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LISBON -- The school board has reinstated a $25 instructional fee for students in grades K-8 and eliminated a two-year-old program at the elementary school that exposed students to additional science, technology and math education.
The board said both decisions made at this week's meeting are an attempt to save money as the district heads into an uncertain financial future without additional revenue a failed income tax would have provided.
"The times have changed, unfortunately, … but not passing the levy (tax) means no additional funding is coming in," said board member TK Hiscox prior to the vote to reinstate the instructional fee.
Twice in the past nine months voters turned down a proposed 10-year, 1 percent school income tax that would have generated $776,000 annually. School officials say without the extra money the district could be in a deficit situation come the 2021-22 school year, although Lisbon ended the current year with a $2.7 million carryover balance.
The board began waiving the annual instructional fee in 2009 when its financial forecasts showed strong carryover balances into the future. But education funding from the state and local property tax revenue has remained mostly flat or barely increased since then.
Reinstatement of the instructional fee would only generate about $8,000 a year because it is not levied against students who qualify for a free or reduced lunch, which is about half of the 600 students in K-8.
The board also voted to increase most instructional fees for high school students, with the increases ranging from $5 to $10.
Later in the meeting Superintendent Joe Siefke reported the two-year-old STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) program at McKinley Elementary will be discontinued because they need to add a fourth kindergarten classroom for the second consecutive year to accommodate an increase in enrollment.
While that is a good problem to have, Siefke said they can no longer afford to offer STEM classes and an additional kindergarten class. As a result, current STEM instructor Matt Guarnieri will be reassigned to another classroom, and the board will be asked to hire a new kindergarten teacher.
The STEM program consisted of a week-long instruction for students in grades 3-5, with classes rotated every three weeks with music and gym. McKinley principal Dan Kemats said they intend keep some elements of STEM where they can.
"It's something we'll still try to incorporate into our other classes," he said.
Siefke said their STEM programs at the junior and senior high schools will remain.
Siefke said they have to save money when possible to continue providing a quality education for students, and that includes the board decision to spend $15,000 to purchase 140 more Chromebooks. These Chromebooks will be for ninth and 10th grade students, which means all high school students will now have their own electronic device to work from.
This is a continuation of the district's participation in the One to One Initiative program that enables schools to obtain Chromebooks, iPads or laptop computers at a discount so every student is guaranteed of having one. To date, there are 115 iPads in the grades K-2, 75 Chromebooks in grades 3-5, 30 Chromebooks in grades 6-7 and 220 laptops and Chromebooks for grades 8, 11 and 12.
Board president Jim Smith said this is something they have to do, regardless of the cost, because everything today is computer driven, including education, and many parents cannot afford to buy an electronic device for their children.
Siefke noted there is also a cost savings because all curriculum is now delivered online. "We haven't purchased a textbook in 10 years," he said.
tgiambroni@mojonews.com