Data-Informed Decisions

Futures Planning Community Engagement Process

The Lawrence Board of Education continues to engage the community in its ongoing work to ensure the fiscal health of the school district by balancing student needs and other priorities with available, and limited, resources.

“It is really important for us to put the district in a longterm financial position of operating within our means,” said Board President Shannon Kimball.

The board last spring approved $6.4 million in budget reductions in staffing and programs. This bridged a financial shortfall due largely to declining enrollment and corresponding losses in state aid. The cuts also enabled the board to reallocate funds to staff raises, increased operational costs, and its plan to begin to replenish contingency or emergency funds.

In August, the board contracted with consultant RSP and Associates to provide enrollment, development, and housing analyses, and facility utilization and enrollment projections. RSP Founder and CEO Rob Schwarz and his associates continue to facilitate a Futures Planning Community Engagement Process. This six-month process began in September. (See Timeline.)

After inviting public applications, the district appointed a Futures Planning Committee of 50% students, parents, and community volunteers and 50% school

FUTURES PLANNING TIMELINE

The board approved a 2022-2023 maximum budget authority of $185,937,389 in September, setting the mill levy at 51.776 mills, down from 53.122 mills in 2020-2021. Due to increases in local assessed valuation, taxes levied will be higher. School budget maximums ensure ample authority. They do not represent expected spending.

and district staff. This group began its work by reviewing the board’s equity policy and learning more about the Kansas school finance system and the district’s budget, teaching and learning goals, and facilities. In addition to committee meetings, the process includes board updates, public input sessions, and a community survey. It will conclude in February 2023 with the Committee’s prioritized list of recommendations for the board.

“We have already decided that to keep doing what we are doing is not going to get us there,” said Kimball of reaching strategic goals, improving student outcomes, and supporting better staff wages. “This group really needs to be focused on what has to change, and how.” “It would be important to demonstrate to the community how we might better use the buildings we currently have or if we made a decision to reduce the number of buildings we have, how boundaries might look,” said Kelly Jones, board member.

The board advocates that the Kansas Legislature increase the base state aid per pupil for public schools, currently $4,846. Kimball said that is the only way for the district to overcome barriers to recruitment and retention of highly qualified staff, reduce class sizes, and meet the growing needs of students.