Though still relatively early in the fiscal year, Nome Schools have revised their budget outlook for 2015—and the district is now about 60 thousand dollars better off than they were when the year began.
But at this week’s meeting of the Nome Board of Education, president Betsy Brennan pointed out that “better off” is a subjective distinction. Most of the savings have come from the district’s inability to fill open staff positions.
Business Manager Paula Coffman broke down the numbers into revenues and expenditures. This district is spending almost 84 thousand dollars less than anticipated, largely due to personnel savings. They were unable to hire aides for Nome Elementary School and for Special Education, and a couple of mid-year staffings also resulted in savings. Coffman says turnover at Nome Elementary was a net financial gain, with newly hired teachers replacing those retiring.
On the revenue side, state funding was cut by over 130 thousand dollars—largely because the district predicted an enrollment of 700 students, but fell below the mark during the fall count. Though enrollment is now at 713 students, state funding will be based off a count of about 685. Interim Superintendent Shawn Arnold says the Mount Edgecumbe number is still disappointing…21 students who could be in the Nome district have opted to attend the boarding school in Sitka, though that number is down from 26 at the start of the school year.
Arnold also says the district shouldn’t expect any additional funding from the state this year. With low oil prices still choking Alaska’s budget, the school system is not exempt from those disappointing cuts.
And while the district won’t be dipping as heavily into its fund balance account this year, Brennan says she’s hopeful they’ll be able to fill their open staff positions next year.
Coffman expects the first draft of the 2016 budget plan to be ready at the February 10th board meeting, with the final budget adopted in late April—after the legislative session ends (in case there are state funding surprises) but before May 1st in order to secure funding from the City of Nome.
