By Nancy Whitney

Staff Writer

[email protected]

 

Wylie Independent School District should receive about $4.5 million more in revenue in fiscal year 2015-16 than it did last year to fund a proposed $111.56 million budget trustees plan to adopt this month.

The school board will conduct a public hearing on the budget June 15.

Estimated revenue in the general fund for FY 2015-‘16 totals $111,557,013, versus 2014-‘15 revenue of $106,993,088. The general fund receives 54 percent of its revenue from the state, 46 percent primarily from property taxes and less than one percent from federal sources.

Proposed property tax revenues will provide $47.59 million, state aid is estimated at $57.06 million and federal revenues tally $651,005.

Property tax revenue is based on an estimated valuation increase of seven percent.

Michelle Trongaard, in a May 18 budget workshop, stated that Collin County Chief Appraiser Bo Daffin reported that property values rose 10.5 to 16 percent in the district this year. Exact property tax values will be certified by Collin Central Appraisal District in July.

“It is important to be conservative when we decide what to base our budgeted property values at,” Trongaard said. “We look at the high and low and try to set it somewhere in the middle.”

Expenditures in the General Fund for 2015-’16 will total $111,557,013, versus the 2014-’15 expenditures of $106,993,088. This amount is divided into seven sections, payroll, $89,790,171; Teacher Retirement System, $4,928,180; contracted services, $7,271,581; supplies and materials, $6,226,944; miscellaneous operating expenses, $2,490,914; debt service, $410,723 and capital outlay, $438,500.

Trongaard said the expenditures of $111,557,013 are allocated into two sections, payroll at 84 percent, $89,790,171, and non-payroll at 16 percent, $16,838,662.

This year Wylie ISD will be providing a 3 percent midpoint pay increase, which was approved during the May 18 school board meeting.

“We are attending recruitment fairs at colleges and holding online job fairs in an effort to bring in more highly qualified staff,” said Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Student Services, Scott Winn. “ We want to offer salaries that are comparable to districts around us. We aren’t at the top but we are definitely competitive.”

Payroll expenses are proposed to rise approximately $5 million for the 2015-’16 school year over the 2014-’15 salaries. This years base salary, for teachers with zero year’s experience, is $49,598. Teachers with 38 years plus are offered $65,899. Associate principals receive a $10,000 stipend, bilingual, certified counselors and special education professionals receive a $3,000 stipend and English language learners receive a $1,500 stipend.

Every campus will see staffing changes. Birmingham, Groves, Smith, Tibbals, Watkins and Whitt Elementary Schools will all be loosing one teacher. Cox, