Budget Includes New Curriculum, Programs, and Increased Staff

The Lincoln County School District’s Budget Committee approved the 2019-20 Proposed Budget as presented on May 16, 2019.

Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray remarked on the difference of being in Lincoln County School District for this process, “On May 16 the LCSD passed its 2019-20 budget. We are grateful to the members of the community serving on the Budget Committee and to the Board of Directors for their careful work on the Budget Committee. Our community can be proud of the way in which this district has cautiously and wisely budgeted its funding. In 2002 the district chose a PERS bonding option and what is called a “set aside account” that has resulted in paying less for PERS increases than many other school districts in Oregon. My experience over the last 15 years of designing and passing balanced school district budgets has been difficult at best given the poor rate of school funding Oregon has provided K-12 education.”

The District’s State School Fund revenue is projected to increase by $4,536,891 due in part to one-time increases in local revenue statewide and to the recent passage of a $9 billion State School Fund. This increase allowed the District to fund all Counselors and Bi-Lingual Tutors from the General Fund rather than relying on federal grants to fund these positions.

The District increased Licensed FTE and Bilingual Tutor support to several schools to meet specific needs at those schools. The increase allowed for a Vice Principal at Sam Case which is the last large elementary school to add this position.

The District is also able to fund the newly adopted reading curriculum and professional development for teachers on the new curriculum in order to improve reading scores across the District. Reading is critical to skills development in all other areas and will be a major focus for improvement in 2019-20.

In addition to these increases, the District’s spending plan is targeted to implement AVID strategies in all grades district-wide (Advancement Via Individual Determination), provide equity and access to opportunities for all students, increase graduation rates and college and career readiness, implement district-wide multi-tiered systems of behavior support and implement a 1:1 technology initiative.

Interested members of the community can access the budget document on the District’s website at https://lincoln.k12.or.us/our-district/budget/ or by visiting the administrative offices at 1212 NE Fogarty Street between 8 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

A public budget hearing will be held at 7 pm on June 11, 2019, at Newport High School’s Boone Center. Time will be given for public comment on the approved budget prior to the board’s adoption of the budget after the budget hearing.

We are re-investing in our school district in order to fulfill our pledge: “Every child, Every day, Future ready”.

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