EV District Banking On Budget Increase

Sat., Aug. 20, 1994

Margaret Taus Staff writer

The East Valley School District is expecting a nearly 15 percent increase in its budget this year - more than $3 million - as it plans for the 1994-1995 school year.

The large increase is due mainly to the new special education department, which East Valley will run independently after withdrawing from a cooperative with Central Valley School District.

Another reason for the increased revenue is the additional 120 students expected in school this fall, said Tom Crouch, district business manager.

“We’re still expecting a lot of growth,” Crouch said, pointing out new construction in the Skyview Elementary area.

The new special education department expects to get between $1.7 million and $1.9 million this year, mostly in state money.

Like other Valley school districts, East Valley is getting additional money in one-time state grants. About $92,000 will go for instructional materials or technology, while about $200,000 will go toward learning improvement projects at individual schools, Crouch said.

The capital projects fund, which pays for new construction, is nearly empty because the district is just finishing up remodeling at both middle schools, Crouch said.

The 1994-1995 budget includes $9 million for construction in case the district passes a bond. If voters approve a bond to pay for more classrooms, the district would be authorized to spend the money. If a bond doesn’t pass, the district couldn’t spend the budgeted money, Crouch said. School board members haven’t decided when they will propose another bond to deal with overcrowding, or how much it would cost. A bond proposal failed in March.

The district appears to have enough space to hold students this fall, but if necessary, the print shop housed at Trent Elementary could move to the new curriculum center to make way for students, Crouch said. If many more kindergarten students show up when school starts Sept. 7, a kindergarten class could be housed in the curriculum center.

“But space is tight,” Crouch said. “We’re definitely going to have to come back with another bond issue.”

Budget hearing Tuesday A public hearing on the East Valley School District’s proposed 1994-95 budget is set for 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at the regular school board meeting in the East Valley High School library.

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