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Votes at a glance: Ames school board approves gifts, financial reports and budget requests; literacy pilot passes 4–1
Summary
The Ames Community School District board approved multiple routine and fiscal items Sept. 22, including gifts, financial reporting, requests to the School Budget Review Committee for modified allowable growth and a $621,073.27 request for English‑learner excess costs. The literacy pilot procurement passed 4–1.
At its Sept. 22 meeting the Ames Community School District Board of Directors recorded the following formal actions and votes.
• Gifts to the district — Approved, 5–0. Motion: “I move the board approve the gifts as presented.” (Moved by DeWard; seconded by Beerbohm.) The board accepted multiple monetary and in‑kind gifts, including a $10,000 cash donation from Mary B. Stratton and a $5,000 donation from Farm Credit Services for the Ames High Agriculture Department.
• Consent agenda — Approved, 5–0. Motion: Standard motion to approve the consent agenda. (Moved by Deward; seconded by Beerbohm.)
• Pilot elementary literacy materials procurement — Approved, 4–1. Motion: “I move the board to approve the procurement of the of the pilot elementary literacy materials as presented.” (Moved by Smith; seconded by Virbaum.) The board approved a purchase order of approximately $45,000 to pilot 95% Group materials and professional development.
• Financial report for June (fiscal year end) — Approved, 5–0. Motion: “I move the board to approve the financial report as presented.” (Moved by DeWard; seconded by Virbaum.) The district's CFO highlighted ending cash balances and noted solvency ratio and unspent authorized budget increases.
• Request for modified allowable growth and supplemental state aid for special education deficit (FY 24–25) — Approved, 5–0. Motion: “I move to approve the request for modified allowable growth and supplemental aid for the special education deficit for the 24–25 fiscal year.” (Moved by DeWard; seconded by Beerbohm.) Staff said the special‑education deficit rose in part because of benefit equalization and increased insurance costs.
• Request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) for modified allowable growth for English‑learner excess costs — Approved, 5–0. Motion: “I move to approve the request to the School Budget Review Committee for modified allowable growth for EL excess costs in the amount of $621,073.27.” (Moved by Smith; seconded by DeWard.)
Ending: The board scheduled its next meeting for Oct. 6 and adjourned following the votes.
