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Assistant Superintendent for Business presents proposed budget at Board of Education meeting

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Assistant Superintendent for Business presents proposed budget at Board of Education meeting

Assistant Superintendent for Business Ken Silver presented the proposed 2023-2024 school year budget at the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. The proposed budget includes a tentative 0% increase in the tax levy, with reserves, state aid, and other sources of revenue covering increases in spending.  

The total proposed budget is $269,282,490, an increase of 1.21% from this current year. Increases in spending mainly include charter school tuition (up $1,904,732), regular instruction (an increase of $1,812,468), security up $259,000), utilities ($350,000 more), transportation (up $737,700), health insurance (an increase of $1,072,00) and facilities (an increase of $2,327,000).  

The expenses covered in the proposed budget include $67,656,993 in non-negotiable mandates. These mandates include an 8% increase in health insurance for active employees and retirees, charter school increases, and other employee benefits. There is also a $1,603,072 obligation to community schools through a portion of Foundation Aid.  

Decreases to expenses include administration, which is down $294,000, and transfer to capital, which is down $2,100,000. There is also a decrease of $1,130,000 on debt service.  

The expenses include $186,581,100, or 69.23% of the budget, for programs, which includes salaries and benefits of teachers. An additional 22.16%, or $59,558,630, of the budget is allocated to capital, which includes construction and operating costs. Administrative expenses make up 8.61% of the budget and total $23,142,760.  

To support the proposed 0% tax levy increase, the budget will be balanced using restricted reserves. Major capital projects will also be paused for the year. While reserves are very low, the district is owed $11.7 million from the city in taxes that should have been collected prior to the 2020-2021 school year. The district will also work to acquire state aid to support that shortfall. 

There will be public budget presentations on April 26 and May 9. The Board of Education is scheduled to adopt the proposed budget on Friday, April 21. The public budget hearing is on May 2 at the Education Center. The budget vote will be on May 16.  

Board of Education Budget Presentation

Student in hat holds robot while looking at computer.
Middle school students get a night full of STEAM events

Over 175 students attended the first annual STEAM Night at Benjamin Turner Middle School on Thursday, March 9, 2023. The events occurred throughout the entire school and featured hands-on activities such as gaming, mad science, coding, engineering, math and robotics.

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Message from the Acting Superintendent of Schools

It is with extreme sadness that I announce that a tragedy has occurred in our community. Today, Thursday, March 9, 2023, a Mount Vernon STEAM Academy ninth-grade student who was not in attendance at school today was shot in the vicinity of Levister Towers this morning.

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Message from the Board of Education: Public comment moved

The Mount Vernon City School District Board of Education will begin hearing comments from the public at the end of its regular public meetings starting with the meeting on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Board of Education meetings will begin with all reports and other items on the agenda, and community members will have the opportunity to comment once the agenda items are completed.  

First page of the PDF file: STEAM Letter - English
Message from the Acting Superintendent: Mount Vernon STEAM Academy entrance exam

Greetings Families,

This letter is a follow-up to the information presented during High School Showcase Night on February 2, 2023, regarding the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy. Students who are interested in attending the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy for the 2023-2024 school year will be administered an entrance exam. The entrance exam selected for students will be the PreACT® 8/9.