[00:00:01]
WELCOME TO OUR MONDAY, JUNE 10TH WORKSHOP.
WE HAVE FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF US HERE.
SHE SHOULD BE HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.
DR. ANZALONE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO START US OUT WITH, BUT TAKE IT AWAY.
>> WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS UPDATE AND MOVING FORWARD INTO OUR NEXT MONTH'S BOARD MEETING, AND THEN OF COURSE, ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET HOPEFULLY IN AUGUST.
JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT MONDAY, THE 17TH, PRETTY FULL AGENDA FOR THAT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEN A BOARD INTERVIEW, SO A LOT IS GOING ON, BUT TONIGHT, WE'LL HAVE JASON HERE, WHO IS READY AND PREPARED FOR PRESENTATION.
>> IS THAT OKAY? GREAT. THERE WE GO.
[1. School Board Workshop - 4:30 PM]
THIS EVENING, BUDGET WORKSHOP FOR THE '24/'25 NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.EACH YEAR, WE HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP.
USUALLY, IT TENDS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WE'VE GOTTEN OUR BUDGET TOOLS FROM OSPI AND SUCH, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THIS EVENING, WE'RE REALLY JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND, BUT I DO WANT TO PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ACTUALLY WILL BUDGET FIVE FUNDS IN TOTAL.
IT WILL INCLUDE CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEBT SERVICE, ASP, AND TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE.
THE GENERAL FUND IS REALLY WHERE WE FUND OUR OPERATIONS FROM.
CAPITAL, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, IS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, CAPITAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS DEBT SERVICE FOR PAYING OUR BONDS OFF.
ASP THAT'S REALLY THE KIDS' MONEY, BUT YOU ACTUALLY DO BUDGET THAT IN THE PROCESS AS WELL, AND THEN TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE, YOU MIGHT IMAGINE IS JUST FOR BUYING BUSES.
EACH OF THESE FIVE BUCKETS BASICALLY HAVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
THE LARGEST BEING THE GENERAL FUND FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
I DO WANT TO NOTE INITIALLY, AND AS WE POINTED OUT BEFORE THAT THIS BUDGET IS ANTICIPATING A DEFICIT OF ABOUT 6.7 MILLION.
WE HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING A PLANNED USE OF FUND BALANCE, BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT BECAUSE TYPICALLY, IT'S ALWAYS OUR OBJECTIVE TO PROVIDE A BALANCED BUDGET, BUT THIS YEAR REASON FOR THAT, NOT PRESENTING A BALANCED BUDGET IS THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO USE FUND BALANCE.
POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE AS A SCHOOL BOARD, YOU CONTROL THE PER STRINGS ON THE FUND BALANCE, SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET CONFIRMATION, AT LEAST TONIGHT THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PATHWAY FORWARD.
ALSO, PLEASE NOTE IN OUR FINAL BUDGET, WE WILL INCLUDE 2% CAPACITY ON EACH SIDE OF THE LEDGER, SO 2% ON THE REVENUE SIDE, 2% ON THE EXPENDITURES.
THE REASON THAT WE DO IT ON BOTH SIDES IS WE DON'T WANT TO ALTER WHAT OUR EXPECTED DEFICIT OR SURPLUS IS IN A GIVEN YEAR, AND IT GIVES US CAPACITY.
IF WE GET A GRANT THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT, THEN WE'VE GOT THAT ABILITY TO SPEND THAT EXTRA.
SOMETIMES THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE THAT RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES, AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EVEN THIS YEAR, SOMETIMES THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN ARE TOUGH TO ANTICIPATE WITH SOME OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS, AND SO SOMETIMES THOSE EXPENDITURES CAN GO UP A LITTLE BIT MORE RAPIDLY THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED OR ENROLLMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THAT'S THE REASON FOR CAPACITY, BUT WE PUT IT ON BOTH SIDES JUST SO IT DOESN'T SKEW THAT BOTTOM LINE.
THEN ULTIMATELY, OUR BUDGET INCLUDES REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, FUND BALANCE, BUT REALLY WHAT THE BOARD IS APPROVING IS BASICALLY A SPENDING LEVEL FOR EACH OF THESE FIVE FUNDS.
IN THE END, ULTIMATELY, IN AUGUST, THAT'S OUR DEADLINE FOR PASSING APPROVED BUDGET AT THAT TIME.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
CERTAINLY I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ENROLLMENT.
THAT'S THE FOUNDATION THAT REALLY SETS OUR BUDGET, ALSO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED,
[00:05:02]
WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUNDS, NOT SO MUCH ON THE OTHER FUNDS, AND THEN I'LL WRAP UP WITH WHAT I SEE THE BUDGET PRIORITIES AND FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.BUDGET PROCESS. THE SUPERINTENDENT BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR PROBABLY, I WANT TO SAY, PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS, WE DID MOST OF THOSE MEETINGS IN THE FALL.
THIS YEAR, THERE WAS KNEW OR THINGS WERE A KNOWN QUANTITY IN THAT WE HAD ALREADY COMMITTED TO OUR LABOR CONTRACTS.
WE KNEW GOING INTO THE SESSION, WHAT TO EXPECT, AND INDEED, IT CAME OUT ROUGHLY WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
WE HAD MADE A COMMITMENT TO USE FUND BALANCE EARLY ON.
THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WE TALKED ABOUT.
MAYBE NEXT YEAR, WE TALK MORE ABOUT VISIONS FOR THE DISTRICT.
WE DIDN'T MEET MUCH MORE BEYOND THE FALL TIME PERIOD.
THESE ARE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO WE TRY NOT TO MEET JUST TO MEET.
WE WANT THE MEETINGS TO BE PRODUCTIVE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PRODUCT IN THE END, SO BY MUTUAL DECISION THERE, WE DIDN'T CONTINUE THOSE MEETINGS INTO THE SPRING.
ALSO IN PART, BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON A LEVY, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY THAT THOSE RESULTS WERE POSITIVE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'RE ABLE TO COUNT ON THOSE MONIES IN OUR BUDGET FORECASTING INTO THE FUTURE.
THAT REALLY IS A MAJOR FINANCIAL MILESTONE FOR US THAT HAPPENS EVERY 3-4 YEARS.
I WILL SAY IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO ANY FINANCIAL PLANNING WITHOUT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN RELY UPON 15% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR NOT, SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT BEHIND US.
THEN CONCURRENTLY, WE'RE ALSO MOVING INTO THAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT'S GOING ON THIS PAST WINTER THAT CONCLUDED MARCH 27TH.
AFTER THAT OSPI RELEASES SOME BUDGET TOOLS, AND THEN WE GET TO TONIGHT, THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
AS JOHN HAD MENTIONED, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BUDGET PRESENTATION AT THE JUNE 24TH MEETING, AND THEN WE WILL POST OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGET BY JULY 10TH.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
WE DO THAT, AND WE TEND TO DO IT USUALLY BEFORE OR 4TH OF JULY TO BE HONEST.
WE'LL HAVE A BUDGET HEARING ADOPTION ULTIMATELY FOR THAT AUGUST 26TH BOARD MEETING.
IT'S ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE OF THE YEAR, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2401. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT?
I KNOW THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THAT, SO YOU'LL START IT UP AGAIN IN THE FALL.
WHEN WILL THAT BE STARTING AGAIN?
>> WE TYPICALLY DO, TRACEY, BECAUSE UP TO THIS POINT, WE'VE WRAPPED OUR BUDGET AROUND IN ANTICIPATED ENROLLMENT.
IN THE FALL, THAT'S WHEN WE ACTUALLY SEE THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE'RE SERVING FOR THE GIVEN YEAR, AND DO WE NEED TO PIVOT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WITH THE BUDGET? WE'RE ALSO TALKING IN THE FALL ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES? WHAT'S ON THAT HORIZON? I EXPECT QUITE A FEW MEETINGS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS BUDGET COMMITTEE THIS FALL, GOING TO BE A LOT GOING ON.
WE'LL KNOW OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT, AN IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
ALL OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THIS ONE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT, AND SO I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO BE ENGAGED.
WE WANT THEM ENGAGED. ENROLLMENT.
>> THIS YEAR, AND WE DO EVERY TWO, THREE YEARS AS WE GO OUT AND WE GET A DEMOGRAPHER TO HELP US GAUGE WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE FOR ENROLLMENT.
FOR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT REALLY ARE PLAYING WITH OUR ENROLLMENT.
WE'VE GOT POPULATION GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN REALLY TREMENDOUS THE PAST 20 YEARS.
CLARK COUNTY HAS GROWN BY ABOUT 45%, BUT WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENTS GREW BY 90% DURING THAT TIME.
SINCE THEN, WE ALL KNOW THAT GROWTH HAS SLOWED DOWN, IF YOU WILL, IF YOU LOOK TO THE PAST 20 YEARS TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
WHEN WE ASK A DEMOGRAPHER, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO LOOK OUT INTO THAT.
WHAT DOES THAT NEXT 20, 30 YEARS LOOK LIKE?
[00:10:03]
RIGHT NOW, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE NEWSPAPER IS THAT THEY'RE ANTICIPATING CLARK COUNTY POPULATION TO GO UP BY ABOUT 45% AGAIN IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS.THIS ALL HAS AN IMPACT ON SCHOOL DISTRICT ENROLLMENT IN CLARK COUNTY.
WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I'VE COINED AS THE BIG WAVE.
THE 20-YEAR WAVE HAS REACHED THE BEACH AND IT'S GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER IN THE COMING YEARS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IN OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS.
THEN THERE'S AN EXPECTED OBVIOUSLY POPULATION GROWTH IN THE NEXT 20.
BUT WE ALSO EXPECT THE HOUSING INVENTORY TO CHANGE.
THERE'S A VERY STRONG PUSH AND INITIATIVE FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN ALL OF CLARK COUNTY, AND EACH CITY IS GOING TO HAVE THEIR RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBLE PORTION FOR THOSE UNITS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WATCH.
YOU SEE THIS GROWTH TREND OF PRETTY RAPID GROWTH, AND THEN IT LOOKS SLIGHT, BUT THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS.
IT JUST IS NOT AS STEEP A CURVE.
YOU'D THINK DOES 45% POPULATION GROWTH MEAN 45% INCREASE IN STUDENTS OR 90 AS IT WAS IN THE PAST 20? THE ANSWER IS NO. REALLY THE REASON FOR THAT, THIS SLIDE HERE TALKS ABOUT THE HOUSING UNITS, BUT I WANT TO GET OVER TO BIRTH RATES.
THE OTHER OPPOSING FORCE, IF YOU WILL, TO ENROLLMENT IS BIRTH RATES.
THEY'RE DOWN JUST ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION.
WE'RE NOT ABSENT FROM THESE INFLUENCES HERE.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE DIFFERENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLES OR CDC CONTROL REPORTS SAYING BIRTH RATES ARE GOING DOWN, THEY'RE AT HISTORIC LOWS.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A REBOUND OR NOT IN THESE COMING YEARS? WHAT THAT MEANS IS WHILE WE MAY HAVE POPULATION GROWTH OF 45% IN CLARK COUNTY IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THERE JUST MAY BE FEWER KIDS IN THESE HOMES GIVEN THESE BIRTH RATES.
THOSE ARE THE OPPOSING FORCES THAT WE SEE IMPACTING OUR LONG-TERM ENROLLMENT, AND CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN SEEING IT LEADING UP TO THIS.
PRIOR TO COVID BIRTH RATES, WE'RE ALREADY DOWN AND THEY HIT A REAL HISTORIC LOAD DURING COVID, AND THEY JUST HAVEN'T BOUNCED BACK.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM ENROLLMENT FORECAST, AND I KNOW THIS IS DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT BASICALLY WHAT THIS DOES, AND KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS HEADCOUNT.
IT'S IMPORTANT. ALL DEMOGRAPHER FORECASTS ARE ON HEADCOUNT.
WE'RE FUNDED ON FTE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE CONVERSION A LITTLE LATER.
WHAT THIS HAS TAKEN IS YOUR BIRTH RATES OR BIRTH TRENDS ARE HERE FROM 2012 ALL THE WAY OUT TO 2028.
FAST FORWARD FIVE YEARS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOUR KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT? THIS IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHAT IS A COMMUNITY'S RELIANCE UPON GROWTH OR BUILDING, IF YOU WILL? THIS IS PRETTY UNIQUE TO CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A RATIO OF 1.64 RATIO TO BIRTHS, WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU TAKE THE NUMBER OF BIRTHS IN THE COMMUNITY FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THEM BECOMING KINDERGARTNERS, YOU MULTIPLY THAT NUMBER OF BIRTHS TIMES 1.64.
THAT EQUATES THE NUMBER OF KINDERGARTNERS THAT CAME IN FIVE YEARS LATER. THAT'S PRETTY HUGE.
IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO THE COMMUNITY IN THAT FIVE-YEAR TIMESPAN IN ORDER TO GENERATE THAT MANY KINDERGARTENERS.
THAT'S HOT. WHEN YOU HEAR THE TERM, I TRY TO USE DESTINATION DISTRICT, THAT REALLY IS WHAT WE ARE.
IT'S NOT JUST BEEN CHILDBIRTH.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MOVING INTO THIS COMMUNITY TO COME TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> ONE THING TO POINT OUT ON THIS, THOUGH, IS THAT THAT 18-19 NUMBER OF 1.64 IS THE HIGH WATERMARK.
THAT'S JUST SHOWING, ONCE AGAIN, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE GOING BACK TO THE GROWTH RATES THAT WE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS 20-YEAR CYCLE?
[00:15:01]
>> THIS PARTICULAR GRAPH STARTS IN 18-19, BUT IF YOU GO INTO PREVIOUS YEARS, YES, IT WAS BUILDING OR STAYING RIGHT AT ABOUT 1.6.
THE QUESTION IS, HAVE THESE SOCIETAL IMPACTS THAT COVID OR A PANDEMIC AND EVENTUALLY A RECESSION, ALL THESE TYPES OF THINGS, WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO SOCIETY, THE ECONOMY? WE TALK ABOUT RESTING INTO OUR NEW NORMAL.
WHAT DOES THAT NEW NORMAL LOOK LIKE? WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT OUR OUTGOING YEARS, OUR DEMOGRAPHER DECIDED NOT TO USE 1.6, BUT USE 1.5.
THEY'RE RATCHETING IT DOWN, AND THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT BIRTH RATES ARE DOWN.
THAT'S A LOGICAL ASSUMPTION FOR THEM TO MAKE IN THE STUDY, AND ONE THAT WE COULD GET BEHIND.
YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT'S A HIGH WATERMARK AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT DEMOGRAPHER ADJUSTS FOR THAT.
YOU START TO SEE KINDERGARTEN FORECASTS FLATTENING OUT, BIRTH FORECASTS FLATTENING OUT.
THESE ARE ALL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW, BUT WE ALSO HEAR A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GROWING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT STILL.
IT'S JUST THAT THERE'S FEWER KIDS OUT THERE IN SOCIETY.
THIS IS A WHOLE BIG PAGE IN NUMBERS.
I POINTED TO THREE IMPORTANT ONES.
IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE GREEN, IT GETS THIS DARKER SHADE COMING DOWN, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS A LIGHTER SHADE GREEN.
THIS IS THE 20-YEAR WAVE HIT IN THE BEACH.
BASICALLY WHAT I MEAN IS IN 2032, 2033, THE LAST OF, IF YOU WILL, THE LARGE COHORTS, AND THEN WE RECALIBRATE.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THIS WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING IT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW WHERE KINDERGARTEN CLASSES ARE JUST OVER 400 OR THEREABOUTS, AND WE'RE GRADUATING CLASSES OF 656.
YOU'VE GOT, IN THIS CASE, 250 KID DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE NUMBER COMING INTO OUR SYSTEM VERSUS THE NUMBER WHO ARE LEAVING AND GRADUATING.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD LARGER KINDERGARTEN CLASSES, A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE BEEN GRADUATING.
AS WE SEE THAT DELTA GROW, THAT TELLS US THE BIG WAVE IS STARTING TO SLOW DOWN.
THESE LARGER KINDERGARTEN CLASSES THAT HAVE GROWN TO 540, 560, 600 ARE FEWER AND FAR BETWEEN START TO GET SMALLER AND SMALLER AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
THEN IN THESE OUT YEARS, YOU START TO SEE DEVELOPMENT PICK UP AND OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES START TO PICK UP, AND HERE WE GO AGAIN.
IT'S THIS CYCLICAL THING THAT HAPPENS IN COMMUNITIES.
OFTEN IT'S DRIVEN BY THE ECONOMY.
THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES WHEN IT'S MORE FAVORABLE TO PURCHASE A HOUSE THAN OTHERS.
RIGHT NOW, WITH INTEREST RATES, IT'S NOT AS FAVORABLE.
BUT THERE WILL STILL BE GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE WILL STILL BE INDUSTRY BUSINESSES THAT WILL BRING FOLKS IN.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS THAT REALLY THOSE 2% INTEREST RATES WERE AN ANOMALY.
THOSE OF US WHO BOUGHT HOUSES BEFORE, 6% WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD OR THE NORM.
WE'RE ACTUALLY BACK TO WHAT IS MORE NORMAL, IF YOU WILL.
>> JASON, CAN YOU REMIND US WHAT WAS ABOUT OUR NUMBER OUR HIGH WATERMARK FOR ENROLLMENT PRE-COVID? WASN'T IT AROUND 7,200, 7,300, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE?
>> WE WERE PUSHING, I WANT TO SAY 7,450, 7,500, IF I RECALL RIGHT.
>> WAS THAT HEADCOUNT OR FTE THEN 7,500?
>> WE'RE NOT EVEN HITTING 7,500.
THIS FORECAST ANTICIPATES THAT IT'LL BE YEAR 11 OR 12 BEFORE WE MIGHT RETURN BACK TO THE ENROLLMENT LEVEL THAT WE WERE AT PRE-COVID.
[00:20:05]
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK, THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT IT'S NOT HUGE, BUT IT IS SOME, AS YOU SEE A DECREASE IN OVERALL ENROLLMENT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS ANTICIPATED, AND THEN IT STARTS TO BUMP BACK UP, BUT VERY SLOWLY.>> YES. THERE'S SLOW MOVEMENT.
THE GOOD THING WITH THAT IS THAT PROVIDES US SOME PREDICTABILITY IN OUR REVENUES AND WHAT OUR STAFFING NEEDS MIGHT BE CAN'T TOTALLY PREDICT STUDENT NEEDS AND STUDENT POPULATION AND WHAT THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS, HOW THAT WILL EVOLVE OVER TIME, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO.
>> ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD OFF OF THAT?
>> THAT'S A GREAT CHART THOUGH, AND I DO LIKE IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE OUR CURRENT THIRD GRADERS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM TO GET US TO THERE AND THEN THAT'LL BE OUR BIGGEST CLASS FOR A WHILE POTENTIALLY THE CURRENT THIRD GRADERS.
>> THIS YEAR'S GRADUATING CLASS.
I WOULD EXPECT YOU FOLKS CAN ATTEST TO THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES THAT YOU HAD THIS PAST WEEK? IT WAS BIG.
IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST WE'VE EVER HAD.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS UNTIL 2030 AGAIN.
THAT IS IF THIS PANS OUT, OF COURSE.
THESE ARE FORECASTS, WE UPDATE THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.
>> WE SOMETIMES GO BACK AND HOW OFTEN DO WE DO THE DEMOGRAPHER REPORTS OR IF WE SEE CHANGES, THEN, IF WE SEE BIG DISCREPANCIES, THEN DO WE GO BACK AND ASK THEM TO REVISE IT OR HOW OFTEN DO WE DO THAT?
>> IT'S REALLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
CERTAINLY IF WE START TO SEE A DEVIATION FROM OUR CURRENT FORECAST, THEN THAT'S A SIGNAL.
IF WE SEE SOMETHING VERY SIGNIFICANT, EITHER SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT, THEN WE MIGHT NEED TO ASSESS WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT REALLY IS SITUATIONAL.
I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE, IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, HE WOULD DO IT PROBABLY EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE ERRATIC WITH COVID AND MCLARY AND ALL STUFF THAT WE'VE PICKED UP THE PACE WE'RE DOING IT ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS OF LATE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO, THIS FORECAST WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE OPTIMISTIC ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE COULD EXPECT.
>> BE GREAT IN BETWEEN WHEN WE DO THE DEMOGRAPHER PROCESS.
IF WE COULD LOOK WE HAVE THIS FORECAST OUT THERE AND EVERY YEAR DO A FORECAST VERSUS ACTUAL.
ARE WE FOLLOWING THAT TREND? ARE WE LIKE, WE'RE BLOWING IT AWAY OR WE'RE NOT EVEN UP TO THOSE NUMBERS JUST TO GAUGE OUR GROWTH?
>> WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TRANSITION.
>> BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION BACK TWO SLIDES PRIOR.
IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG JUMP THERE, BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT IT JUST LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF KINDERGARTNERS IN THAT 26/27-27/28 IS WHAT YOU HAD IN THE OTHER ONE.
WAS THERE A REASON WHY IT WOULD DOUBLE IN THAT YEAR VERSUS IT'S PRETTY STEADY 15, LESS THAN 20 EVERY OTHER YEAR. DID YOU?
>> IT REALLY COMES BACK TO SOME OF THIS.
THEY LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHEN IT'S TO COME ONLINE.
>> THAT'S THE TIMING OF THE AVAILABILITY.
>> THE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WITH THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
TO TRY AND IDENTIFY HOW MANY HOUSING UNITS CAN WE EXPECT IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WHICH IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT, BUT NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THAN CITY PLANNERS.
TRY NOT TO BE TOO SPECULATIVE AND TRY TO ONLY LOOK AND CONSIDER DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THEY ARE MORE CHANCE OF BEING VIABLE AS OPPOSED TO JUST SHAKING THE TREES.
>> IT TENDS TO BE DEVELOPMENT BASED THAT PUSHES THOSE UP.
[00:25:01]
NOW, IF DEVELOPMENT GETS DELAYED, THEN OUR NUMBER OF STUDENTS GET DELAYED AND WE GO BACK OUT FOR A DEMOGRAPHER.STEADY. THIS IS WHY WE DO THAT ASSESSMENT EVERY NOW AND THEN.
I FEEL LIKE I'M COMING IN AND OUT ON THIS AUDIO.
DO I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND STILL WITH MY HEAD? I WILL MOVE WITH THE MICROPHONE.
LET'S WORK ON THIS BEAUTIFUL TRANSITION THAT CONNIE SET UP HERE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL, THIS IS REALLY OUR FORECAST.
WE'RE INPUTTING INTO THIS OUR FORECAST NUMBERS, WHICH IS ORANGE.
NOW, I'VE TAKEN A HEAD COUNT DEMOGRAPHER STUDY AND CONVERTED IT TO FTE.
THE REASON THAT WE DO THAT IS THAT WE'RE FUNDED ON FTE.
THE LION SHARE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FTE AND HEAD COUNT IS RUNNING START STUDENTS. THOSE ARE.
FULL TIME RUNNING START ACTUALLY DON'T EVEN ROW UP AN AD GAP.
THESE ARE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENTS.
THE REASON WE WENT TO MARCH 2020, WHICH IS UNUSUAL IS JUST THAT THAT'S THE DEMARCATION OF COVID.
WE OFTEN REFERRED TO THIS AS WHAT WAS THAT COVID SLIDE AND ENROLLMENT.
WE KEPT CHANGING OUR PROJECTIONS DOWN, TILL WE MET, AND WE GOT REAL CLOSE LAST YEAR.
WE ADJUSTED OUR FORECAST SAYING.
WE'RE GOING TO BOUNCE BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND YET WE CAME IN A LITTLE BELOW THAT THIS YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT GAVE US RISE TO GET A DEMOGRAPHER STUDY.
YOU START TO SEE A VARIATION LIKE THAT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A DISTRICT TO PIVOT AND GO, MAYBE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT OUR NEW NORMAL WAS AFTER COVID, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO REASSESS THAT.
THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEMOGRAPHER STUDY.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR NUMBERS.
THEY'RE PREDICTING THAT OUR ENROLLMENT WILL BE HIGHER THAN EVEN THESE NUMBERS.
>> THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS THAT THEIR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER BECAUSE THEY'RE HEAD COUNT AND.
>> ALTHOUGH SLIDE, WE HAVE INCORPORATED, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE ON THIS LINE, BUT WE'RE SHOWING THAT ENROLLMENT WILL GO DOWN BASICALLY IN COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT THE FORECAST SAYS AND THEN STARTS TO SLOWLY CREEP UP.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE NOMINAL CHANGES IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE EITHER UP OR DOWN.
THAT GIVES US SOME GOOD PREDICTABILITY.
WE CAN WRAP PROGRAMMING AROUND THAT AND TAKE A BREATH.
I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, AS A COMMUNITY AND AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE COULD PROBABLY TAKE A BREATH.
IT'S 20 YEARS OF GROWTH AT THAT LEVEL.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH.
IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO REALLY ACTUALLY GET BETTER AND WRAP AROUND YOUR SERVICES AROUND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE AND RIGHT SIZE EVERYTHING.
I MENTIONED THE BIG WAVE, REACHED THE BEACH, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER 20 YEAR WAVE, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE SMALLER BY ALL ACCOUNTS.
UNLESS SOMETHING MAJOR CHANGES WITH BIRTH RATES, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL EVER GET BACK TO DOUBLING CLARK COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH WITH A NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
THERE'S JUST NO WAY. KEEP IN MIND THOUGH THAT DESPITE THOSE FORCES, WE ARE RELYING UPON GROWTH AND WE HAVE BEEN A DESTINATION DISTRICT THAT HAS CONTINUED THROUGH COVID.
WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO CONTINUE.
IF THAT WERE TO EVER CHANGE, WE WOULD HAVE TO REVISIT THIS AS WELL.
BUT FOR NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION.
WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE A DESTINATION DISTRICT.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THAT IS THAT FILLS THAT GAP OF
[00:30:01]
400 KINDERGARTNERS VERSUS 650 GRADUATES.IF YOU'RE NOT A DESTINATION DISTRICT, IF YOU'RE NOT BRINGING IN MORE KIDS, THINGS DROP OFF VERY FAST.
>> THOSE ARE THINGS TO KEEP AN EYE ON, AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT PROVIDES SOME STABILITY, IT ALSO DOES PROVIDE LIMITED REVENUE GROWTH, BECAUSE ENROLLMENT DRIVES OUR REVENUE THE ONLY INCREASE IN REVENUE IS REALLY FROM LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH OUR OWN LOCAL LEVY.
THERE'S LIMITS AND ALSO VOTER APPETITE LIMITS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF.
I DON'T EXPECT ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THERE.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT LONGER TERM FINANCIAL PICTURE, WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT AND FOCUSING ON FROM THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THAT WILL BENEFIT CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IT IN ENROLLMENT.
>> SORRY, CAN YOU PUT THAT IN HIGHLIGHTED BLINKING LIGHTS, SPOT LIGHT, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S KEY TO THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION.
THERE'S GOING TO BE NOTHING MORE COMING UNLESS WE CHANGE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS FEEDING US.
>> IT IS, WE ALSO HAVE SOME THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE EXPERIENCING DECLINES AND THAT IS IMPACTING THEIR BUDGET SIGNIFICANTLY.
THEY'RE GOING TO REACH THEIR NEW NORMAL AS WELL.
PUT IT. OKAY. I CAN'T IT'S KILLING ME.
LET'S SEE HERE. THIS LEADS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THIS IS THE SESSION THAT WE JUST HAD, AND WE ALL KNEW THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE A K-12 YEAR AND IT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE AT THE END OF THE SESSION, THEY CAME UP WITH A FEW DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
PUPIL TRANSPORTATION, PARAEDUCATOR SUPPORT STAFF ALLOCATIONS, COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY, WHICH IS BASICALLY FOOD SERVICE, MSOC ADJUSTMENT, WHICH IS FUNDING FOR NON PERSONNEL COSTS, AND THEN SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.
IN RED HERE, I HIGHLIGHTED THE PUPIL TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S NOT NEW MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY BUDGETED SO LET'S SEE.
WE'LL GET OUT OF THAT FUNDING ENHANCEMENT AND THAT STARTED THIS YEAR.
THAT WAS CEMENT ON ANTICIPATED REVENUES THAT WE RECEIVED, WHICH IS GOOD.
>> SORRY. THAT STARTED DURING THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SOME OF THAT UNANTICIPATED REVENUE YOU TALK ABOUT THAT THEY THROW AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT THROWS OFF SOME OF OUR NUMBERS.
>> YES, COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY, WE GOT NO DOLLARS OUT OF THAT.
MSOC ADJUSTMENT THERE WAS QUITE A BIG TO DO OVER THIS AND THE END OF THE DAY, IT WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, 150000 AND $130,000,000 BUDGET DOESN'T GO VERY FAR.
SPECIAL ED CAP, UNFORTUNATELY, THE FUNDING FORMULA ADJUSTMENT THAT WAS MADE THERE DID NOT BENEFIT CAMAS WHATSOEVER.
>> CAN WE JUST EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT? IT'S BECAUSE THEY INCREASE THE ENROLLMENT CAP TO 16% AND SO IT DIDN'T HELP US THAT WAY BECAUSE WE DON'T HIT THE 16%.
>> WE NEED MORE DOLLAR PER STUDENT.
