The Camp Verde Unified School District Governing Board unanimously approved the district’s budget July 12 for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, a spending plan that includes a $7.1 million operations budget.
Cutbacks and tightening purse strings throughout the state, combined with lower attendance, left the district with a little less to spend this year.
“This year’s budget is a lot lower,” said District Business Manager Janet Leuer, speaking to the board at its July 12 regular meeting. The board held a public hearing on the budget before giving its approval, but there was no input.
The district’s student count was down around 42 from the prior year, an important statistic when the state shares money with schools in part based on the number of students in attendance.
Assessed property values in the district were also down around 13 percent, Superintendent Dan Brown said, necessitating a tax rate of around 3.1 percent. The rate will bring in about $2.9 million for the district to help keep things running for the year.
The district is working to help boost attendance numbers, a vital component not only for a student’s education but the district’s finances as well.
“Absenteeism is a concern,” Brown said.
The district also approved the budget for South Verde Technical Magnet School, the Main Street educational institution that operates as a charter school under the leadership of the local school district.
That budget had “no real changes,” Leuer said, with a spending plan of around $500,000.
South Verde is also working on revising attendance policy, Brown said, where attendance has sometimes been a struggle with students ages 16 and older.
“I think it’s a good plan,” board member Judy Gilbert said.
As for the future of the South Verde school, it seems as if it will remain on Main Street.
The district had been in discussions about whether or not to leave the school where it is or move it to another location, possibly closer to the district’s main campuses.
The building the school now inhabits is leased by the school district from former board member Bob Simbric.
Brown said the board wants to finish out its current lease and then potentially engage in discussion to find some sort of lease-to-own arrangement.
“The board just didn’t think it made sense to continue leasing the building without some sort of arrangement to eventually own it,” Brown said.
