by Margaret Hopper

At Tuesday's school board meeting, Superintendent Streib said there would be a special meeting on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. in the Administrative Office building to present budget information to both the public and interested staff.

Barry Ward, the school's financial officer, and Candy Milam, assistant superintendent and federal programs director, were on hand to tell the key points on the proposed budget by a visual presentation.

Ward's visuals started with information on the major source from the state, the SEG, or State Equalization Guarantee, which assesses GǣunitsGǥ or financial values for student attendance, by grade groups. Kindergarten is heavily weighted, most elementary grades lighter, high school somewhat heavier, but not as much as Kindergarten. Special Education needs and ancillary work are heavier yet.

While on the SEG units, Milam gave examples of where these helped, or didn't help the district with its funding. She explained how charter and home school students, using Silver's band, sports or other programs, fitted into the determinations. On the teacher portion of the unit weighting, the present year shows a 1.152 factor, but in 2016-2017 that will rise to 1.156. She said it didn't look much different, but it makes a huge difference in the funding.

One major change many thought the State should have considered, but didn't, was the change of Opportunity High School (OHS), from a credit recovery program to a vocational school. Proper crediting there would have made a large difference, she said. As a stand-alone school of smaller size, it should have been given the same treatment that other smaller schools get. Silver had applied for it, and appealed, but Paul Aguilar, PED, had not responded.

Considering revenue sources, SEG from the state is the major one at $23,221,186. Enrollments have declined, especially at La Plata Middle School, and the SEG for 2016-2017 is expected to be $800,000 less, at $22,421,182. Federal programs, Title I, Title II and IDEA-B will increase slightly, with a $100,000 increase in Title I. HB 33 funds will come in, but with a $100,000 drop. The Senate Bill 9 funds will see a $10,000 increase, likely.

Looking to other funding sources, such as the copper income of nearly $30,000 and local taxes of $153,000, planners have not changed those expected figures. E Rate is expected to increase by $14,000, from $130,000 to $144,247, and indirect costs are projected to be reduced from $43,000 to $40,000, a small savings. If Freeport McMoRan again donates $10,000, as it has in the past, it would help.

Some hard facts are the usual salaries/benefits, and expenditures. Salaries, benefits, substitutes and any possible increments are figured to be 88.66 percent of the budget at nearly $21,000,000. Utilities are budgeted at $935,000; electricity, $495,000, natural gas, $110,000, propane, $44,000, water/sewage, $288,000. Communications and Internet are budgeted at $220,000.

Other Expenditures, such as insurances (property, at risk, workman's comp) take another $800,000. Student travel, somewhat unpredictable, is estimated at $332,538. Assessments and sports trainer, nearly $223.000. Supplies, materials and software, $224,000. There are other, smaller categories, too. Due to reduced PED support, the district will have to put out $140,000 on dual credit and the reading textbooks being adopted this year. The loss of 40 La Plata students projects a loss of nearly $187,000.

Taking all this and a little more into consideration, the bottom line is that there could be a deficit of $1,318,000 according to Ward's report. One small help would be to reduce three administrative positions to save about $233,000. But that is not enough.

He said administrators have gone over many ideas and asks the community to offer its best suggestions. Milam said they had considered in-person round table think-tank discussions, but decided that written or emailed ideas sent to the administration would probably be the best way to gather new information.

There is still time to talk with the planners and adjust the final budget, as the State has set Silver's due date in early June, said Ward. The community has its opportunity to look at how the budget is progressing and bring good ideas to the table. Superintendent Streib, in the interest of transparency, said he would give information out and ideas would be welcomed.