>> WE NEED TO FIX THE MULTIPLIER IF WE WANT TO SEE.
>> THAT'S WHY BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY SAY, WE GAVE MONEY IN SPECIAL ED AND MSOC, AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, IT DIDN'T HELP US.
IT HELPED OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP US IN GENERAL.
>> YEAH, THE MSOC ADJUSTMENT I THINK WAS UNIVERSAL ACROSS ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IT WAS COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR SIZE AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SPECIAL ED FUNDING MODEL IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
AN ELEMENT TO THAT IS THIS PERCENTAGE CAP, IF YOU WILL, AND SOME DISTRICTS ARE UP AGAINST IT, OTHERS WE'RE BELOW IT SO INCREASING THE CAP DIDN'T HELP US AT ALL.
THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT THEY CAN CHANGE THAT FORMULA WOULD BE HELPFUL TO CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SURE.
>> WHICH ARE THINGS WE CAN TAKE TO OUR LEGISLATURES IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT YOU SAID THE PARA ALLOCATIONS AND THE MSOC ALLOCATIONS.
[00:35:05]
IS IT RETROACTIVE LIKE SEPTEMBER? HOW DOES THAT EXACTLY WORK? IT'S THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BUT HOW FAR BACK AND IS THAT SUM. BUT DOES IT?>> THEY'LL APPLY IT TO THE WHOLE YEAR.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU RECEIVE IT IN MAY OR JUNE, SCHOOL YEAR IS OVER AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SPEND IT DURING THE SUMMER BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SCHOOL IN SESSION.
IT'S REALLY CARRIES OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
BUT THEY FUNDED AS IF YOU AS IF IT WERE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AND YOU HAD IT THE WHOLE YEAR, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T?
>> I MEAN, WE'RE THANKFUL BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY IN A DEFICIT POSITION AND WE SAW EXPENDITURES INCREASING PRETTY RAPIDLY AND YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THIS 23, 24 SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT AMENDMENT WOULD BE, THE IMPACT TO OUR FUND BALANCE WOULD BE MUCH GREATER HAD THE LEGISLATURE NOT GIVEN THIS EXTRA 350,000 THIS YEAR.
I CERTAINLY WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE THANKFUL FOR IT.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE WISH WE HAD A LITTLE BIT BETTER IDEA OF WHAT NEXT SESSION THEY'RE GOING TO DO, BUT WE'RE SEEING THIS QUITE A BIT AND IT STARTED IN THE COVID ERA WHERE THE LEGISLATURE STARTED TO GIVE CURRENT YEAR FUNDING ENHANCEMENTS, AND IT SEEMED LIKE THEY'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT.
ANOTHER THING THAT THEY'RE DOING IS OFTEN THEY'RE DOING THREE YEAR PHASE IN OF FUNDING ENHANCEMENTS.
WHILE THEY MIGHT PUT X MILLION TOWARDS K-12, SOMETIMES IT'LL BE, COME IN WAVES OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS? THAT WAS THE CASE WITH OUR SEL FUNDING AND ACTUALLY THIS COMING YEAR IS THE LAST OF THE THREE YEAR FUNDING ENHANCEMENT FOR OUR SEL FUNDING.
THEN AFTER THAT, THE FACTORS WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
>> JASON, JUST A REAL QUICK QUESTION ON THESE NUMBERS.
FOR THE PARAEDUCATOR STAFFING ALLOCATIONS, WAS THAT MEANT TO RAISE SALARIES FOR PARAEDUCATORS OR WAS THAT MEANT TO HIRE ADDITIONAL ONES, OR IS IT UP TO THE DISTRICT?
>> IT WAS TO HIRE ADDITIONAL, RETAIN EXISTING, BASICALLY.
THEY RECOGNIZED THAT, DISTRICTS ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED FOR THE STAFFING THAT THEY EMPLOY ALREADY.
THEY COULDN'T PUT ON THERE THAT YOU HAD TO HIRE ADDITIONAL BECAUSE ESPECIALLY LIKE IN OUR CASE, WE'RE ALREADY A DEFICIT, SO YOU CAN'T HIRE MORE.
BUT WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME COMPLIANCE REPORTING AROUND HOW THAT MONEY IS BEING, IF YOU WILL, TRACKED INTO THE SYSTEM AND USED FOR PARAEDUCATOR AND I WANT TO SAY OFFICE SUPPORT, SO I WANT TO SAY SECRETARY TOO.
>> THEN ONE OTHER THING JUST YOU MAY NOT HAVE THIS NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT SO WE'RE SEEING AN ADDITIONAL 150,000 FOR MSOC FOR THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
ROUND NUMBERS. HOW MUCH DID OUR MSOC INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR? THAT DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO FILLING THAT INCREASE, RIGHT? WEREN'T WE SEEING THINGS LIKE INSURANCE RATES AND UTILITY RATES GOING UP LIKE 200%, THAT KIND OF STUFF?
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE.
IT WAS SO SMALL. I DIDN'T BOTHER TO CALCULATE IT.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT WE PROBABLY SPEND I GUESS I WOULD KNOW ON ONE OF MY FUTURE SLIDES HOW MUCH WE SPEND ON NON PERSONNEL COSTS, BUT I'M GOING TO GUESS IT'S PROBABLY AROUND 14 MILLION.
IF YOU'RE ADDING 150,000 TO THAT, NOT MUCH.
WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASES OF 350,000.
THAT COMES IN ON THE STATE GENERAL PURPOSE LINE ITEM FOR REVENUES.
THERE IS STATE SPECIAL PURPOSE AND GENERAL PURPOSE, SO GENERAL PURPOSE MEANS THAT USE IT FOR THE OPERATION.
SPECIAL PURPOSE WOULD BE FOR A DESIGNATED USE.
I MENTIONED THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
OSPI IS WORKING ON WHAT THOSE ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE FUNDING SOURCES.
[00:40:03]
I WANT TO BRING BACK THAT WE ARE THANKFUL.WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID TO SECURE THESE FUNDING ENHANCEMENTS.
WE TRULY ARE, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM ON OTHER ENHANCEMENTS.
>> GO BACK REALLY QUICK. DID I MISS THE IPD? CAN WE DEFINE THAT A LITTLE BIT IN SLIDE 14, 3.7 DOWN FROM THE PROJECTED.
THAT'S GIVEN FROM THE LEGISLATURE, WE HAD PROJECTED 3.9%.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO COVER THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN WE GET ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES ON THAT, BUT THE REASON IT'S A REVENUE SLIDE IS IPD IS AN INFLATION ADJUSTER THAT'S APPLIED TO THE FUNDING FORMULA.
IT'S BASICALLY, IF YOU WILL, AN INFLATION ADJUSTMENT THAT HAPPENS EACH YEAR.
GOING INTO THE BUDGET SEASON, WHICH GETS REALLY STARTED IN THAT DECEMBER/ JANUARY TIME FRAME, THERE'S ALWAYS AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THAT IPD NUMBER MIGHT BE.
BUT YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE INFLATION NUMBERS COME IN OVER TIME.
WE WERE TOLD AND IT WAS EXPECTED TO BE 3.9%, IT CAME IN AT 3.7%.
SOME OF THAT EARLY MODELING WILL NEED TO BE ADJUSTED IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET DOWN TO 3.7.
I BRING THAT UP AND IT HAD AN IMPACT BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IMPACTS OUR REVENUES DOWN THE ROAD EVERY YEAR ACTUALLY.
>> I HAD A QUICK QUESTION TOO ON THE TAKEAWAYS, OR ACTUALLY ON THE SLIDE BEFORE, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PARA FUNDING AND YOU SAID WE'RE IN A DEFICIT, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE ANYBODY.
DOES THAT MONEY FLOW IN AND WE JUST SAY WE HAVE THIS MANY PARAS AND WE'RE GETTING FUNDED BY THIS AND IT JUST FILLS THAT GAP A LITTLE BIT? I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT LIKE SHRUG, WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT FOR WHATEVER WE WANT TO USE IT FOR.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO INCREASE WHAT WE CAN SPEND, IT JUST CLOSES THE GAP BETWEEN HOW MUCH WE NEED TO TAKE OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
>> IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT WHERE OUR EXPENDITURES ALREADY EXCEED OUR REVENUES, ALL THIS DOES IS RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON OUR RESERVES.
>> THE DAY WE GET TO A BALANCED BUDGET BECAUSE WE WILL, WE HAVE TO, FUTURE FUNDING ENHANCEMENTS THEN EMPOWER THE ORGANIZATION TO POTENTIALLY HIRE NEW STAFF BUT UNTIL THEN, WE REALLY CAN'T.
>> WE POINT THIS OUT ALL THE TIME.
I WOULDN'T CALL IT A LUXURY, BUT WE HAVE HAD THE ABILITY TO MEET THAT GAP WITH FUND BALANCE, WHICH WE'RE MARCHING DOWN USING OUR SAVINGS TO PAY OUR BILLS EVERY MONTH AND PRETTY SOON, OUR SAVINGS ARE GONE, WHICH HAPPENS AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR, RIGHT?
>> IT'S NOT NOTHING WE DIDN'T SEE COMING, BUT WE'VE BEEN LIVING OFF OUR SAVINGS.
>> THEY'RE WITH NO SIMILAR STREAM OF REPLACING THAT SAVINGS THAT WE USED TO HAVE IN THE PAST?
>> SAVINGS OUR RESERVES, OUR FUND BALANCE, YOUR SAVINGS AT HOME, YOU CAN ONLY SPEND ONCE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO REPLENISH IT.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, AND SO THAT DOESN'T STOP.
>> BUT THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE COMING IN PROJECTED IN THE FUTURE IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE IN THE PAST WHERE WE COULD BRING THAT FUND BALANCE BACK UP.
IT LOOKS A LOT GRIMMER IN BEING ABLE TO WE GET THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN TO 5%.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO 10% ANYTIME SOON.
WE'LL BE LUCKY IF WE CAN HOLD ON TO THAT 5%, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CRYSTAL CLEAR.
>> HONESTLY, WE WENT THROUGH AN ANALYSIS ON THIS QUITE HEAVILY LAST YEAR AND WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TARGET 8%, AND WHERE THIS BUDGET IS TAKING US IS LESS THAN THAT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US CLOSER TO 4.5, 4.6%.
THAT GETS INTO A DANGER ZONE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CASH TO MAKE IT THROUGH A GIVEN YEAR, POTENTIALLY, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF BECAUSE WE DON'T GET AN EQUAL 1/12 REVENUES EVERY MONTH,
[00:45:09]
THERE'S A CYCLE TO IT.NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF PROPERTY TAXES REALLY BEING COLLECTED TWICE A YEAR IN OCTOBER AND APRIL, BUT EVEN OUR STATE FUNDING, WHICH IS LIKE I SAID, IT'S 85% OF OUR FUNDING, GET ALMOST A QUARTER OF THAT IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR SO WE HAVE TO CARRY THE CASH FLOW BURDEN THROUGH SOME LEAN MONTHS.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE CASH ON HAND GETS YOU THROUGH THOSE LEAN MONTHS.
THAT'S WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE, THAT'S WHAT OUR RESERVES SERVE AS.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL GOING FORWARD, FOR SURE.
LIKE I MENTIONED, WE CAN'T TAKE A YEAR OFF, WHICH IS GOING TO BE KIDS EVERY FALL AND WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THEM, AND WE NEED TO BE READY TO EDUCATE THEM.
THERE'S A HIGH STANDARD IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE DON'T WANT TO COMPROMISE ON THAT.
LOOKING AHEAD, WASA IS ONE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS THAT REPRESENTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON DIFFERENT LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS. THIS IS THE THREE EARLY MAJOR BUDGET PRIORITIES, SPECIAL ED, PUPIL TRANSPORTATION, AND MSOC.
MSOC AGAIN, IS THE NONE-PERSONNEL COSTS.
I WILL SAY SPECIAL ED HAS BEEN A MAJOR FOCUS EVER SINCE I THINK I'VE BEEN IN SCHOOLS.
IT STILL SERVES AS AN AREA THAT REALLY IS NOT FULLY FUNDED, AND THE SPECIAL ED STUDENTS ARE BASIC ED STUDENTS FIRST AND FOREMOST AND WILL ALWAYS BE.
THIS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE SAFETY NET FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE.
I WORRY THAT THAT'S GOING TO RUN OUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE SEEING MAJOR INCREASES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT NEEDS AND EXPENSES.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY.
PUPIL TRANSPORTATION, THAT ALSO HAS BEEN KICKED AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S A VERY COMPLEX, IT'S CALLED THE STARS FORMULA.
I'VE BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS.
THERE'S A DESIRE TO REVISIT THAT.
HOPEFULLY WE SEE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LIKE MANY OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE TO USE LOCAL LEVY FUNDS TO SUBSIDIZE OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS, AND WE'RE FULLY FUNDING EDUCATION.
YOU WOULD ALSO FUND THE TRANSPORTATION OF THEM FROM THEIR HOMES TO THEIR SCHOOL AND BACK.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT.
MSOC, AS WE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT GAPS AND THAT THOSE GAPS ARE GROWING BECAUSE OF PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INFLATION IN AREAS OF INSURANCE, UTILITIES.
YOU SEE IT IN YOUR OWN HOME BUDGET, SO WE'RE NO DIFFERENT, THE SCALE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN PERHAPS YOUR HOME.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING THOSE SAME INFLATION FACTORS.
I THINK THERE'S AN EFFORT TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME RELIEF FROM THE STATE ON THAT.
>> IF WE WERE FULLY FUNDED FOR SPECIAL ED, PUPIL TRANSPORTATION, AND OUR MSOCS, LIFE IS NOT ROSY STILL, I THINK THESE WILL HELP LOWER THOSE GAPS, BUT WE STILL NEED TO DO SOME FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES TO THAT PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN UP UNTIL NOW.
THESE ARE PRIORITIES, I THINK, THAT ARE IMPORTANT THAT HIT A LOT OF PLACES, BUT IF THEY DID ALL OF THIS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAVING THE GLORY DAYS, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALL PROBLEM SOLVED IF THEY WERE TO FULLY FUND ALL OF THOSE.
>> THESE ARE LARGE PORTIONS OF THE STATE'S INVESTMENT IN K-12, BUT OUR BUDGET, I WANT TO SAY PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, MAYBE 20 MILLION OF $130 MILLION BUDGET.
THERE'S A MUCH LARGER OPERATION THAT'S HAPPENING THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
>> WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TO FOCUS ON WITH OUR LEGISLATORS,
[00:50:03]
THERE'S THESE THAT HELP, I THINK, THAT EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE STATE NEEDS, BUT THEN THERE'S THE FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOL MODEL THAT WE STILL HAVE TO REALLY PUSH ON.>> BECAUSE WE DO TALK ABOUT THAT PROTOTYPICAL SCHOOL MODEL A LOT AND HOW IF IT FUNDS ONE NURSE FOR HOWEVER MANY, AND WE OBVIOUSLY FUND WAY MORE THAN THAT SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO FIX THAT STILL.
>> WHAT IT REALLY COSTS TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION OR BASIC EDUCATION, REALLY.
>> JASON, SORRY, NOT TO KEEP DWELLING ON THIS SLIDE HERE, BUT I THINK THESE THREE TOP BUDGET PRIORITIES THAT WASA AND MANY OF THE OTHER STATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE IDENTIFIED AS UNIVERSAL RALLYING CRIES, I THINK, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL GET BEHIND THESE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
DO YOU SEE ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S UNIQUE TO CAMAS THAT WE SHOULD BE ADVOCATING FOR AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH OUR LEGISLATORS? YOU THINK THESE ARE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THESE HAVE THE GREATEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS, BASICALLY?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION AND ONE THAT PROBABLY WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO UNPACK TO BE HONEST.
I SHARED THESE IN AN EARLY FORMAT BECAUSE HONESTLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST TIMES I'VE EVER SHARED A LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM.
WE'RE TWO MONTHS OUT OF THE LAST SESSION CONCLUDING, BUT I'M TRYING TO RAISE THE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SOME LOOKING FURTHER INTO THIS AS TO WHAT REALLY IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS, AND THAT WE DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND.
>> IT HAS BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL TO CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO LOSE 6% REGIONALIZATION IN FOUR YEARS.
THAT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT PILL TO SWALLOW.
>> WELL, THAT'S PRACTICALLY OUR BUDGET DEFICIT RIGHT THERE, ISN'T IT?
AS A REMINDER, REGIONALIZATION IS THAT FACTOR.
IT GOES INTO ACROSS THE BOARD FUNDING FORMULA.
WHEN YOU LOSE 6% OF THAT, EVERYONE ELSE IN THE REGION WAS EITHER STAYING FLAT OR GROWING, AND WE WERE GETTING LESS EACH YEAR.
I THINK EDUCATING LEGISLATORS ON THAT, REMINDING THEM THAT THOSE IMPACTS OF MCCLEARY ARE BEING FELT TODAY.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR A LITTLE BIT OF THE RUNWAY THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE COVID RELIEF FUNDS BECAUSE REALLY WE WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE TWO YEARS AGO IF IT WEREN'T FOR SOME OF THE COVID REALLY DELAYING THIS.
>> I THINK THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS THAT BY CONTINUING TO REPEAT THESE YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHICH IS MORE OF A UNIQUE THING, SINCE MCCLEARY CAME WE USED TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, MANY DIFFERENT YEARS, AND WE'VE SETTLED ON THE SAME THINGS, REALLY DRILLS IN THE POINT TO THEM THAT THIS IS BIG PARTS OF THE BUDGET THAT MCCLEARY IS NOT SUPPORTING.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE KEEP REPEATING BECAUSE AS WE KNOW NOT EVERYBODY IS ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SO THEY DON'T ALL GET IT, AND TO BE CONTINUING TO REPEAT IT AND REALLY EDUCATE THEM ON THIS IS REALLY IMPACTFUL FOR US.
HOW ABOUT NOT ONLY REGIONALIZATION, BUT EXPERIENCE FACTOR, WHICH WE LOVE AND SAVOR, THAT MAKES IT A DESTINATION DISTRICT.
LOOK AT THE AMOUNTS OF EDUCATOR PROFESSIONALS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE HERE FOR AT LEAST A DECADE AND DECADES MORE WITH THE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION THAT THEY HAVE AND THAT THEY BRING TO OUR STUDENTS.
THAT'S THE LITTLE PARTS OF CAMAS, BUT I LIKE TO SEE THAT WE REPEAT THIS IN ORDER TO REALLY HONE IN ON THE PROBLEM OVERALL.
>> WELL, THANKS. I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG QUESTION.
I WASN'T QUITE EXPECTING YOU TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER ALL OF IT, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STAY UP ON THIS.
LIKE YOU SAID, KEEP REPEATING BECAUSE I THINK THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN A LOT OF WAYS IS GOING TO BE A DO OR DIE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, NOT JUST FOR US, FOR MANY DISTRICTS.
I KNOW AFTER WE GET THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS AND WE COME BACK IN THE FALL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY BE JUMPING INTO THESE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND OUR ADVOCACY THERE FULL TILT. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK SOME OF MY LETTER WRITING THIS SUMMER, THOUGH,
[00:55:04]
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS SUMMER, WILL BE THEY'VE GOT SOME TIME.WHAT ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT? WHAT A NEW STRUCTURAL MODEL COULD LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FLIP OVERNIGHT AND IT'S NOT GOING TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR'S ASSEMBLY, BUT LITTLE IMPLEMENTED CHANGES CAN BE HAPPENING.
TO DRILL INTO THEM, WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT NOW OF WHAT CAN BE CHANGING.
I THINK ARE GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK.
WE KNOW OUR OWN LEGISLATOR IS REALLY LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE FACTORS WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT.
JUST BRAINSTORMING AND ASKING THEM THOSE QUESTIONS, WHAT WILL IT TAKE, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FLIP IT ON INSTEAD, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND SPENT TIME ON THAT.
I'D LIKE TO DIG INTO THE GENERAL FUND IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND THESE NEXT SLIDES ARE GOING TO LOOK FAMILIAR BECAUSE IT'S VERY SIMILAR FORMAT AND TRY TO KEEP THINGS CONSISTENT BECAUSE IT HELPS WITH THE MESSAGING AND I CAN HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
LOOKS LIKE JUST YOUR NORMAL MONTHLY BUDGET STATUS REPORT.
AS I MENTIONED, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, JUST REPEAT THIS.
THIS REVENUE IS $124 MILLION, IS LESS THAN $131 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
THAT GAP IS FILLED WITH FUND BALANCE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS IN YEARS TO COME.
PLANNED USE OF FUND BALANCE, $6.7 MILLION.
WE HAD ANTICIPATED, LEADING UP TO THIS POINT, ABOUT SEVEN MILLION, NO REAL MAJOR SHIFT THERE.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE NUMBERS HERE EXCLUDE THE BUDGET CAPACITY THAT WE PUT ON THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE SIDE.
THE REASON THAT WE EXCLUDE THAT FROM THESE IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO GIVE THAT TRUE AND ACCURATE PICTURE OF WHAT WE FEEL LIKE CLASSIFIED SALARIES, BENEFITS, CERT SALARIES.
ALSO, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING IN STATE FUNDING VERSUS LOCAL REVENUES VERSUS LEVY.
THEN A LITTLE TINY SLICE OF FEDERAL REVENUES, 2%.
IT'S PRETTY TYPICAL FOR US, WE'RE NOT HEAVILY FUNDED BY THE FED.
I FEEL LIKE I ALWAYS QUOTE OVER 80%.
>> I THINK IT'S FAIRLY TYPICAL.
WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THESE PAST HANDFUL OF YEARS IS WE MIGHT HAVE HAD AN INFUSION OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR COVID RELIEF.
THE OTHER THING THAT CAN VARY OVER TIME IS IF THE PORTION OF LOCAL LEVY, IF THE RATES, YOU GET A BIG JUMP THERE FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THAT CAN IMPACT THAT PERCENTAGE, BUT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY CLOSE TO 80%, IS THE NORM ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
>> I MEANT 78% FROM THE STATE.
I ALWAYS QUOTE ABOUT OVER 80%.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS OVER 80%.
>> YEAH. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY ADJUST THAT, BUT [OVERLAPPING].
>> ABSENT ANY CHANGE IN LEVY OR MAJOR INFUSION OF FEDERAL MONIES, IT'S USUALLY 80% FOR US.
IN THE REVENUE FORECAST AS I MENTIONED, HERE'S SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE BUILD INTO THAT.
THIS FTE IS THE SAME BACK TO THAT PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT WE HAD HIGHLIGHTED AND TALKED ABOUT.
NO MAJOR CHANGE IN OUR RUNNING START FTE ASSUMPTION.
OUR CAMAS CONNECT ACADEMY, THAT'S THE CATEGORY OF FUNDING IN WHICH WE RECEIVE MONEY.
SPECIAL EDUCATION ENROLLMENT, IT'S A PRETTY HIGH NUMBER.
THIS GREW PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN THESE NUMBERS.
IT'S SOMETHING TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET.
WE PUT A PRETTY HEFTY NUMBER FOR OUR SAFETY NET ON EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES.
>> THAT CATEGORY IS A VERY BROAD CATEGORY, ENCOMPASSING NOT JUST SPECIFIC CLASSROOMS, BUT SERVICES.
I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE TERM,
[01:00:01]
IT'S NOT ALWAYS KNOWN THAT ALMOST EVERY STUDENT IS TOUCHED BY A SPECIAL ED SERVICE. YEAH?>> YEAH. OUR EXPENDITURES IN THAT PROGRAM ARE VERY STUDENT NEED DRIVEN.
YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT WHAT NEEDS MAY COME TO THE SURFACE FOR STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HIRE A SPECIALIST OR YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT MAYBE YOU WEREN'T PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT THE NEEDS TEND TO GROW, TEND TO GET SMALLER.
>> THE NEEDS TEND TO CHANGE ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
IT'S A CONSTANT CHANGE OF PERSONNEL AND NEEDS AND FINANCES.
IT'S A DISTRICT WITHIN A DISTRICT.
>> THIS HEARKENS BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION ON THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER 1.5% IN REGIONALIZATION LOSS IN OUR CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATORS.
AGAIN, THIS IMPACTS OUR FUNDING PRETTY DRAMATICALLY.
> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION, IS WAS IT ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO WE WERE AT A 12% REGIONALIZATION RATE?
>> TWELVE PERCENT, AND THIS IS THAT FINAL PHASE DOWN THAT THEY DID OVER TWO YEARS LAST YEAR THAT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 6%, WHICH IS WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY IS AT.
>> THE ASSUMPTION THERE IS THAT THE COST OF LIVING IN CAMAS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS EVERYWHERE ELSE IN CLARK COUNTY.
>> YEAH. OR YOU COULD SAY THAT THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT COST OF LIVING IN CAMAS HAS GONE DOWN 6% IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
>> THAT 6% IS GOING TO STAY THERE.
WE DON'T EXPECT THAT TO DROP ANYMORE.
HAVE THEY SAID THAT'S THE LIMIT OR HAVE THEY NOT SAID?
>> MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGISLATION IS THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS, THEY WILL EVALUATE REGIONALIZATION, I THINK.
>> THEY EVALUATED IT LAST YEAR, CORRECT? WE'RE AT THAT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FOUR YEARS THEN.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WON'T REVISIT IT ANYTIME SOON, AND THE LAST ADJUSTMENT THAT THEY MADE WAS TO REALLY SET REGIONALIZATION RATES BY COUNTY, AND SO WE GOT WRAPPED UP INTO THAT.
>> INSTEAD OF RAISING EVERYBODY ELSE UP TO US, THEY LOWERED US DOWN. THAT'S CORRECT.
>> LET'S SEE HERE. EXPENDITURE FORECAST SIDE.
ON THE STAFFING SIDE, THIS IS REALLY FLAT STAFFING.
WE'VE GOT JUST I WANT TO SAY, THREE FTE ADDED ON THE CERT SIDE, NO CHANGE ON THE CLASSIFIED STAFFING FROM OUR STAFFING LEVELS TODAY.
WE'RE ASSUMING BASICALLY FLAT STAFFING.
ASSUMPTIONS, USE OF FUND BALANCE IS $6.7 MILLION.
AGAIN, THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE WERE TARGETING IS WHY WE WERE USING FUND BALANCE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO DEFER BUDGET CUTS BY USING OUR RESERVES AND WE WERE TRYING TO TARGET AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF THAT 4.5-5%.
THAT'S BEYOND OUR FLOOR, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH FOR A VERY SHORT TERM.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ON THE EXPENDITURE ASSUMPTIONS?
>> JUST TO POINT OUT 4.5 TO 5% ENDING FUND BALANCE.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME OUR DISTRICT WAS AROUND THAT NUMBER?
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH THE MONEY, AND WHAT DO WE GET PER STUDENT? THESE ARE INTERESTING. EACH YEAR, WE GET ABOUT 18 GRAND PER STUDENT, IF YOU WILL, TO EDUCATE THEM FOR THAT GIVEN YEAR.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE SPENDING ALMOST 19,000 PER STUDENT TO EDUCATE THEM.
IN THE VAST MAJORITY, IT'S OBVIOUSLY TEACHING SUPPORT, TEACHING ACTIVITIES, OTHER SUPPORT ACTIVITIES, VERY LITTLE IN THE CENTRAL ADMIN FROM A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT.
[01:05:01]
WE'VE DONE THAT FOR YEARS.THIS IS NOTHING NEW, IF YOU WILL.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT IS SPREAD ACROSS THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE, BUT WE INVEST IN THE CLASSROOM AND THOSE SERVICES THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT CHILDREN.
>> WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BALANCED BUDGET, BASICALLY, WHEN WE'RE GETTING 17,000, 18,000 PER STUDENT AND SPENDING MORE THAN THAT, WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING TO COME FROM IN THE FUTURE? THAT'S THE WHOLE CRUX OF THE EDUCATION FUNDING ISSUE RIGHT NOW, THAT IT COST MORE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS, AND THAT'S EVEN TO EDUCATE THEM AT THE LOWER NOT LOWER RATE, BUT THE DECREASED LEVEL BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH SOME CUTS IN OUR DISTRICT.
THEN THIS IS EVEN SAYING TO MAINTAIN EVEN THIS LEVEL WE'RE STILL AT A DEFICIT.
THE STATE'S PROJECTION IS WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING DOWN.
>> STILL UNSUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.
>> REALLY, WHAT'S AMAZING IS WE'RE DOING THIS MAINTAINING CAMAS AS A DESTINATION DISTRICT, BUT THE REVENUES PER STUDENT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS ISN'T.
CONSISTENTLY IS IN THE BOTTOM PORTILE OF DISTRICTS IN CLARK COUNTY.
WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT WITH A LITTLE.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO A LOT.
WE JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN CONTINUE.
>> WE DON'T WANT OUR LITTLE TAKEN AWAY.
>> YEAH, WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TAKE STUDENT PROGRAMMING AWAY.
IT ULTIMATELY IS THAT'S THE CHOICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FORCED WITH.
EITHER THIS NUMBER OF REVENUES GOES UP BEYOND $18,000 OR THIS NUMBER COMES DOWN.
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT, $700 DIFFERENCE.
IT ALL ADDS UP WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT 7,100 KIDS.
>> WELL, I JUST DID THE MATH, IS $722 DIFFERENCE.
