LINN — Linn R-2 teachers will get a $1,000 raise to their base salary in the 2021-22 school year following a decision by board members at their June 29 meeting, moving it to $33,300.
Superintendent Dena Smith recommended a $500 increase to the base salary but board member Dr. Shawn Strong said he researched the central district and said he was surprised to see where Linn falls in terms of base salary. “We’re in the top third,” he said. “That’s not awful. We compete with Jefferson City and Blair Oaks.”
Those schools have base salaries of $38,200 and $37,100, respectively, though there are schools bigger than Linn that pay less, Dr. Strong noted, adding that Fatima’s base of $33,500 concerned him.
“If you only increase it by $500 a year, we’re never going to catch up,” said Dr. Strong. “To me, if we have $87,000 in surplus at the end of the year, why wouldn’t you do $1,000 and make it clear to everyone that next year, if we don’t see a property tax increase or whatever, they won’t see a raise. We can try to make up a little ground this year and maybe go back to $500 next year but every once in a while, it seems to me, that we can give a bigger bump on the base. If we have a surplus, that’s the year to do it.”
Smith said the main reason she didn’t go higher than $500 this year is that because the district is not fully filling the special education director’s position. As part of the budget discussion, shown below, Smith said the position will be filled from within by redistributing duties.
“If we fully filled that, that’s $40,000 we wouldn’t have,” said Smith. “As a rule of thumb, for every $100 you put on the base, it costs around $10,000.”
Dr. Strong pointed out that most schools in the area gave teachers a $500 increase to the base.
Last year, Linn gave teachers a $300 raise to the base salary and in each of the two previous years, it was $1,000. Smith said the district backed off last year due to COVID.
“To me, we could afford it this year but I worry about the sustainability of that going forward because we also don’t have any football expenses in there yet,” she said. “That’s why I didn’t go higher than $500.”
Board member Mark Baker said that he’s worried if the district doesn’t do something to catch up now while there is funding, it will only be more difficult down the road. “Inflation is coming and it’s not going to be good,” he said. “We’ll be even further behind.”
“That’s where I guess we have to make a decision, and now’s as good a time as any to make it,” Smith replied. “We need to figure out what our priorities are because I did put a little extra money into Fund 4.”
She was referring to the capital projects fund, which in the approved preliminary budget includes possible replacement of the high school roof ($125,000), a new track ($250,000), miscellaneous ($10,000), and payoff of the custodial equipment lease ($18,000). Of that, $93,850 came from Classroom Trust Fund revenues.
“We need some projects done but I can take that out and put it back into Fund 2 and give a higher raise in salary but we’re not going to be able to do as much in capital projects,” said Smith, noting, however, that ESSER-III funds should be forthcoming, which can be used for capital projects. “I just don’t have any of that money budgeted yet. If our goal for next year is to get staff salaries up, then, by all means, I’ll be happy to move Classroom Trust Fund money out of Fund 4 and put it in Fund 2 and give a higher increase on the base. I have no problem doing that.”
Linn R-2 is projected to receive approximately $690,706 in ESSER-III money.
An increase of $1,000 to the base will cost the district approximately $94,730 with all other raises. Support staff salary is based on the certified base salary and increases accordingly.
The total cost of adding years of experience is $45,695, and the total cost of estimated moves on the salary schedule due to education is $17,827. With the total estimated cost of additional insurance, the district is paying is $28,534, the total additional cost to fund the salary schedules is approximately $139,421.
After the measure was unanimously approved, Dr. Strong said he understands it’s been a tough year for everyone. “That’s why across the street, I did all I could to get people more money because I know they’ve gone through a lot,” he added.
“They have,” Smith agreed.
“We need to do something now while we can,” board member Tye DeCramer added.
In other business, the board adopted a preliminary budget that anticipates $7,418,759 in total anticipated revenues and $7,380,358 in expenditures. Of those amounts, unrestricted anticipated revenue totals $6,415,973, and unrestricted expenses are $6,328,098, giving the district an estimated surplus of $87,875.
Smith said the district is currently in a good place financially and estimates of the receipts and expenditures for FY 22 were developed using input from district staff, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) allocations, federal program allocations, and the current assessed valuation from the county assessor.
Smith said she lowered the operating levy from $2.818 to $2.75 due to higher assessed valuation but that final calculation will be completed later with the Hancock Amendment determining the exact rate. Estimated assessed valuation is $69,769,443, including $69,259,748 in Osage County and $509,695 in Gasconade County.
Smith explained that the State Adequacy Target (SAT) for FY22 is projected to be $6,375. Superintendents have been advised to be conservative in this estimate based on continued economic uncertainty due to the pandemic. For FY22, Smith chose to use an SAT of $6,345, a difference of approximately $20,000.
DESE estimates that state sales tax (Prop C) revenue could be as high as $1,050 per weighted average daily attendance (WADA). Smith used $1,035, a difference of approximately $9,400. Smith estimates Prop C funding will generate $645,917 for the year.
Classroom Trust (gambling) is expected to mean $234,625 for the district based on $390 per WADA.
This budget anticipates local revenues of $3,639,609, county revenues of $492,000, state funds of $2,253,797, and federal revenues of $1,033,352.
Local revenues include current taxes of $2,465,652, and delinquent taxes of $119,306.
State revenues, meanwhile, rely heavily on the basic formula, which Smith said is not always fully funded. The budget anticipates $1,791,376 from the formula, with $65,000 for transportation costs, $123,749 in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) funding, $15,660 for PAT screening, $19,687 for vocational education, $2,700 in state lunch allocations, and $1,000 in other funding.
ESSER-II funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will provide $311,000 in federal funding, while the school anticipates $142,626 in IDEA funding, $16,082 from Perkins, $45,592 in ECSE funding, $380,190 in reimbursement for meals provided to students, along with Title I ($91,691), Title II-A ($21,575), Title IV ($10,000), and $13,800 in other federal funding.
Expenditures include $1,086,957 for elementary and $1,019,630 for the high school, with $249,650 slated for summer school, $14,008 for the gifted program, $472,384 for special education, $8,739, a proportional share of money spent for special education services at St. George, $123,969 for Title I, along with ESES ($99,365), Agriculture, Business, and FACS programs ($251,496), payments to other districts ($9,500), guidance ($136,925), health services ($83,087), speech services ($52,461), physical and occupational therapy ($18,000), professional development ($22,997), library ($118,809), board of education ($37,333), executive administration ($288,262), special education administration ($36,189), technology ($164,684), building administration ($329,485), building operations ($358,040), building services ($213,400), contracted transportation ($462,790), food service ($301,289), PAT ($16,606), non-public services ($6,173), capital projects ($385,000), bond principal ($483,555), and bond interest ($159,800).
A one-year position for a second-grade teacher will be paid for using ESSER funds. “We know that going in,” said Smith.
Also to be funded with ESSER is a pilot Student Support Program. Smith said ESSER funds have to be spent by 2024.
A first-grade teaching position has also been added using general funds, and the district has filled a previously vacant administrative position and will fill the special education director’s position from within by redistributing duties.
* Board members approved amendments to the 2020-21 budget to reflect actual numbers at the end of the fiscal year. As of June 29, the district had a surplus of $64,889 after placing more than $200,000 of Classroom Trust Fund money into Fund 4.
* Bills were approved for payment in the amount of $443,947.37. The school has a checking and investment balance of $4,070,313.87, including investments of $468,975.57 through Mid America Bank.
Note: Remaining business will be presented next week.