SPOONER — The decrease in school funding is causing Wisconsin school districts to come up with ways to counteract the revenue loss, and the current and future situation for the Spooner Area School District was discussed at the School Board’s Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, Aug. 5.
Supt. Dr. David Aslyn said this is a biennial year for the fiscal year budget in the Legislature, so it is difficult at this point to know what will happen for funding. The Spooner Area School District is in the second of a three-year non-recurring operating referendum.
State general aid has decreased about 15% annually for the last several years, Aslyn said, and the formula is largely based on student enrollment and property value.
Student enrollment has decreased more than 15% during the past decade, while property values within the district boundaries have significantly increased from $1.6 billion to over $2.6 billion in six years. During 2023-24 alone, Aslyn said, property values increased more than 19%. Record inflation has also driven up fixed cost around 35%.
The Department of Instruction estimate as of July shows Spooner would receive about $156 per student in general aid for the 2024-25 fiscal year. However, Aslyn said, the 31-year-old formula is not working for the children, staff, families, property owners and community.
“This is not a good formula,” he said. “It’s over three decades old. It’s time for a change in that formula.”
School Finance Manager Trish Vazquez said they expect to present a balanced budget for 2024-25. The steps taken thus far include:
Reduction in teachers, support staff and administration positions through attrition.Sharing specialty staff between buildings.A 66.03 agreement for the pupil services director.Reduction in bus routes.Frozen operational budgets across the district.Implementation of lower-cost health insurance and self-funded dental.Early retirement of existing debt.
The last year of the operating referendum (2025-26), the district is looking at a $130,000 defect, and the first year after the referendum, they will face upward of a $2.6 million deficit. However, Vazquez said that they anticipate the deficits will be sustainable by utilizing the fund balance.
Aslyn said this information is to the best of their knowledge due to the current conditions, and the board should begin formulating a plan going forward. Legislation is the only way to change equalized aid.
Board Vice President Nathaniel Melton said it is important to restate that it takes time to get the information out to the community, and they need to begin discussing the next steps and lobbying representatives.
“I would encourage the community to get involved” by contacting local and state representatives, said President Joe Weiss, adding that this will be on future board agendas.
Other action on Aug. 5 included:
Accepting the resignations of school psychologist Britta DeJager, elementary school special education paraprofessional Cody Graham, middle school part-time administration assistant Amber Albee and middle school full-time paraprofessional Heidi Laustad and thanking them for their years of service.Hiring Joie Hammersberg as high school guidance counselor and office administrative assistant, David Kidder as high school evening activities custodian, Karen Schoonover as middle school full-time special education paraprofessional and Beth Emerson as interim head high school cross-country coach.Close-out of the CESA 10 building construction.A proposal by Community Education Director Pat Barnett on a high school 21st-century out-of-school grant for after-school programs.Discussion on a potential donation of property from Hunt Hill Nature Center to the district.A presentation on having a high school Esports team for online gaming (see other article).Hearing the financial update from Aslyn, in which the district had an income of $693,784.18 in July and $1.5 million in expenditures, with cash on hand being $5.2 million, compared to $4.1 million last year.
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