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/ <br />—Classrcxmi space tor 40 desks in most nnims <br />would be a challenj*e and lor some impi)ssible. <br />—Teacher recruitment and retention would be at <br />serious risk. <br />—Open enrollment loss of students would be a <br />strong |H>ssinility. <br />All grades (K-12) <br />I. Hliminalion of media assistants w ill mean: <br />—Less individual assistance lor students usin^ the <br />media centers. <br />—I.onjier b<H>* -«!shelviny cycles and longer <br />priK-essing .e lor new lHH>ks and materials. <br />16. If tiM tovy |Mss#s, will thmwm <br />cofitiniw to bo budgot cuts ovary <br />yoor? <br />The School Board has adopted an aeeressive approach <br />to schiK)l budgeting. \\ hen revenue decreases (due to <br />.state funding decisions or fewer students), the sJiot)l <br />budget must rellect the revenue ilecrease, as well. <br />Assuntiitfi no chanf^es in current projections of <br />student enrollment and state funding, the School <br />District will need to make $265,000 in budget cuts in <br />2004*2005 and every year after that. <br />On the other hand, if student enrollment and/or stale <br />funding come in higher than projected, the ScIuh>I <br />District could preserve more programs. Our ho|x* is m <br />student grow th and increased stale funding, l-oi e\eiy <br />10 new high scIuh)I sliulenls w luicome to VVestonka, <br />approximately S70.(K)0 in more revenue comes, as well. <br />17. Why not uoo tho monoy ?7om <br />incrooood proporty voluoo and now <br />homos to covor tho doficit? <br />Unlike city and county funding. scIuhiI funding is <br />based on the number of students, not on pmperty <br />values. As new homes are built and property values <br />increase, each taxpayer's share of the total tax burden <br />decreases, but the schools don't receive a penny more <br />in new revenue. Stale funding i*- Provided according to <br />the number of students enri'licd. so new homes might <br />bring in additional ^••jJcnis. which would result in <br />additional funding. <br />I 18. What aro tho District’s sourcos of <br />oporating rovonuo? <br />i Note: figures are for 2(XX)*2001 . the most recent audited <br />data available <br />i <br />Federal <br />Local Aid <br />Revenue 4% <br />7% <br />State Aid <br />42% <br />Local <br />Levies <br />47% <br />w/ <br />'S-V5 <br />J <br />hn ul Rrvfntir - jiuni \rn7i r sales, imtian, iiifts, interest <br />19. Doos Wostonka compoto with <br />noighboring school districts for now <br />famllios? <br />Yes. Manv lamilies clunise a scIuhiI district before <br />they shop lor a s|xvific home, so a competitive <br />academic program is iiii|>ortanl. I'he choices that <br />reltxaling families make regarding where to enroll <br />(heir children directlv affect the pmjxTlv values in the <br />cominunilies where ihev buy--or don't buv their <br />new homes. <br />Local operating lev ies help pay for a strong academic <br />and co-curricular program, which is one wav the <br />.ScluH)l District stavs comjxtitive. Simpiv stated, the <br />ScIkhiI Hoard believes iliat the Westonka Public <br />ScluH>ls need to be as excellent as possible so that <br />students who live here will clunise to attend here. <br />20. Now has tho School District <br />improvod in rocont yoors? <br />rite Westonka SchiMil District cd tcnlay is quite <br />different from that of 15 vears ago. fhe best ev idence <br />of change can be found in the bright and talented <br />students who graduate every year, but here are some <br />other examples: <br />• High test scores. A detailed research analy sis by (he <br />.Star Tribune found that Westonkii students had <br />higher-lhan-prediclcd passing rales on state tests. <br />Questions? Please call 952.491.8443 or e-mail welisten&westonka.k12.mn us <br />1