Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza delivered a proposed school budget that supports progress toward 21st century teaching and learning for all students. 

She told the 14-person citizen Budget Committee on May 3rd that the goal for the 2016-17 budget is to ensure it is aligned with the school district’s strategic priorities and goals.

The general fund budget for the coming school year is $50,124,669.  It maintains increases established last year for school budgets, professional learning, musical instrument replacement and repair and custodial personnel costs. Approximately 85 percent of the general fund budget is spent on salaries and benefits.

The proposed budget includes increases in employee contract costs to maintain comparable compensation, which is anticipated to cost approximately $1,451,244. Other cost increases include increasing instructional technology staff to manage the increase in digital learning devices, a data dashboard and the new Sitka Academy long-term care and treatment program.

The district budget committee will meet to examine administration, elementary, middle and high school budgets on May 5 and 10. The second budget committee meeting is at 7pm on May 17th. The school board will hold a public budget hearing at 6:30pm on June 14, 2016, after which the board will take action on adoption of the budget.