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R-7 board briefed on 2022-23 school budget, proposed tuition rates

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During a recent regular session, the West Plains R-7 Board of Education heard an update on the budget for the upcoming school year and approved proposed tuition rates for the same time period.

Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Lori Wilson briefed the board on the budget for the 2022-23 school year and advised it would likely change slightly before the next board meeting,

“This year, it was a little bit different. I asked the principals and the administrators to try to go from zero to tell me what you need, tell me what you want and what your wishes are, instead of saying you just get this amount of money and you can spend it,” Wilson said. “It's tell me if you normally get this amount and justify why you need all of this.”

“It was different, so I appreciate all of their hard work on that. It was a good exercise because it allows them to see their accounts, what they are responsible for, and what is in those accounts, and hopefully that will continue,” Wilson said.

She explained to board members that the budget also includes new salary information that was presented to board members in April.

A salary committee reviewed the district compensation and benefits package and presented requests to the board based on the district’s efforts to attract and retain quality employees.

The committee recommended the board apply a 1.5% increase across all salary scales to reward teachers for years of service and encourage continued education. The group also recommended increasing hourly wages by $1 across noncertified salary scales to be more competitive with the private sector.

“Right now, the budget looks pretty good,” Wilson said. “But we are covering everything right now, so that is good and we are pretty confident, but the final budget will be given to you at our June board meeting.”

Wilson said that board members would also approve all of the salary schedules.

 

TUITION RATES

The board of education then held the first reading of proposed tuition rates for the 2022-23 school year.

Wilson asked board members to hold the first reading of the proposed rates for West Plains R-7 School District and for the South Central Career Center, so when board members meet in June, they can set the rates.

“Last year when we went through to determine what was the cost to educate a child, I went through all of the accounts and really tried to break out what is the high school and what is the central office, and allocated on an enrollment basis of the number of children enrolled in February in our January count,” Wilson said. 

“I know that when you take the number we have, it’s very similar and very close to the number the Department of Education calculates. Suppose you were to go on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and look at our area schools. In that case, we are right in line with all the area schools,” Wilson explained.

Last year when board members granted the analysis, Wilson said staff realized the district was not covering the cost to educate a child with its expenditures, so board members proposed a 5% increase in tuition.

“We had stated that we would increase tuition about 5% each year until we get to the amount it does cost to educate a child,” Wilson said. “Then once it is there, it would be looked at on an annual basis that if it went up by $400, we would increase tuition, if it went down, we would decrease tuition.”

Wilson then recommended board members approve setting the high school tuition rate to $8,039 for the next academic year.

“It’s a 5% increase from this year, but once again, it’s under the cost to educate a high school student right now,” Wilson said.

At the June board meeting, the board plans to hold the second reading of West Plains School District's proposed tuition rate for the next school year.

“In the June board meeting, I will give you all of the current numbers that back up the cost to educate a child,” Wilson said.

Board members then held the first reading of the proposed tuition rate for South Central Career Center for the next school year.

After talking with staff, Wilson recommended that the South Central Career Center tuition be $1,975.

“This number has not changed for quite a few years since we are looking at costs that we need to evaluate on an annual basis,” Wilson said.

According to Wilson, schools would receive a 5% percent reduction in tuition if their enrollment exceeded their prior three-year average by 10% in an academic year in 2011 and 2012.

“It’s almost a rolling average. If you send more students to our career center, then the potential for the tuition amount would go down. Additionally, schools receive a 10% reduction in tuition if their enrollment exceeds their prior three-year average by 20%,” Wilson said.

Wilson recommended board members keep the career center’s tuition at $1,975.

According to Wilson, tuition would lower to $1,876 if enrollment at the career center exceeded the prior three-year average by 10% and decrease to $1,777 if enrollment exceeded the previous three-year average by 20%.

She added that it would also keep South Central Career Center’s tuition in line with the cost of tuition at surrounding career centers.

According to Wilson, the cost to attend the career center in Monett is $2,000, while attending the career center in Mtn. Grove costs $1,550. She added that the cost to attend the career center in Rolla is $2,914.

“I ask that you think about this and act on it in June,” Wilson said.

The Board of Education typically meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

West Plains R-7 Board of Education, school board meeting


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