Supplemental levy explanation Cottonwood School District parents and patrons,I wanted to take the time to get a message out to explain the reasoning behind our annual levy and what it is used for. At our monthly school board meeting on Monday, February 23, 2026, the board and administration discussed the levy that is planned for the May 19, 2026 ballot. During the discussion, we visited about past levies and how things have evolved over the past 6 years. Prior to 2020, the Cottonwood School District ran yearly levies in the amount of $350,000 to help support programs and district operations. During the pandemic, the district received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for the 2020-2021 ESSER I, 2021-2022 ESSER II, and 2022-2023 ESSER III school years. Remaining balances for the 2023-2024 school year had to have their relief funds spent and accounted for by September 30, 2024. These funds no longer exist but assisted our district in a way to lower levy amounts to thank our patrons for everything they endured during this time. During that 4-year period, the school district was able to gradually lower the costs of the annual levy amounts to $325,000 (2020-21), $275,000 (2021-22), $250,000 (2022-23), $200,000 (2023-24). The past 2 years, the district was able to lower the amount to $175,000 for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school year. With no new money projected for K-12 education for fiscal year ’27, the discussion will take place of what amount to set our levy for the May election. Is there a possibility the district will go back to the original levy amount from 6 years ago? That amount would put the district back to the similar situation we were in 6 years ago. This is what the school board and administration will have to decide. The budget has not been set for fiscal year 2027 in the legislative session; we hope to have more answers by mid-to-late March. Although K-12 funding overall has not been reduced at this time, the projected reality of no new money coming into our district is indeed a cut. Costs for districts have increased due to inflation. When funding stays the same, but expenses rise, schools must do more with less. Examples of rising costs include utilities, maintenance repairs and supplies, janitorial supplies, special education costs, technology, transportation, salaries and benefits, insurance, etc. Because of these increases, flat funding effectively functions as a reduction in purchasing power. The Cottonwood School District has always been fiscally responsible with state funding, levy money, and overall districts expenses. We provide a safe learning environment for our students on a daily basis. Schools are the hub of the community and without successful schools, communities are not as prosperous. We understand that the levy funds come from local taxes on our patrons, and we appreciate and are respectful of those funds and use them to benefit our district by providing the best opportunities for our students. We truly appreciate the support that our community has shown over the years for our district. The school board and administration scheduled a budget workshop and levy discussion for Thursday, March 12th at 5:30 p.m. in the board room. This meeting is open to the public, so if you would like to learn more, please plan on attending. If you would like to visit with me at any time prior to the meeting, you can reach me via phone, email, or stop into my office. Go Pirates! Respectfully, Jon Rehder Superintendent Cottonwood School District rehderj@sd242.org 208-962-3971 |
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