Short-Term Storm of Deficit Spending” Proposed for Excelsior Springs School District

Art Credit: KC Education Enterprise | Photo Credit: 123rf stock image

The Excelsior Springs School District’s Board of Education met Monday, June 11, at 7 p.m.

In addition to routine agenda items – such as negotiating an agreement to work with the Clay County Health Department in administering vaccines during public health emergencies and a contract for repair of the high school stadium press box — board members had a full schedule. They considered some changes to district policies, and they started formulating a budget for the new fiscal year.

In his preliminary budget recommendation tonight, Deputy Superintendent David Lawrence wrote that he and Superintendent John Lacy “felt like we are in a strong enough financial position to weather a short-term storm of deficit spending.”

Shortfalls in funding from the state of Missouri are the greatest budgetary concern at this time, Lawrence said. Expenditure increases include raises for employees including the superintendent. Expenditure decreases include fewer supplies and library books, less money for travel, elimination of a bus route and postponement of some capital improvement projects.

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:

• References
• Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
• Criminal Background Checks
• Suspension of Professional Staff Members
• Graduation Requirements
• Reporting and Investigating Child Abuse/Neglect.

The Board of Education meeting, which was open to the public, took place in Room 8 of the district’s Early Childhood Center; 113 Line Street; Excelsior Springs, MO 64024. Their next regular open meeting will take place Monday, July 9.
_______________________________

Read our Twitter feed for more education news from local, regional and national sources:http://twitter.com/#!/JW_Martinez

_______________________________

Or you can subscribe to the daily KC Education Enterprise roundup of local, state and national education news on paper.li: http://paper.li/JW_Martinez/1322883462