DISTRICT ONE BOARD
MEETING AT A GLANCE
Streamed via Facebook Live to practice social distancing, the governing board of Yuma School District One convened for its regular monthly meeting Monday following a public hearing on the proposed budget for the 2020-2021 school year.
PROPOSED 2020-2021 BUDGET
Presented by Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Valenzuela during the board’s public hearing, the budget proposed for the upcoming school year has been built based on the state’s “skinny budget” for the upcoming school year and the district’s average daily membership for 20192020, with the assumption that enrollment counts will remain the same in 2020-2021. If those counts decrease, the budget will be revised to reflect the change.
The proposed maintenance and operations budget, which accounts for 52% of the total budget, includes a base support level increase of $157.24. The remaining 48% of the budget is divided between district additional assistance (3%), classroom site funds (7%), instructional improvement (0%), federal projects (10%), state projects (12%), auxiliary operations (0%), bond building (0%), food service (6%) and other (10%).
In the projected year-end budget, a $4.3 million carryforward is the result of COVID-19 school closures, school discretionary budget carryforward, average daily membership adjustment and staff turnover/ vacancy savings.
The board approved the proposed budget during its regular meeting.
PROGRESS TOWARD REOPENING
According to Superintendent James Sheldahl, the district has assembled a task force comprised of district administrators and various department directors, who are also chairing internal committees comprised of staff from all areas of the district to assemble a concrete plan for returning to school on Aug. 3.
Currently, three different models are being considered: a blended model which combines both inclass and distance learning, an in-class only model and an entirely virtual model. The committees’ goal is to select one of these and move forward with a plan by June 26.
“Right now these are internal committees, but as we move forward through the next couple weeks, we will be establishing communication with parents as well as the community at large about the progress that’s made in these committees,” Sheldahl said. “We’re planning for change and progress, we’re not planning for perfection. We know this is a time of great change, there are a lot of unknowns out there...and we don’t know what we don’t know in certain circumstances right now. But we’re trying to be methodical about what we do know, about what we know we don’t know, and how we can plan for change and continuous progress and improvement and not let perfect get in the way of progress.”
FINANCIAL TRENDS
According to Valenzuela, the district has expended 76% of its maintenance and operations budget and 85% of its capital budget as of May 31. As the current fiscal year ends at the end of August, the district will continue to process payments until that time.
2020-2021 PERFORMANCE PLAN
A committee of district teachers recently developed a proposal for the 301 Performance Plan for 20202021, making a recommendation that additional tools be implemented to measure academic performance by subgroups increasing their combined proficient/ highly proficient percentages and grade levels decreasing their minimally proficient levels based on Galileo, ELA, math and science testing. The committee’s plan also proposes lowering the current yearto-year chronic absenteeism rate.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS
The governing board approved a number of intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) between District One and other agencies.
A 3-year IGA renewal with Crane School District, MENTA and Desert Choice/Learn-It-Systems allows Crane students in need of alternative or special education to be part of the Desert Choice program at Pecan Grove Elementary School, with District One serving as the fiscal agent, invoicing Crane for Desert Choice tuition and administrative fees.
An IGA with the Yuma Educational Technology Consortium provides computer networking and technical services to District One and Yuma Union High School District, building on past partnerships between the districts to utilize resources, maximize “efficiencies of economy” and ensure that taxpayer dollars are “properly taken care of,” according to Sheldahl.
A 3-year IGA renewal with the Yuma Educational Transportation Consortium provides transportation services to District One, YUHSD, Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University.
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Monday’s meetings are available to view on the district’s Facebook page, @YumaDistrict1, and will be accessible at yuma.org by 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.