St. Cloud Public Schools Get First Look at Proposed $200 Million Budget

(KNSI) – District 742 projects a surplus and positive fund balance for the coming school year.

The St. Cloud Area Schools’ proposed budget is around $200 million for the 2023-24 school year. The schools get 78% of that money from Minnesota’s per-student funding formula, 13% from federal funds, 6% from local property taxes and 3% from grants and fees.

The numbers include a projected $17.9 million in the district’s fund balance. Executive Director of Finance and Business Services Amy Skaalerud told KNSI News the fund balance is like a personal savings account. “The $17.9 million is really sitting there for unexpected swings in operations. The biggest of those is enrollment. We have a board policy that sets the minimum as 10%, so that $17.9 million represents about 11%.”

Officials say the school district’s budget focuses on its priorities, including lower class sizes, mental health support for students, safe schools and additional staff and support for special education.

She says enrollment is responsible for most of the district’s operating money. Skaalerud says the schools have a projected surplus of just over $44,000, which might only last for a little while. “If we look at $44,000, if you convert that to a per-pupil funding, that equates to six kids. So, if we have six kids less than we expect that 44,000 is gone.”

Skaalerud says the final budget will depend on the Minnesota Legislature’s education bill. Schools are hoping to get more funding from the state.

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