Battle Ground School Board Approves 2015-16 Budget

August 27, 2015 BGPS Web

Battle Ground School Board Approves 2015-16 Budget

August 27, 2015

Battle Ground Public Schools' Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2015-16 district budget at its meeting Monday night. The district expects to receive $151.9 million in revenues for the year, an increase of 10 percent over last year's budget.

At their meeting, board members approved allocations for four main buckets: day-to-day operations, including $500,000 for the general fund reserve; student activities; debt services (bonds) and facilities projects.

The majority of the district's revenue increase ($10.3 million) will come from the state. The Washington Legislature approved additional funding for school districts around the state for salary and benefit increases, class-size reduction, full-day kindergarten and maintenance and supplies. Battle Ground Public Schools receives about 71 percent of its revenues from state funding. The district also receives federal funds, levy dollars, and money from local, non-tax sources.

Most of Battle Ground's increase in state revenues is tied to a 3 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) and benefit increases that the legislature is giving to state-funded staff. The district must match the COLA and benefit increases for unfunded staff from other revenue sources. About 35 percent of Battle Ground's staff is not funded by state dollars. The COLA and benefits match for unfunded staff, about $1.4 million, reduces the amount of Battle Ground's discretionary funds to $1.5 million.

Budget enhancements from state funding include:

Maintenance, supplies and operating costs increased by $362 to $1,210 per student for a total apportionment of $3.6 million.
The district could receive an additional $852,000 for K-3 class size reduction if it meets reduced class-size requirements.
The state provided a 3 percent COLA for funded staff totaling $868,000 and benefit and retirement increases totaling $948,000, also for funded staff.
Full-day kindergarten funding for salary and benefits only at Maple Grove School totals $135,000.
The district received an additional $2.2 million for special education and alternative learning programs.

A PDF of the district's budget presentation for the school board is available online.

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Battle Ground School Board Approves 2015-16 Budget