Business manager warns Southern Columbia Area SD is underbudgeted for cyber and outside placements as budget season begins

The district’s business manager said the school system is underbudgeted for online (cyber) placements and unpredictable outside placements that can cost $50,000 to $150,000 per student, and he warned the coming budget year will be difficult without adjustments.

“As your business manager, I always believe our primary objective is to teach children,” Chris said while explaining the district’s fund structure and revenue mix. He noted federal revenue is relatively small (about $250,000–$300,000 in a typical year excluding food service), that state revenue is significant, and that local real‑estate and earned income taxes are the biggest funding sources. He said the district has passed deficit budgets in recent years and that interest earnings and cost control have masked some shortfalls.

The superintendent and board members discussed enrollment and special‑education costs; the superintendent said the district is serving roughly 50 students in external cyber placements and that those outside placements can be expensive and hard to predict. Board members asked for historical data to compare current outside‑placement counts and costs against previous years to better estimate budget needs.

Chris also requested the board consider a routine student‑activities transfer of $6,500 to support FBLA students’ regional and state competition expenses; he asked that the board approve the transfer at next Monday’s meeting.

Next steps: the superintendent will deliver the enrollment and staffing study in advance of the board’s meeting so members can review it before the full board agenda; staff will provide budget‑to‑actual reports in future monthly packages to show spending progress.