USD 383 Board of Education President Marcia Rozell and KNEA Chair James Neff make the board/teacher negotiated agreement official, with Assistant Superintendent Eric Reed (right). Photo Credit: Aaron Estabrook[/caption]Some board members expressed concern during Wednesday night’s USD 383 school board meeting as members discussed preliminary enrollment numbers, thermostat issues in school buildings and funding requests sent to the state.
During a verbal report to the board, Superintendent Bob Shannon spoke about the need for an increase in funding due to a rise in preliminary enrollment numbers. In order to gain such funding, the district must present five ways they have become more efficient. Board member Dave Colburn later voiced his opinion on the matter, appalled by the “idiocracy” of state lawmakers in their belief such a task is attainable.
“This whole notion that we aren’t efficient enough, that we have to prove how efficient we are, is a giant red herring,” Colburn said, “which means this is an unattainable thing. They don’t define what efficiency is. We can do all sorts of things and be all kinds of efficient, yet they continue to say we aren’t efficient enough… To set a bar that is unattainable, and to continue to demean our teachers and our system- I’m very angry about it. It’s just wrong.”
So far, preliminary enrollment numbers show there is 108 more students so far in the district than this time last year. The official enrollment report will be released September 20th, and an audit of this report may be used to gain additional funding from the state.
USD 383 also thanked Manhattan’s Target store for granting $3,700 for teaching supplies to be distributed among several Manhattan/Ogden schools. The board then adopted the 2015-2016 school year budget after one revision, and approved the board operational calendar presented by board president Marcia Rozell. The published mill levy which was approved at 55.930 mills, is an increase of 3.423 mills from the 2014-15 budget.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for September 2nd. This meeting will include legislative policies and positions, diversity topics, ACT/SAT test preparation, and a district salary and wage study.