YOU LOOK AT THAT AND YOU'RE LIKE, $722 DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT I TIMES IT BY 6,500 STUDENTS BECAUSE I WAS GETTING LOWER.
BUT THAT'S 4.7 MILLION DOLLAR.
IT'S HUGE WHEN YOU MULTIPLY IT OUT, TIMES THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE.
>> IT'S HUGE AND FOR CAMAS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET 4.7 MILLION DOLLAR FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO INVEST SEVERAL BILLION.
THIS IS NOT A SMALL PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
HISTORICALLY, OUR PERCENTAGE SHARE OF THE PIE IS FAIRLY SMALL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE WIDE K-12 BUDGET.
I ALWAYS WANT TO HIGHLIGHT LOCALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
MOSTLY THIS YEAR, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS ALL THE LOCALLY FUNDED 31 MILLION BEING FUNDED LOCALLY.
THESE ARE JUST GOING TO BE COLLECTIONS LOCALLY.
THE LUNCHES WE SELL, FINES, FEES, THAT TYPES OF THINGS.
THE VAST MAJORITY IS LOCAL LEVY.
OUR COMMUNITY IS COVERING THE LION'S SHARE OF THESE LOCALLY FUNDED COSTS.
THE OTHER CHUNK, IT'S OVER 20% IS FUNDED BY OUR RESERVES.
THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DEPENDENT UPON LOCAL RESOURCES BECAUSE THE STATE AND FEDERAL MONIES DO NOT COVER THE COST OF THOSE.
TO BE CLEAR THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT CANNOT SURVIVE ON STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING.
THAT'S WHY THE LEVY WAS SO CRITICAL.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S CRITICAL TO ALL DISTRICTS.
WE PUBLISHED THIS VERY SAME MATERIAL IN SOME OF OUR LEVY FLYERS INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THE LEVY FUNDS? IT'S THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
I SKIP TO ANOTHER SUMMARIZATION.
IT MIRRORS WE USE LOCAL FUNDS IN A VERY SIMILAR FASHION TO WHAT WE BUDGET HOLISTICALLY.
STUDENT SERVICES 76%, 18% FOR DISTRICT SUPPORT.
INDIRECT SUPPORT IS VERY SMALL.
AGAIN, WE PUT IT TOWARDS THE STUDENTS, WE PUT IT TOWARDS THE CLASSROOM.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS THAT LEVY AND LOCAL SOURCES ARE WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
[01:10:06]
YOU CAN GO AROUND THIS WHEEL AND THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE DISTRICT, TRANSPORTATION, STAFF DEVELOPMENT, SUBS, FOOD SERVICES, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, 100% FUNDED THERE.CERT ADMIN STAFF, CLASSIFIED POSITIONS, SPECIAL SERVICES, SPECIAL ED, CERT CERTIFICATED SUPPLEMENTAL CONTRACTS, AND CERTIFICATED POSITIONS IS THE LARGEST PIECE OF THE PIE.
THIS IS SO INTEGRAL TO OUR FUN TO OUR ORGANIZATION CANNOT BE THANKFUL ENOUGH TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS SAY LIKE CERTIFICATED POSITIONS, 30% OF OUR LEVY AND FUND BALANCE UTILIZATION GOES TO THAT, NOT 30% OF CERTIFICATED POSITIONS?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. JUST 30% OF OUR LEVY.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN BUDGET PRIORITIES, AS I MENTIONED, I ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THESE STATS BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO COMPARE YOURSELF WITH NOT ONLY YOUR NEIGHBORS BUT LIKE SIZE DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE THREE VERY KEY AREAS.
YOU'RE A SCHOOL, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S A PEOPLE BUSINESS, SO YOU'RE FOCUSED, YOU'RE SPENDING ON YOUR PEOPLE.
IT TAKES PEOPLE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE DOING THAT WORK FOR US.
WE ARE THE HIGHEST IN CLARK COUNTY.
THERE'S NO OTHER DISTRICT HIGHER IN ITS PERSONNEL ALLOCATION, SECOND HIGHEST AMONGST LIKE SIZE DISTRICTS.
TEACHING, VERY SIMILAR, YOU'LL SEE HIGHEST IN CLARK COUNTY, EIGHT HIGHEST AMONG LIKE SIZE DISTRICTS.
WE TEND TO LEAD THE PACK IN THESE TWO AREAS.
WHERE WE DON'T LEAD THE PACK IS CENTRAL ADMIN.
WE'RE FOURTH LOWEST IN CLARK COUNTY, WHICH IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE BECAUSE THAT IS ON A COST PER STUDENT BASIS, WE'RE THE FOURTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN CLARK COUNTY BEHIND EVERGREEN VANCOUVER AND BATTLE GROUND.
THIRD LOWEST AMONGST LIKE-SIZE DISTRICTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT EVEN WITH LIKE SIZE DISTRICTS. EXCUSE ME, FIFTH.
LIKE SIZE DISTRICTS, THAT'S A POPULATION OF PROBABLY AROUND.
>> I THINK IT'S 5-10,000, ISN'T IT?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S 5-10,000, BUT I WANT TO SAY IT'S AROUND 30 DISTRICTS, WE'RE IN THAT QUARTILE THERE.
IT'S QUITE A FEW. MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
IN THE APPENDIX, THERE'S ALL OF THIS INFORMATION ON WHERE WE RANK, COMPARED TO CLARK COUNTY, SIMILAR SIZE DISTRICTS.
ALL IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I THINK IT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF NOT JUST THIS BUDGET, BUT WE TALK ABOUT OUR TRADITION OF CARRYING QUALITY AND GROWTH ON THAT PODIUM THERE.
YOU GET THERE WITH A COMMITMENT THROUGH THIS, SO THIS BUDGET CONTINUES WITH THAT TRADITION.
FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. I WISH I COULD END ON A HIGHER NOTE.
BUT WE TALKED ABOUT FUND BALANCE, AND THIS IS OUR RESERVES, AND THIS IS GETTING TO A CRITICAL LEVEL.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 4.6%, THAT'S ONLY 6.2 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT A MONTH'S WORTH OF COST.
IF YOU'RE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE NEXT MONTH. IT'S VERY LOW.
THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REBUILD IT WHEN WE TAKE IT THIS LOW AND WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN SOLVENT, BASICALLY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FLIP THE SCRIPT.
ULTIMATELY IN THE LONG-TERM OR REVENUES START TO EXCEED EXPENDITURES AND WE REBUILD OUR RESERVES.
NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO BALANCE, BUT WE CANNOT SUSTAIN EVEN AT 4.6%.
WE HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY.
IT'S GOING TO TELL US WHICH WAY WE HAVE TO PIT IT IN ORDER TO GET TO A SUSTAINABLE PATHWAY.
RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THERE WILL BE A LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE, BUT MIGHT BE MEASURED AND OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS AS OPPOSED TO ONE FAIL SWOOP COME IN AND FIX AN ISSUE.
[01:15:03]
TRANSLATION, WE'RE NOT SEEING A TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT, HIGH DOLLAR COMMITMENT TO K-12, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT IN TIME.THEN SUSTAINABILITY, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH.
THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT BUDGET IN '25, '26.
THERE ARE VERY FEW OPTIONS OTHER THAN TO DO THAT, BASICALLY.
WE DON'T WANT TO RUN UP AGAINST THAT.
WE WANT TO BE A SOLVENT, STRONG ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES GREAT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE A PROUD SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE CAN DO THAT. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> JASON, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER FACT I WANT TO TRY AND HIGHLIGHT HERE.
THIS BUDGET COMING UP '24, '25 BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE RUNNING A DEFICIT BUDGET ON, HOW MANY YEARS IN A ROW NOW, IS THAT A DEFICIT BUDGET THAT WE'VE HAD TO RUN?
>> SORRY, WE'VE BEEN ANTICIPATING A DEFICIT BUDGET FOR PROBABLY FIVE YEARS, BUT AS COVID RELIEF MONIES CAME IN, WE ENDED UP NOT BEING TERRIBLE, BUT I WOULD SAY THIS WOULD BE FOUR YEARS IN A ROW.
WE'LL FOR SURE USE OR WE'LL HAVE USED FUND BALANCE IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND IT'S STEADILY INCREASED.
THIS WILL BE CERTAINLY THE LARGEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT USE OF OUR RESERVES THAT I CAN SEE HISTORICALLY.
I WENT BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN US USE THIS MUCH IN OUR RESERVES IN ONE YEAR.
>> YOU SAID 2007, AND SO THE WAY THAT WE BUILT THAT BACKUP OVER THOSE YEARS WAS THE AMOUNT OF THE BIG WAVE?
>> ACTUALLY, WE BUILT THAT BACK.
AT THE TIME THERE WAS RR FUNDS, WAS THE FEDERAL RELIEF PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHAT REALLY HELPED BAIL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUT.
THERE WAS A MAJOR TIGHTENING OF THE BELT, BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT PROBABLY COREY COULD SPEAK TO AT THE TIME.
IT WAS A PROCESS, AND IT TOOK SOME TIME.
THEN AS THAT GREW, WE HAD BEEN REDUCING OUR FUND BALANCE IN A FAIRLY SLOW AND METHODICAL MANNER, ABOUT 1% A YEAR.
RIGHT BEFORE MCCLEARY, IT WAS AT 10%, AND THEN WE STARTED TO SEE VOLATILITY AFTER THAT, PRETTY LARGE INCREASE, AND NOW WE'VE BEEN USING IT THE PAST FEW YEARS.
>> IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK YOU NEED FROM US? WE'VE BEEN WORKING THIS PLAN NOW FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, AND WE JUST HAVE BEEN EXTENDING THE LIFE ON THIS AS LONG AS WE CAN.
IS THERE ANY FEEDBACK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM US OR JUST THAT THIS IS THE PLAN, AND WE'RE STILL COMFORTABLE WITH STICKING TO THE PLAN?
>> I THINK THAT'S IT. I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE FOR TONIGHT.
