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Blue Springs, MO —
With state funding remaining flat, the Blue Springs School District will be spending slightly more than it is bringing in next year.
The Blue Springs Board of Education approved the 2012-13 budget June 18. Revenues are estimated to be $149.59 million, while expenditures are $152.73 million – a difference of just more than $3 million. The additional money will come from the district’s reserve fund.
“State funding should have been an increase,” Chief Financial Officer Kim Brightwell said. “But with no legislative correction to the underfunded state formula, our state revenue is flat.”
The budget includes no increase to the district’s health insurance premiums. The district’s insurance provider did change from Aetna to Cigna, but no changes were made to insurance plans. The district joined a health care consortium this year, which helped maintain insurance premiums while also adding extra benefits such as the addition of preventive drugs at no cost on the high deductible plan.
The budget also allows teachers to move up or over on the salary schedule depending on how many years they have been in the district and how many credit hours they have received over the number needed for a bachelor’s degree. The base teacher’s pay will remain at $34,000. The 2012-13 salary schedule was also approved during the meeting.
Despite the lack of increase in state funding, Brightwell said the budget does include $430,000 to purchase new buses. The last time the district purchased new buses was in 2010. More than $1 million is also included for bus fuel.
“No additional cuts were made,” she said. “We continue to hold the line with budget reductions made in previous years with strategic reinstatement based on impact to safety and student achievement.”
With state funding remaining flat, the Blue Springs School District will be spending slightly more than it is bringing in next year.
The Blue Springs Board of Education approved the 2012-13 budget June 18. Revenues are estimated to be $149.59 million, while expenditures are $152.73 million – a difference of just more than $3 million. The additional money will come from the district’s reserve fund.
“State funding should have been an increase,” Chief Financial Officer Kim Brightwell said. “But with no legislative correction to the underfunded state formula, our state revenue is flat.”
The budget includes no increase to the district’s health insurance premiums. The district’s insurance provider did change from Aetna to Cigna, but no changes were made to insurance plans. The district joined a health care consortium this year, which helped maintain insurance premiums while also adding extra benefits such as the addition of preventive drugs at no cost on the high deductible plan.
The budget also allows teachers to move up or over on the salary schedule depending on how many years they have been in the district and how many credit hours they have received over the number needed for a bachelor’s degree. The base teacher’s pay will remain at $34,000. The 2012-13 salary schedule was also approved during the meeting.
Despite the lack of increase in state funding, Brightwell said the budget does include $430,000 to purchase new buses. The last time the district purchased new buses was in 2010. More than $1 million is also included for bus fuel.
“No additional cuts were made,” she said. “We continue to hold the line with budget reductions made in previous years with strategic reinstatement based on impact to safety and student achievement.”
