The Cheney School Board officially adopted the district’s largest budget in its history at its June 27 regular meeting —a document that comes up just shy of $64.1 million in general fund revenues while slightly exceeding $64 million in general fund expenditures.
The 2018-2019 budget also includes $2.71 million in capital projects revenues against $42.94 million in expenditures. Much of the latter is being paid for through 2017’s $52 million voter-approved bond to expand and renovate the high school and three elementary schools.
The budget also accounts for $9.525 million in debt service fund revenues against $9.127 million fund expenditures.
One change from last year’s budget is in the way the district will receive revenue. While local taxes covering operations and maintenance drop from $9.577 million this year to $7.23 million in 2018-2019, the biggest shift is in what the state pays for education.
Due to the state Legislature’s response to a state Supreme Court decision that Washington was not covering its part of K-12 basic education, Cheney will receive $40.45 million in general purpose funding next year. By comparison, the district received $34.348 million in 2017-2018, and $31.167 million in 2016-2017.
The biggest expense for the district comes in regular education instruction, which will border on $35 million this coming school year or 54.68 percent of appropriations. Regular instruction accounted for $32.794 million last year, about 56.25 percent of the $58.3 million in expenses and $26.844 million in 2016-2017, 52.09 percent.
Expenses for special education also increased this year, up to $9.903 million from $9.283 million last year, as did expenses for support services, topping $12.135 million compared to 2017-2018’s $11.04 million.
The budgeting is based upon a projected increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment and needed staffing increases to go along with the growth. Cheney budgeted for 4,670 FTEs last year, and is budgeting for 4,755.96 in 2017-2018, with staff increasing from a combined FTE certificated and classified total of 575 in 2017-2018 to 603 this coming school year.
School district resident Bill Johns pointed out during a public hearing on the budget that the growth relates to a 1.8 percent increase in enrollment and a 6.1 percent increase in staffing. In 2017-2018, student enrollment increased by 2 percent while staff jumped 7.4 percent.
“Staff is increasing much faster than new students,” Johns said in prepared remarks. “I would like hiring to slow down.”
Johns also noted that in a separate, June 13, report to the board of directors, Associate Superintendent Sean Dotson provided a summary of staffing for the 2018-2019 school year that totaled an increase of 19.7 certificated and classified staff vs. the 28.6 in the budget.
Dotson said the numbers come from different circumstances, such as incoming sixth-grade class enrollment at Cheney Middle School that is higher than expected, leading to the addition of another classroom. The district also received money last summer from the Legislature as part of the increase in education spending, but it came so late that there was no ability to go out and hire the teachers needed.
Finally, some of the positions, notably three Early Childhood Education Assistance Program classified staff, are coming with some funding to pay for them.
“Each of those comes with a story behind it,” Dotson said, although he added that he agrees with Johns that there has to be a point where staffing balances with student growth.
“I expect we could see that next year,” Dotson said. “I don’t foresee more money (coming) from the state.”
Jamie Weingart, the district’s finance director, added that some of the money coming from the state is due to several schools in the district being recognized as high poverty area facilities, with money provided through high-poverty programs required to go to those schools to meet their needs.
“We have to be in a position to be prepared for whomever is coming through our doors,” board president Henry Browne said.
Johns also noted that $250,000 in the budget is designated for land, noting this line item has been in the budget for the four-plus years he’s followed the process and has been as high as $500,000 at one point. So far, no action has been taken, although the district has intimated that at some point, another school will be needed somewhere on the West Plains to handle anticipated enrollment growth.
“Are you going to purchase something this year or is it a marker?” Johns asked. “If so, where is it?”
Superintendent Rob Roettger responded that the district has not purchased any land as yet, but has met with three Realtors about the possibilities. The plan is to put together an interview process, and hire a Realtor to help with an acquisition.
“We hope to get going within a year,” Roettger said.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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