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Ralston district reports $1.2 million one‑time apportionment; nutrition and supply costs rising
Summary
At a board meeting, district finance staff reported a $1.2 million estate apportionment windfall this year, noted rising supply and salary costs in nutrition services and warned special‑education reimbursements may be delayed by federal processing constraints.
District finance staff told the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education that the district received an unexpected $1.2 million estate apportionment this year and that some operating lines have shifted as federal ESSER funds were used up.
The finance presenter said the estate apportionment “was extensively larger than we've experienced in the past” compared with a forecast of $385,000 and cautioned the board that the district should not expect a similar amount next year. “What we have been communicated is that it'll be somewhere between what we've gotten in the past and what we got this year,” the staff member said.
Why it matters: the one‑time payment boosts this year’s receipts but is not guaranteed again, and the district is tracking recurring costs that are rising. The presenter said disbursements look lower this year because ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds that inflated last year’s spending are no longer available.
On nutrition services, district staff reported higher salary and supply costs. “Annual salaries … is about 60,000 more than it was last year,” the finance presenter said, and “the supplies line is 300,000 more than last year.” The presenter added that supply costs have “almost doubled in our supply cost over the course of the 2 year period.” The board was told the district will revisit vendor pricing after the recent Sodexo RFP renewal and that the district may need to consider modest increases to lunch and breakfast prices.
Staff also flagged timing risks to special‑education and Title reimbursements. The presenter said the district is “not necessarily concerned about getting money from the federal government at this point for IDEA or Title,” but warned about timeliness because of reduced federal staffing and longer reimbursement queues. “We submit our reimbursements into the state and re‑submit reimbursement to the federal government,” the staff member said, noting the district is trying to file earlier to avoid year‑end queues.
Board members asked clarifying questions and were directed to the finance and HR committee’s prior discussion of the estate apportionment and related forecasts. The presenter said preexisting budget forecasts had estimated about $385,000 from that source and that the larger payment this year should be treated as nonrecurring.
Ending: The district will present next year’s budget projections with a reduced estimate for the estate apportionment and report back on vendor pricing and any proposed changes to student meal prices during upcoming budget discussions.
