By Harriet Halbig
The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) held a special meeting on May 13 to discuss budget matters. The meeting was needed because information on the School Finance Act for the 2025-26 school year, which was unavailable at the time of the April meeting, had been received.
Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgway reported on the most recent information from state sources. Revenue from the School Finance Act represents the primary source of school funding through per pupil revenue (PPR).
Ridgway said it is anticipated that PPR revenue would increase by 2.7% for the upcoming year. It was previously estimated to increase by 2.5%. Enrollment is expected to remain flat.
The cost of health insurance is expected to rise by 13.5%. Half of this increase will be absorbed by the district and the other half by employees. Ridgway explained that the cost of health care is affected by the level of use. He said the district continues to consider the option of funding through a statewide consortium. In the coming year, there will be three plans to choose from.
The district is decreasing its annual investment in capital by $500,000 to make possible an average pay increase of 3%. Consideration of capital investment will include a section addressing technology equipment once lifecycle replacement is determined.
Funding for the Career and Innovation Center and location changes for the Home School Enrichment Academy and Transitions Services program is supported by funds freed by SB24-017 and short-term financing.
Ridgway said that the district will continue to emphasize efficiency in spending by using 98% to 100% of budgeted funds.
He said there is currently a 60% shift to student-based funding to recognize the variety of enrollment in each location and the operations based at each location. For example, the nutrition services department is located at Lewis-Palmer High School and there are not preschools at each location.
The Financial Transparency Committee seeks to determine what people want at the various schools by asking the Building Advisory Committees (BACs) to examine spending in non-capital items, non-pay related priorities, addition or deletion of regular and extracurricular programs, and staffing levels, supplies, equipment, and other resources.
To view the PowerPoint on contributions from individual BACs, please see the district website, lewispalmer.org, community resources, district committees, meeting content.
The committee divided into groups to consider how to achieve more input from the schools and community to use in budget planning. The first suggestion was to have the BACs determine their priorities.
The second was to do a staff survey similar to one from a few years ago to determine priorities.
A third was to duplicate the process used by PCAC to consider the superintendent selection process and have an intense meeting to concentrate on one subject and report its results to the Board of Education.
It was also decided that the committee needs to provide the community with information to explain why staffing levels vary from school to school.
A representative from Prairie Winds Elementary said they surveyed community members to learn their preferences and priorities.
The schools should then report back to PCAC and share experiences and best practices. One goal is to increase the public’s understanding of the budget process. Ridgway suggested addressing this at back-to-school nights.
A member of the Staff Collaboration Committee suggested using that committee’s practice of creating a list of priorities and checking them off as they are achieved.
Future PCAC priorities
Committee Co-Chair Renee Butler said the special meeting regarding the superintendent search was a good opportunity to focus on a single issue, and the board responded favorably to receiving the input from the group. She recommended holding such meetings in the coming year. She suggested that the board may be asked what subjects they request feedback on.
Butler also said that it would be good to have a representative from PCAC at each board meeting. This representative could then report back to PCAC regarding priorities of the board.
Board liaison Dr. Patti Shank commented that the board could also request input.
Butler said that, after consulting the committee’s bylaws, it was determined that she and Co-Chair Kirsten Zook could serve an additional year in their positions. The committee voted to approve their willingness to continue.
Butler then announced that there will be two vacancies on the Board of Education in November and that several people are planning to leave the Financial Transparency Committee as their involvement in the schools is coming to an end. PCAC may be instrumental in seeking volunteers for these vacancies.
**********
The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee meets six times per year. This was the final meeting of the 2024-25 school year.
Harriet Halbig may be reached at harriethalbi@ocn.me.
Other D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee articles
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, April 8 – Discussion of Priority 2 academic excellence, superintendent search (5/3/2025)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Feb. 11 – Selection of new superintendent, treatment of Grace Best Elementary School, budget process discussed (3/1/2025)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Nov. 12 – Reports on school year calendar, safety and security, and social and emotional wellness (12/5/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 8 – Grace Best Elementary School, Career-Innovation Center plans discussed (11/2/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Sept. 10 – Committee discusses strategic plan, assessment results, bylaws change (10/5/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, April 9 – Reports on human resources, fiscal stewardship, superintendent search, and possible new charter school (5/4/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Feb. 13 – Committee receives leadership hiring and superintendent search update (3/2/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Jan. 9 – Discussion of Priority 1, D38 Foundation report (2/3/2024)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Nov. 14 – Committee hears reports on staff and family surveys, Key Communicator program (12/2/2023)
- D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 10 – Committee hears updates on Consent Task Force, D38 Education Foundation (11/4/2023)
Leave a Comment