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Board of Trustees Adopts 2010-2011
Budget
At a special called meeting on
Monday, August 30 the Duncanville ISD Board of Trustees adopted the 2010-2011
fiscal year budget of $90.5 million. This budget includes a three percent
salary increase approved by the Board last spring and a projected $1.387 million
deficit that can be attributed to capital needs. The total adopted tax rate of
$1.418 (Maintenance and Operations rate of $1.04 and Debt Service rate of
$0.378) per $100 of assessed property value remains unchanged for the fourth
consecutive year.
The planned budget deficit will
be funded out of Fund Balance. The district has not addressed pressing capital
needs for the past five years, and believes it is prudent to begin annually
designating funds to address capital outlay and effectively maintain facilities.
A number of Texas districts have adopted deficit budgets this year, a common
trend that can be attributed to the current state funding formula.
The state did not build into
the formula a way to fund annual expenditure demands such as teacher raises and
capital needs into the current school funding structure, intentionally leaving
it up to local voters to decide funding of these items through the passage of
tax rate elections.
This finance structure forces
districts to dip into fund balance to cover deficits. “When a district adopts a
deficit budget it’s because they have no other means to appropriate funds,” says
Superintendent Dr. Alfred Ray. “This is the position the state legislature has
put school districts in. For Duncanville, our conservative management of funds
has enabled us to build our fund balance to cover this deficit. We can’t
continue to do this year after year.”
In 2008, Duncanville ISD
teachers and staff members did not receive a raise. The district made a number
of budget cuts in 2009, including staff reductions through attrition. In
addition, federal stimulus funding coupled with an increase in student
enrollment has helped delay the district’s current budget constraints.
In 2005/06 the mandatory state
reduction for school tax rates was implemented with the intent to reduce
taxpayer costs, dramatically reducing the $1.50 cap. Since 2007/2008 the
average monthly tax bill for Duncanville ISD tax payers has steadily decreased,
from $135 in 2007 to $119 for the 2010 year – a six year trend of tax bill
reductions.
In the spring of 2010 the Board
of Trustees outlined seven budget priorities to serve as the framework for
district leaders as they prepared the budget proposal:
- Bring capital projects
current within the next five years
- Maintain a healthy fund
balance
- Prepare a balanced budget
- Implement safety and
security recommendations and initiatives
- Move market salaries within
three percent of the market for teachers and four percent for administrators
- Maintain a salary
differential for returning Duncanville ISD teachers
- Maintain Duncanville HS
modified schedule
Interesting Budget Facts
- $4.8 million of the
district’s budget revenue comes from Federal programs (non-stimulus)
- Budget includes $1.3 million
allocated to capital outlay to ensure schools are well maintained
- Total General Fund budget is
$90.5 million
- 65% of the budget is
allocated for instruction-related costs
- 83% of General Fund
expenditures are for payroll costs and 9% for utilities
- 37% of the district’s funds
are generated from local property tax levy and 53% from state support
- 2010-2011 budget includes 3%
raise for teachers and staff
- The district has an optimum
fund balance as defined by state criteria
- The average monthly
Duncanville ISD tax bill has been decreasing annually for six consecutive
years
Before the recommended
2010-2011 budget was adopted, district leaders shared with Trustees that
although the proposed budget did not fully satisfy all seven priorities, it was
their best recommendation. “Our goal was to meet all seven priorities; however,
given current constraints we believe our recommendation comes closets to meeting
the established parameters while maintaining our quality education,” said Ray.
It's Not Too Late!
 You
can still register to tee up "fore" education with the Duncanville ISD Education
Foundation. This year's Champions for Children golf tournament is being held
Monday, Sept 13 at Tangle Ridge Golf Club. The shotgun start is at noon, and the
events of the day will include the tournament itself, a box lunch, dinner, and
the awards ceremony.
CLICK HERE to see the Entry and Sponsorship Form. If you have any questions
regarding the tournament, please contact Juan Zamora in the Foundation office at
972-708-2053 or visit the
Foundation Website.
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