As enrollment declines USD 247 Southeast has been managing the drop in funding by implementing initiatives that increase revenue, entice students to remain with the district, and attracts new students to the district.

The school district expects enrollment to level off around 2020 when the entering kindergarten class size will equal the graduating senior class size and with these initiatives is making clear its intention to provide the best learning opportunities possible to its students.

Initiatives implemented between 2011-2015

• 1-to-1 iPads for 7^th-12^th grades
• Civil Air Patrol ($600,000 cumulative in coop grants, $8,000 cumulative in flying scholarships for students, $72,000 cumulative for enrollment)
• Consolidated 7^th-8^th grades to create SJHS consolidated Band and Choir, Civil Air Patrol and other electives (reduced costs through reduction in staff via natural attrition)
• MTSS student support system that is state and nationally recognized ($160,000 annual staffing)
• Open source e-text books (free)
• PD 360 Virtual Staff Development and Evaluation Workflow System (grant paid years 1-2; prepaid staff development funds through 2016-17)
• PITSCO initiatives including Algebra Academy for 6^th-8^th Grades; K-12 STEM Science and Mission Labs Curriculum; Lego, Mindstorm, NAO and Textrix Robotics; and, Kansas College and Career Readiness Standards and Curriculum (Final annual payment of $74,100 is in 2015-16; $15,000 one time staff development for College and Career Readiness; and, NAO robots paid for using CAP/USD grant)
• SHS College-High School Dual Credit Course Academic Achievement ($37,000 annual – on hold after 2014-15 due to state cuts)
• SHS Pathway: Agriculture Science ($20,000 in annual CTE funding – increases to $29,000 in 2015-16)
• SHS Pathway: Business Finance ($3,852 in annual CTE funding)
• SHS Pathway: Business Management ($11,128 in annual CTE funding)
• SHS Pathway: Carpentry ($8,000 in annual CTE funding)
• SHS Pathway: Culinary ($24,000 in annual CTE funding)
• SHS Pathway: Pharmaceutical, and HOSA student organization (Club sponsor receives $2,400 annual stipend; offset by $10,700 in annual CTE funding with another $24,000 possible)
• SHS Pathway: Robotics and Video, and TSA student organization (Club sponsor receives $2,400 annual stipend; offset by $19,000 in annual CTE funding)
• SJHS new class: Art ($0 additional cost)
• SJHS new class: CTE Basic Course ($0 additional cost)
• SJHS new class: Great Outdoors ($0 additional cost)
• SJHS new class: Weights ($0 additional cost)
• Transportation: Created “cold weather plan” to pick up any student via bus when winchill/temperatures fall below zero

Initiatives implemented during the 2014-15 school year

• 8^th Grade Algebra I for high school credit ($0 additional cost)
• ALICE Active Shooter Response Program ($0 additional cost)
• Archery Club ($0 additional cost – sponsor is a volunteer and equipment has been donated)
• Chess Club (a part of the after school program; sponsor paid for using grant funds)
• Consolidated grade level centers to lower costs by allowing staff reductions through natural attrition and efficiency of resources at one site versus three.
• Engineering by Design K-12 STEM Curriculum – Paid for by grant
• SHS Pathway: Engineering By Design ($49,000 in CTE funding in 2015-16 and $74,000 in 2016-17)
• SJHS & SHS Sports: Wrestling (Coaches stipends is $4,800 annual, mat donated by Athletic Department fundraisers; offset by 4 new/retained students – $32,000 annual)

Facility upgrades

• ADA compliance improvements ($186,000+ cumulative one-time expenses)
• Buzzer access security systems/handicap door compliance ($15,000 total – one-time cost)
• Transportation: Large capacity bus ($38,000 district cost – grant paid remainder)

Initiatives and upgrades planned for the 2015-16 school year

• Digital Media – Voice, text and email alerts (approximately $1,200 annual, down from $2,762 yearly- $1,500+ in savings); and, Website ($299 annual, down from $830.90 after eRate discount of $2,669.10 which is being phased out – $530-$3,200 in savings)
• Internet bandwidth increase (Funded by eRate federal funding – expanding from 10-50MB to 100MB in 2015-16)

