The Juneau School District is getting nearly half a million dollars in unexpected funding from the state.
District administrators anticipated $5.2 million from a one-time state funding boost to school districts, but a December finance report from the district shows the number is closer to $5.7 million. Superintendent Frank Hauser explained the change to school board members during a Dec. 10 meeting.
“One-time funding is based on overall enrollment across the state, the number of students and what percentage of students we have compared to the state overall,” he said. “That’s where that one-time funding fluctuates a little bit.”
He said the Juneau district’s percentage was higher than originally thought. More students equals more money.
The boost follows a bumpy financial year for the district. A multimillion-dollar budget crisis last winter led the district to reduce staff and consolidate schools. Some of that was due to state funding not keeping up with inflation.
This year’s one-time funding meant the board could add back dozens of jobs in July. The district recovered roughly 40 full-time positions, including several elementary and secondary staff positions, paraeducators and staff for the district’s homeschool program.
At the meeting last week, the board briefly discussed using some of the unanticipated $500,000 to cover the cost of providing free breakfasts to students next semester. That would cost the district roughly $115,000.
School board member Emil Mackey thought it could be a good use of the money.
“I support extending this. It helps the most vulnerable in our schools,” he said. “It helps with learning outcomes directly. A hungry child cannot learn.”
Others were concerned about tacking on the cost without a plan for how to cover it beyond the semester. The board will resume the discussion at its next regular meeting.
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