A $38 million budget for the 2008-09 school year was unanimously approved June 24 by the Oxford Board of Education.
The general fund budget lists expenses totaling $38,281,815 and revenues equaling $37,857,836, leaving a deficit of $423,979.
According to Tim Loock, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations for Oxford Schools, the deficit comes from the district not knowing where it stands in terms of the state foundation allowance it will receive, which currently works out to $7,343 per pupil.
They’re assuming a zero percent increase in that funding.
‘In all likelihood we’ll get (an increase), we’re concerned that we’ll keep it all year,? he said.
Assuming the district’s budget holds true and there isn’t an increase in the foundation allowance, Loock said they’ll use part of their $4.6 million fund balance to pay off the deficit.
‘We’re being very conservative going in,? he said. ‘The other option was to assume an increase in the foundation allowance, present a budget with no deficit and wind up with a deficit at the end of the year.?
Reductions
In a time when many school districts have to layoff a large amount of their staff, Oxford has been lucky not to have to come to that conclusion.
A portion of the budget reductions came from the retirements of two teachers, the director of special education and the resignation of a high school counselor this year.
These retirements/resignations have allowed the district to hire a full-time Chinese teacher, orchestra teacher, Performing Arts Center Technology director and an associate superintendent for student services.
These changes have had zero impact on the budget.
Also, the district will be ‘phasing out? classes considered ‘obsolete,? such as home economics at the high school, including foods, food science, child care, personal living, life skills and clothing courses beginning next year.
‘We have begun to move a majority of our foods programs to the middle school and will be phasing out the other courses over the next couple of years,? said Jim Schwarz, assistant superintendent of curriculum, noting that they’re looking to add classes like engineering, metal and wood design at later dates.
Reductions will also be seen in the security staff at the high school.
The two full-time and two part-time staff member’s positions were eliminated in order to create two new salaried positions as Dean of Students. The dean’s primary focus will be student management, discipline, safety and will include working evening events that they haven’t been able to in the past.
Although the security personnel who was laid-off can apply to become a Dean of Students, they must possess a teaching degree or meet the criteria of a teaching position.
New revenue
New revenue projected in the proposed budget are being derived from an additional $12,451,327 in tax monies from a 17.9946-mill non-homestead millage and a 7.0-mill debt millage renewed by voters in November 2006.
There will also be a 2 percent ($96,000) return on invested funds, but no increase in the PA 18 revenue ($2,118,250) the district receives.
Because of the declining property values, there will be a .37 percent decrease in taxable values, but Loock said ‘there’s no impact? on the district’s revenue because the state makes up the difference with the foundation allowance.
‘The part that makes me nervous is more reliance on the state for funding,? he said.
Increases
Other expenditures will include a 7.65 percent increase in healthcare ($325,000) and an 8 percent increase in utilities ($128,000), while there will not be any increase in salaries or supplies and materials.
Although the district has completed various projects to become more energy efficient, the cost of gas and electricity continues to rise.
‘Had we not done those projects we’d be spending much more,? he said.
Also, there will be a 3 percent increase for other miscellaneous insurances and a 2 percent increase ($567,255) in the athletics subsidy.
There are no increases planned in salary steps for eligible staff members (about $400,000).
Next year will be a different picture for the district, according to Loock.
‘Next year is going to be a tough year for us,? he said. ‘There’s not much room for error.?