Achievements and recognition

• SHS Civil Air Patrol: Winners of Air Force Association Cadet of Year Award, USAF Sergeants Award, Civil Air Patrol Kansas Cadet of the Year Award
• SHS Debate/Forensics: Named among top 10% nationwide in 2013-14
• SHS FBLA: 49 State Qualifiers and 10 National Qualifiers in the past 4 years (17 State Qualifiers in 2013-14 and again in 2014-15; National Qualifiers yet to be determined for 2014-15)
• SHS FFA: Five students qualified for state in 2013-14.
• SHS FCCLA: One national qualifier in 2013-14.
• SHS TSA: Created in 2012-13, students qualified for Nationals both years (2012-13 and 2013-14)
• SHS Volleyball: Sub-State champions 4 of the past 5 seasons
• USD 247 Accounting audits have been clean under new Board Clerk, with 2014-15 being called “superb”; and, Transportation audit received its best audit to date in 2014-15.

State Budget Cuts

To close the gap between State Expenses and State Revenues the Kansas Governor plans to raise some taxes; modify income tax reductions; use Highway funds; and other adjustments including a $127 million education cut.  $28 million of the school cut begins on March 7, 2014, resulting in a $45,946 loss to our district this year and onward.  The senate also issued a cut to schools beginning in March, our district share being $49,281.  Total cuts to the current school year for USD 247 are $95,227, with additional cuts a possibility.

The Chart below displays our reduction in available funds to spend for the 2014-15 school year.

Years	General Limit	Local Tax Limit (LOB)	Based on student count of
2013-14 maximum to spend	$5,038,910	$1,718,531	650
2014-15 maximum to spend	$4,882,795	$1,673,906	615
Legal limit Losses – Difference between 2013-14 and 2014-15 (A)	$156,115	$44,625
Governor and Senate cuts to 2014-15 school year (B)	$95,227	$0
Sub Total Losses for 2014-15 and Onward (A+B)	$251,342	$44,625
Amount allowed to claim back by republishing budget since we did not lose as many kids as anticipated (one time increase)	$31,972	$0
Total Losses for 2014-15	$219,370	$44,370

Note: Capital Outlay Funds are separate and not shown. They can only be spent for certain facility care and equipment expenditures. The 2013-14 cash balance at the end of the 2013-14 school year was approximately $260,000.  That cash balance is included in the 2014-15 published budget to provide authority to spend the 2014-15 capital outlay funds of $341,000 (98,000 of which was newly acquired state aid) collected plus the previous 2013-14 cash balance. The capital outlay budget was increased a net $170,000 over last year’s collections.

Expected revenues for 2015-16

Years	General Limit	Local Tax Limit (LOB)	Based on student count of
2014-15 maximum to spend	$4,882,795	$1,673,906	615
2015-16 maximum to spend	$4,612,851	$1,581,364	581 3 yr Avg Method based on zero students lost in2015-16
Expected minimum Legal Limit Loss for 2015-16 based on declining enrollment (difference between 2014-15 and 2015-16) (A)	$269,994	$92,542
Expected 15 student loss for 2015-16 (B)	$100,500	0
Expected Sub Total Losses (A+B)	$370,494	0
Cuts announced for 2014-15 by Governor and Senate that continue	$95,227	0
Additional cuts for 2015-16 onward already announced by Governor ($99 million total)	$137,838	0
Total Losses For 2015-16 and onward	$603,559	$92,542

2015-16 New Revenue and Savings

The district was prepared to manage the loss of revenues due to declining enrollment.  However, the new state cuts are having a negative impact on our students.  The SHS College Dual-Credit Academic Achievement Reimbursement scholarships are ending; and, the district must make adjustments to absorb an additional $176,000 of the $233,065 taken by the state through the 2014-15 and 2015-16 cuts.

Type	Amount
New CTE pathway revenue	$128,000
Maintenance work/custodial work, shifted to Capital Outlay	$83,000
Savings due to non-program/non-personnel budget changes	$45,000
Voluntary natural attrition of personnel	$177,000
Ending Dual-Credit Reimbursement Scholarships	$37,000
Non-Reduction in Force personnel changes	$50,000
Total New Revenue/Savings starting 2015-16	$520,000

The school district is searching for other revenue sources such as the Engineering by Design Grant/pathway and other new Career Education pathways that are providing us with over $128,000 in new revenue.  If such funding cannot be secured, or the state cuts us more this year or next year, the district will have to look at expense reductions.

How you can help

The BOE and administration has identified possible reductions to meet the district’s needs if revenues cannot be acquired.  They are open to suggestions from staff, students, and patrons that may yield revenue ideas or possible expense savings that have not been considered yet.

