Highlights of 6/14 Lincoln Board of Education: Second Community Budget Forum

The Lincoln Board of Education held its second Community Budget Forum on Thursday, June 14, at Lincoln Northeast High School. The Board will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, June 26.

Community Budget Forum

Citizen remarks

The Lincoln Board of Education hosted a Community Budget Forum Thursday, presenting a summary of the preliminary 2018-19 budget for Lincoln Pubic Schools.  There were two community members who spoke at the forum with questions about regular program reviews, security and other misc. items.

A second Lincoln Board of Education budget work session is set for 4:30 p.m., June 26, at LPS District Office.  A public hearing and budget forum are set for 6-6:45 p.m. on August 14 at LPS District Office.

If you would like to request a presentation on the budget, or have questions, contact LPS Business Affairs, 402-436-1635 – lstandis@lps.org.

Preliminary 2018-19 Lincoln Public Schools budget

Brief Summary: The Lincoln Public Schools 2018-19 preliminary budget proposal includes an overall one and one-half cent reduction in the property tax levy.

The preliminary budget includes:

  •       Significant investments in safety and security measures.
  •       Staffing and programming increases to support substantial student growth (4,400 more students in past five years).

High-quality public schools at a reasonable price bring tremendous value to our community.  

Additional info: In the past five years LPS has grown 4,400 students – as well as growing in complexity of needs – while the tax levy has been reduced by two cents ($1.22 this year compared to $1.24 in 2013). 

In the past month, the Board has reviewed about $31.7 million in increased needs and prioritized them, funding a preliminary $22.5 million of added needs. Tentatively funded are:

  •        Providing help to classrooms and schools with: added teachers and staffing for regular education, special education, early childhood, English Language Learners (refugees and immigrants); added school counselors, social workers and health care workers.
  •        Security measures that include school resource officers at middle schools, broadened threat assessment, mental health supports, funding for Community Learning Centers, an additional security coordinator and funding to ensure a standard for security measures at the entrances of every school in the district.
  •        Funding for growth in additional areas such as instructional materials, technology needs, operations and transportation.

LPS has a solid process for budget development with a continued focus on stability in programming for students and families – and opportunity for community feedback.  LPS ranks 227 out of 245 school districts in Nebraska in per pupil spending – spending $11,274 per pupil compared to the state average of $12,230. 

The 2018-19 preliminary expenditure budget for LPS totals about $443 million, a 5.34 percent increase over the previous year. That budget is funded by several revenue streams, including two major sources: property taxes (estimated to grow 5.2 percent this year), and state aid to education, $20 million more than last year.

 


Published: June 14, 2018, Updated: June 14, 2018