FULTON – Members of the Fulton City School District Board of Education met virtually last night, Wednesday, May 5, to present the district’s proposed budget to the public, which is a 3.3% increase from last year (2020-2021), but will not increase the tax levy from last year’s budget.
Superintendent Brian Pulvino firstly introduced the district’s mission, vision and strategic coherence plan, all of which were factors when determining the budget for the 2021-2022 school year.
Pulvino said the district is a few years into its five-year strategic coherence plan.
“For example with our digital learning initiatives, with our work we had done around early literacy, that we had done around STEM and STEAM, and all of those kinds of things that was well on our way, all helped us negotiate the elements associated with the pandemic,” Pulvino said.
The four main aspects the coherence plan is meant to result in include: focusing the future direction of the budget, developing a collaborative culture, deepening learning, and securing accountability in programs.
“This budget will let us continue the work we’ve started as our foundation and the work that we plan to implement in the ‘21-’22 school year,” Pulvino said.
The budget parameters line up with the six elements of the coherence plan: leadership, literacy, instruction, social-emotional developmental health, family engagement and innovation.
Pulvino gave an overview of the actions taken for these elements.
He then dove into the budget, starting with state aid. Pulvino said back in January, the district thought it may be 20% short and some resources may be withheld, however, the district now will have an increase in state aid by over $1.4 million.
Total Proposed Expenditures: $76,230,000. This is an increase of $2,453,000 or 3.3% from the 2020-2021 budget.
To cover this budget, the district plans to use the following revenues:
- State Aid – $52,224,921
- Tax Levy – $21,613,705 (this is a 0% increase from last year)
- Other Revenues – $2,034,500
- Planned Use of Reserves – $356,874
- Assigned Fund Balance – $0
Pulvino said the district has been underspending for the 2020-2021 budget, and hopes to replace the money taken out of the district’s reserves to have its maximum reserves available in case of emergency, such as possible future funding issues.
Examining the budget’s increase, Pulvino said the 3.3% increase is partly due to contract costs. The district is adding one Special Education classroom with 12 students, one teacher and one teacher assistant. The budget also maintains all programs and supports.
The three main aspects of the budget are:
- Program (student instruction costs) – $57,200,463 (increase of $1,374,837) This makes up 75% of the budget.
- Capital (facility costs)- $10,973,985 (increase of $599,979)
- Administrative – $8,055,552 (increase of $478,184)
Pulvino gave a further breakdown of those three aspects.
He also discussed how much the district is able to spend per student for instructional expenditures – $10,347 for General Education and $25,789 for Special Education. Similar districts are able to spend $12,125 and $32,531 respectively. The average for all of the state’s schools are higher than those numbers as well.
Pulvino said the district does not send as many students with Special Education needs to BOCES, but rather provides education at a more local level, which could impact the difference in the number of cost per student for Special Education.
“This shows we are a very economic district, and I think if you look at our performance and the range of opportunities we provide our students, we are extremely competitive as well,” Pulvino said.
Pulvino then went over voter propositions:
- Shall the Fulton City District Board of Education be authorized to expend the sum of $76,230,000 as a general fund appropriation for the 2021-2022 school year and to levy the necessary tax therefore?
- A transportation proposition asks voters if they will approve the purchase of one wheelchair bus and its necessary furnishings for a total of $79,500.
- Shall the Fulton Public Library Board of Trustees be authorized to levy and collect an annual tax, separate and apart from the annual school district budget, in the amount of $447,384 for the continuing support and maintenance of the Fulton Public Library, with this appropriated amount to be the annual appropriation until thereafter modified by a future vote by the taxpayers of the Fulton City School District?
- Board of Education candidates for a three-year term (vote for two only):
- Nicholas DeGelorm
- Fallon Cooper
- Jessica Pappalardo.
- Jennifer Mainville
- Public Library Board candidates (vote for two)
- Ellen Himes
- Meagan Overton
Voters may cast their ballots for the budget and propositions on May 18 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fulton War Memorial, located at 609 West Broadway in the City of Fulton.
For more information on the budget and voting, the superintendent’s newsletter is available here.
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