Please feel free to forward any such suggestions to the superintendent, BOE clerk, or BOE members by contacting the district office at gfortmayer@usd247.com, bnott@usd247.com, by emailing the BOE members listed on the USD 247 website (usd247.com), or by mailing to USD 247 Southeast 506 S. Smelter, Cherokee, KS 66724.

Contact your legislators

The administration and BOE members of USD 247 encourage you to contact your local state legislators and the Governor as they make decisions to deal with the state’s economic crisis.

Contacting the legislators is of key importance because if state revenues fall shorter than state expenses each month, even more cuts to schools will become more probable as means to balance the state’s shortfall.  Kansas has been in the top ten states in education for many years, but funding cuts are having a negative effect on student education across the state in all districts.

The very existence of small districts is being threatened.  State officials have stated districts fewer than 500 students are especially in danger and there are several districts around us that face that risk.  State legislators forecast that the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years will be far worse for the state budget if something is not done now.

 

State contacts

Kansas Governor
Sam Brownback
Capitol Office
300 SW 10th Avenue, Suite 241S
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1590
Phone: 877-579-6757

Kansas House of Representatives
Michael Houser
Capitol Office
Room: 179-N Seat: 61
Phone: 785 296-7679
Email: michael.houser@house.ks.gov

Adam Lusker
Capitol Office
Room: 43-S Seat: 33
Phone: 785-296-7698
Email: adam.lusker@house.ks.gov

Charles Smith
Capitol Office
Room: 559-W Seat: 72
Phone: 785-296-7522
Email: chuck.smith@house.ks.gov

Richard Proehl
Capitol Office
Room: 581-W Seat: 59
Phone: 785 296-7639
Email: richard.proehl@house.ks.gov

Kansas Senate
Jacob LaTurner
Capitol Office
Room: 135-E Seat: 12
Phone: 785-296-7370
Email: Jacob.LaTurner@senate.ks.gov

School rankings ignore student’s personal situation and growth

Recently there has been an increase in the use of using online rankings to compare school districts.  These rankings insults teachers, staff and the students themselves, and inadvertently attacks other schools.

Rankings provide no context and use little reliable data

• Students each face unique challenges, vary in ability, poverty level, special needs, and time enrolled at the district itself.
• Students ranked change each year; one year a school can be very high and the very next year the opposite depending on the make-up of the students the year tested.
• Some sources use statistically invalid methods, including anonymous input via internet, which can be one person doing the ratings or a person that has not had a student at the school for years if at all and would not be aware of any changes made by the district.

The rankings below are based on each sources ranking of 239 districts and 320 High Schools in Kansas that were compared on websites 1-28-2015.

US News Ranking Kansas High Schools	School Digger Ranking Kansas High Schools	School Digger Rankings Kansas Districts	Niche RankingKansas High Schools	Niche Ranking of Kansas Districts
Baxter Springs Bronze Award	Girard 38th	Girard 39th	Girard 50th	Girard 66th
Southeast Not Rated (Bronze Winner Prior Year 2013)	Southeast 189th	Frontenac 149th	Pittsburg 86th	Pittsburg 77th
Girard Not Rated	Frontenac 219th	Baxter Springs 179th	Riverton 110th	Frontenac 81st
Northeast Not Rated	Riverton 239th	Southeast 196th	Frontenac 135th	Southeast 128th
Frontenac Not rated	Columbus 257th	Riverton 203rd	Southeast 168th	Riverton 144th
Pittsburg Not rated	Galena 260th	Columbus 208th	Columbus 197th	Columbus 152nd
Galena Not Rated	Baxter Springs 284th	Pittsburg 213th	Baxter Springs 203rd	Baxter Springs 153rd
Riverton Not Rated	Pittsburg 292nd	Galena 220th	Galena 207th	Northeast 160th
Columbus Not Rated	Northeast Not Rated	Northeast 234th	Northeast Not Rated	Galena 165th

The state of Kansas and the federal government are both trying to find more effective ways to evaluate schools.   One tool that would provide real, practical information for school districts is a “growth” or “value added” model that would track each age groups as they progress from year-to-year.  For example, rather than comparing last year’s 4^th grade class with this year’s 4^th grade class, schools could monitor last year’s 4^th grade class as it moved into 5^th and 6^th grades and beyond.  This model helps distinguish between ongoing challenges with specific students and problems with curriculum or even staff itself.