Superintendent’s Message
When Governor Otter announced a 2% holdback for education in this year’s budget, it caused concern for districts across the state. Below is a brief explanation of the current status of the McCall-Donnelly School District and a few comments about next year’s budget.
Good News This Year
Given the unsteady nature of the economy, the district prepared a very conservative budget for this year. We also built in a contingency amount that would allow us to cover unexpected incidents such as utility rate increases, revenue holdbacks, and legal settlements. If there are no additional surprises and we adhere to our planned expenditures, the district will be able to cover the holdback without making program reductions this year.
Next Year
The economic downturn continues to impact the district. The preliminary projected enrollment for McCall-Donnelly School District shows a decrease of about 38 students or a 4% reduction. In addition to enrollment issues, the Governor is talking about implementing a 7%-10% reduction in funding. As state revenues decline, we will need to review all of our programs and spending with a critical eye. It will become increasingly important for us to evaluate the cost and benefits of everything we do. Solving the upcoming challenges will require productive conversations at the state and local level. We look forward to working with patrons and legislators to get through these difficult times.