BVSD demonstrates efficiency with per-student dollars
By:
Jamie Hult, Staff writer
Brandon Valley School District is among of South Dakota’s lowest-spending school districts per student for the 2016-17 school year.
Business manager Paul Lundberg shared the BVSD’s cost per ADM (Average Daily Membership) at Monday’s school board meeting.
BV ranked 145th out of 150 school districts in total per-student spending, Lundberg said, and is among the top three districts for highest teacher salaries.
“That’s something to be very, very proud of, in my opinion,” Lundberg said.
Supt. Dr. Jarod Larson and school board president Renee Ullom praised Lundberg on “demonstrating efficiency” as the district’s business manager.
School board member Sandy Klatt spoke of public school funding when she shared news from S.D. Governor Dennis Deaugaard’s Dec. 5 budget address with the board at the Dec. 11 meeting.
Due to a decrease in revenue statewide, Deaugaard is recommending no increase in public school funding in the upcoming fiscal year, though the ultimate decision will be determined in the state’s upcoming legislature session.
“We in Brandon Valley hope our legislators will step up and recognize the monumental importance of public education,” Klatt said.
Larson reported that the BV stadium is in the project design and planning stage. The district will open bids in February, after which the school board will review and award bids. Construction will commence in late May, Larson said, and wrap up in mid-August.
Larson also reported that BV’s Title I program is suffering financially. Carryover funds used in previous years to run the program are depleted, he said, resulting in a staff reduction.
Focus groups continue to meet for strategic planning purposes, including the high school student council and a parent focus group of 22 individuals representing all buildings in the BVSD.
The school board is now on break until the new year. The board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in the community room.
