Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bethalto CUSD 8 staff outline levy estimate, EAV growth and pressures on classroom support
Summary
District staff told the Bethalto CUSD 8 board the district expects continued EAV growth but will present conservative and "outer limit" scenarios for levy certification; restricted funds and tightening federal aid are constraining classroom budgets while board members urged more supports for teachers and young students after COVID.
A district finance presenter told the Bethalto CUSD 8 board at the annual proof-and-taxation hearing that the equalized assessed value (EAV) certified in March is what will be applied to taxpayers' bills, and that the district often files a higher estimate to capture potential revenue without increasing the official tax rate.
"There is no penalty to guess high, and it does not affect your tax rate," the presenter said, explaining that the county applies the actual rates to the actual EAV. The presenter walked the board through recent trends, noting the district has seen 11 consecutive years of EAV increases and that COVID-era years produced unusually large jumps in assessment growth.
The presentation included numeric scenarios. Under an "outer limit" 12% growth example the presenter described, the district's computed assessed value would be about $359,000,000; the presenter emphasized the district does not expect that full growth but uses the higher figure to be prepared.
Why it matters: the board must set levy requests before the county's final EAV certification, so the district's estimate determines the levy it asks for while the county's extension reflects the money the district actually receives once EAV is finalized.
The presenter reviewed restricted levy categories the district may collect for specific purposes, including bond and interest, retirement (IMRF), Social Security/Medicare, and the tort (liability) fund. He said tort-funded items include legal settlements, liability insurance, building safety systems and personnel safety tools; he also said the district currently pays the school resource officer (SRO) salary and athletic trainers out of tort.
"Our SRO salary is entirely out of tort," the presenter said, and added that security measures such as cameras and door-access systems are paid from that fund. He described an automated lockdown alert system that notifies staff when a building is placed into lockdown.
The presenter compared Bethalto's levy with neighboring districts, saying the local levy rate has declined from a 2018 peak of $5.31 to about $4.49 last year and could fall another 0.05—.10 depending on final EAV. He also said the district's revenue per pupil is just over $13,000 while expenses per pupil are nearly the same, leaving less than $300 per pupil between revenue collected and spending.
On expenditures, the presenter gave a three-year comparison and the FY23 audit number (just over $31,000,000), and noted that ESSER and ARPA federal pandemic funds are winding down, which tightened the most recent fiscal-year spending.
During board discussion, members acknowledged the topic's sensitivity. One board member who said she and several colleagues are new to the board described visiting schools and hearing staff concerns about classroom composition and post-COVID student readiness, including young children who are not yet toilet-trained and growing behavioral and developmental needs. She urged the board to consider supports for teachers and staff to address those challenges.
The presentation concluded with an invitation for additional questions and follow-up; the presenter and board members noted that district finance staff and Dr. Griffin hold additional historical data the board requested.
The board did not take any formal votes during this presentation. Next steps: the district will finalize levy requests in advance of county EAV certification and will return with any additional information the board requests.