I TAKE VERY SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET, AND IF I CAN'T, I HAVE TO ASK FOR FUND BALANCE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BALANCE THIS WITH OUR RESERVES, AND SCHOOL BOARD CONTROLS THAT RESERVE FUND BALANCE.
YES, I CAN COME TO THE NEXT MEETING WITH A BUDGET THAT EXPECTS TO USE FUND BALANCE.
IT'S LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION AROUND ALL FUNDS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS MOMENT TO OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS FUND BALANCE, AND THIS IS IT.
IT CAN'T BE ZERO, AND IT CAN'T GO NEGATIVE.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
IT WILL BE GOOD TO GET US THROUGH THE YEAR AND PRESERVE STUDENT PROGRAMMING.
SCHOOL BOARDS TO BE APPLAUDED FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS IN DOING THAT BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT BEEN IN OUR PLAN, I TRULY FEEL IT INCUMBENT UPON ME AS YOUR FINANCIAL OFFICER TO TREAT EACH BUDGET WITH EARNEST AND HONESTY,
[01:20:04]
AND WANT TO ASK FOR USE OF FUND BALANCE. I DON'T ASSUME.>> JASON, WHEN YOU SAY 4.5-5, AND FUND BALANCE.
WHAT IS THAT DIFFERENCE OF A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS? I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT HOW TO QUANTIFY THAT BECAUSE AT ONE POINT WE SAID YEAH, WE DON'T WANT TO GO LOWER THAN FIVE.
FIRST IT WAS EIGHT, AND THEN NOW WE DON'T WANT TO GO LOWER THAN FIVE, AND THEN WE HEAR 4.5.
MAKING THE DECISION TO EITHER STAY FAST AT FIVE OR GO DOWN TO 4.5, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY WHAT WE'RE BUYING FOR THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW NECESSARILY.
>> NO. I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED.
TWELVE MONTHS AGO, WE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW THIS SESSION WAS GOING TO END UP.
WE ALSO DIDN'T KNOW HOW OUR CONTRACTS WERE GOING TO BE SETTLED.
MORE CONTRACTS OPEN AT THE TIME.
I THINK BY THE END OF SUMMER, ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE CONCLUDED OUR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, WE WERE ANTICIPATING ABOUT 5% AS FAR AS OF ENDING FUND BALANCE.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLOSE GIVEN ALL THE UNCERTAINTIES AS WE START TO SEE CONTRACTS PLAY OUT AND SEE THE REAL COST.
>> I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR THE 0.4%, BUT IT'S A REALITY OF WHAT WE OBLIGATED TO PAY AND THE FUNDING REALITIES THAT WE REALIZED FROM THIS YEAR'S SESSION.
I FELT LIKE WE WERE REALISTIC IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WHAT I MEAN IN THE '23, '24 BUDGET, AND WE'RE TRYING TO CARRY OVER THAT REALISTIC, THIS IS WHAT IT IS, INTO NEXT YEAR.
REAL SUGARCOATING THIS, THAT'S WHY WE TAKE ALL THE CAPACITY OUT.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR REVENUES, AND THIS IS THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO SERVE.
IT'S BEEN PRETTY ACCURATE OF LATE.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD CHANGE, BUT WE NEED TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION.
WHAT IT'S GOING TO FORCE US TO DO IS TO WATCH OUR CASH FLOW MORE CLOSELY THAN EVER.
AS WE APPROACH THE END OF NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WATCH THAT MONTHLY CASH FLOW.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE CASH TO GET THROUGH THOSE LEAN MONTHS, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START TO PAY CLOSER AND CLOSER ATTENTION.
THE MONTHLY BUDGET STATUS REPORTS, WE MAY TUNE THOSE UP A LITTLE BIT, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT CASH FLOW.
WE HAVEN'T HAD TO WORRY ABOUT IT QUITE SOME TIME.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR JASON?
>> LET ME JUST CHIME IN FOR A SECOND, COREY.
I THINK THE BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT REALLY NEEDS TO BE COMMENDED BECAUSE AS I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE CLIMATE AND THE FINANCIAL SITUATION AROUND OUR REGION AND OUR STATE, AND I SPEAK WITH OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS AND WATCH WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS OUR STATE, SO MANY DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN INTO WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER BANKRUPTCY, INTO THE RED, INTO BINDING CONDITIONS, BORROWING FROM THEMSELVES.
I THINK WITH THE DILIGENCE AND THE FISCAL CONSERVATIVENESS OF OUR BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IT'S GOTTEN US TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN STILL DO MAKE IT, AND SO MANY OTHER DISTRICTS HAVEN'T.
I KNOW THAT THE BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY TAKES A BEATING DURING NEGOTIATIONS AND DURING THOSE TOUGH TIMES, BUT THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT CONSERVATIVENESS.
I ALSO THINK THAT THIS BOARD HAS BEEN VERY, VERY WATCHFUL OF THE FUND BALANCE AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING IT AND THE PLAN THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE BEFORE I GOT HERE.
AGAIN, AS I'M LEARNING MORE, I'M REALIZING HOW LUCKY WE REALLY ARE TO NOT JUST HAVE THIS TEAM, BUT THIS BOARD, AND ALSO THE STAFF, WHETHER IT'S OUR TEACHERS, OR CLASSIFIED OR ADMIN WHO ARE CONTINUING TO DO WORK AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL WITH LESS AND LESS RESOURCES.
IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE HOW OUR TEST SCORES, OUR GRADUATION RATES, THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ARE SO IMPECCABLE,
[01:25:05]
EVEN THOUGH, AS JASON SAID EARLIER, REVENUES ARE GETTING SHORTENED AND SHORTENED.SO JUST A HUGE COMPLIMENT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BLEAK, BUT I MEET WITH SUPERINTENDENTS ALL THE TIME AND I TALK WITH THEM NOW, AND THERE'S NOT AS MUCH LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL BECAUSE MAYBE IT'S NOT AS GOOD OF PLANNING, MAYBE IT'S JUST CIRCUMSTANCES.
MAYBE IT'S JUST FALLING PREY TO NOT BEING AS CONSERVATIVE SOMETIMES.
I KNOW THAT'S HARD, AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO HOLD THE LINE SOMETIMES, BUT I THINK IT'S PAID OFF TO BE ABLE TO GET US TO THIS POINT AND PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN STILL SUCCEED EVEN DURING THESE TIMES.
I'LL ALSO SAY THAT I THINK THIS IMPORTANT SESSION IS GOING TO BE SO VITAL, AND THE WORK THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE TEAM IS DOING, THE WORK THAT OUR PARENTS ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT, THAT IT CAN'T JUST BE ON THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE CFO OR THE BOARD, THAT IT REALLY HAS TO BE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT FOR US TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SESSION.
I'M HOPEFUL, I THINK ERICA MENTIONED THE PROTOTYPICAL.
AS A GROUP OF SUPERINTENDENTS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE LEGISLATORS ALONE THAT DECIDE TO FLIP THIS ON ITS EAR.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A REAL GRASSROOTS EFFORT.
I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS THAT WE'RE LOSING SOME OF THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE FROM SOME OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS IN THIS AREA.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME FRESH PEOPLE COMING IN, INCLUDING MYSELF, THAT HAVE TO REALLY HAVE A QUICK LEARNING CURVE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE OUR VOICES ARE HEARD SO WE CAN GET THIS PROTOTYPICAL MODEL TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
THE FACT THAT WE ONLY RECEIVE $82,000 TO HIRE AND PAY A TEACHER IS ABOUT $40,000 LESS PER TEACHER THAN WE REALLY NEED.
WE LOVE THE FACT THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE A GOOD SALARY AND A LIVING WAGE AND THEY'RE DOING GREAT WORK, BUT WE CAN ONLY SUSTAIN THAT FOR SO LONG.
THAT'S THE MODEL THAT HAS TO CHANGE.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, AS A BOARD, THAT WE'RE WORKING REALLY BEHIND THE SEEDS IN FRONT OF THE SCENES TO TRY TO FIX THIS.
BUT AGAIN, JUST KUDOS TO JASON AND HIS TEAM AND THIS BOARD FOR THEIR VISION.
IT'S NOT EVERYBODY'S IN THIS POSITION, AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY TO FIX THIS THE BEST WE CAN AND NOT JUST PRAY THAT THE LEGISLATIVE GODS FIX THIS ON THEIR OWN.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTROL WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
JASON, THANK YOU, AND IT'S COMMENDABLE, THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BLEAK, IT'S BETTER THAN MANY.
>> I WOULD JUST QUICKLY ADD TO THAT, SORRY, THAT THE LEVERS THAT WE'VE HAD TO PULL TO DO THIS PLANNING ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE, WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, JASON, AND WITH THE BOARD, LOOK AHEAD AND HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO AND STRATEGIZE.
BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE COMING TO A POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE LEVERS TO PULL ANYMORE.
THAT'S WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
>> CERTAINLY. THE LEAST FAVORITE LEVER IS OBVIOUSLY BUDGET REDUCTIONS, AND SO WE ARE STRETCHING OUR RESERVES TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT TO AVOID HAVING TO DO THOSE FOR A YEAR, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY COMMENDABLE ON THE BOARD'S BEHALF.
WE PLANNED ON THIS, WE'RE EXECUTING THAT PLAN, AND NEXT YEAR, FUND BALANCE IS NOT A LEVER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE STOCK AND WHAT LEVERS WE DO HAVE LEFT, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
>> ANYTHING ELSE FOR JASON? JASON, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP.
I'M GOING TO RECESS THE MEETING AND
[2. RECESS OF WORKSHOP]
WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL.[3. EXECUTIVE SESSION - RCW 42.30.110 (g) - Approximately 90 minutes]
THAT WILL BE FOR APPROXIMATELY 90 MINUTES.I WILL BE BACK AT 7:30 TO ADJOURN. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.
OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION HAS CONCLUDED AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. GOD NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.