SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- Spirit Lake schools trimmed more than $1 million from its $11 million budget for the next school year after a physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) failed at the polls 59 to 41 percent last week.
"There's a lot of school districts in the State of Iowa that are currently facing financial difficulties," said Spirit Lake Superintendent Doug Latham.
Iowa schools receive funding from the state on a per-pupil basis, like Minnesota schools do. Schools in both states suffer from declining enrollment, increasing costs and lagging funding from the state.
Iowa schools will receive a 4 percent increase to their general funds next year, but as Latham noted, if a school's enrollment drops 1 percent, its fund increase amounts to 3 percent.
Like schools in Minnesota, Iowa school districts can ask local voters for more funding. The specific type of funding request differs, however. Minnesota schools may ask voters for an operating levy for general operating expenses.
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Iowa schools have several different options, such as asking for a cash reserve levy, which provides more money for the general fund but does not come with spending authority, Latham explained.
An instructional support levy can be used to pay for teachers, support staff, textbooks and workbooks. Spirit Lake has already had an instructional support levy in place for about five years.
Another option is a physical plant and equipment levy, the type of levy voters turned down at the polls March 18.
Had the levy passed, the money would have gone toward additional technology equipment, upgrading the district's aging fleet of 13 buses and the district's third wind turbine. The wind turbine, along with the two existing turbines, would have provided power for all of the Spirit Lake schools. The district will also put its 10 year remodeling plan on hold.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to maintain the high quality programs in Spirit Lake," Latham said. "No programs are being cut. Some are being trimmed back down."
Latham attributed the failure to lack of communication and the fact that people generally don't like tax increases.
"A district always has to take a look at next time, maybe explaining all the options a little clearer, try to get a little clearer picture to the constituency of the district," Latham said.
Latham and the district plan to re-examine the possibility of a PPEL in six months.
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"We plan to maintain those high-quality standards and provide the best education for our students," Latham said.
