News Release NPPSD
Over the past four months, North Platte Public School administration and the North Platte Public Schools Board of Education have been investigating potential budget shortfalls for the 2021-2022 school year. This shortfall resulted from an enrollment decline of 187 students and a predicted decrease in state aid based on trends from previous years. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) requires districts to submit their official enrollment on October 1st of each year. NPPS officials monitor student enrollment from May through October and begin making budget adjustments once NDE verifies the enrollment status.
In December, the Nebraska Department of Education recalculates the State Aid allocations from the previous year using the official student enrollment data submitted and verified in October. These recalculations resulted in a projected loss of approximately $2 million in State Aid for NPPS. At this time, the NPPS administration began discussions with the board subcommittees regarding how best to meet the shortfall. In January, the NPPS administration invited public comment and idea-sharing. These ideas were presented to the board during the January 11, 2021 Board of Education meeting.
The district and school administration have taken several actions to identify budget savings options, including; Lake/Osgood Elementary merger into the current six existing elementary schools, per board request the merger of Madison and Adams Middle School, the evaluation of personnel, and the need to fill vacant positions, consideration of using building funds, NPHS excess bond funds, Cash Reserves.
During the January 11, 2021, Board meeting, a decision was made to remove all school mergers as potential options.
On January 26th, the Nebraska Department of Education Administrator for Financial and Administrative Services notified NPPS of the TESSOA calculation updates that will increase the NPPS budget by $1.4 million in additional state aid (poverty funds). During the first week of February, the NPPS administration presented an updated financial report to board subcommittees; an official report was made at the February 8th, 2021, board meeting.
During the board meeting Skip Altig, board president, added, "While our school district was facing a shortfall for the upcoming 2021-22 budget, we have received GREAT news in the past two weeks. With our administration's tireless work, especially Chief Financial Officer Stuart Simpson and our superintendent Dr. Ron Hanson the district will receive more funds that will not create as large of a shortfall as first anticipated. This is wonderful news for the board, our staff, students, parents, and patrons. It just shows how working together as a team we can find ways to overcome obstacles that sometimes appear during the year."
The increase in the Poverty Fund portion of the State Aid formula is due to the hard work from Stuart Simpson, Executive Director of Finance Facilities and Operations. It has been a three-year process to increase the poverty fund portion of State Aid. Mr. Simpson has been with the district for a little over 15 years. "During his tenure with NPPS, Mr. Simpson has been nothing more than dedicated and persistent in requesting increases in state aid budget allowances for the district. He does this with a keen awareness for our students and staff's current and future needs," said Dr. Hanson, Superintendent of NPPS.
Poverty Funding is defined by the number of students receiving free or reduced meals to which sixty percent of NPPS students qualify. The quest for an increase in State Aid began several years ago as NPPS identified an upturn in Free and Reduced Lunch requests. Coupled with this upturn and the district's desire to provide high-quality curriculum, social, emotional, and instructional support to every student, Mr. Simpson requested the additional funding that we were granted this January.
NPPS continually attempts to receive as much funding in state aid support for our students as possible. To calculate the amount of aid received, districts must take the District's Needs subtracted from the Resources available, which then equates to the amount of State Aid allocated to the district. As our poverty level has increased, so have the needs of the district. The identification of the poverty upturn has now increased the amount of State Aid we will receive.
The updated budget allocation is good news for North Platte Public Schools students, staff, and families as funding for meal programs, social workers, and educational aids can continue to enhance the many educational opportunities offered at NPPS.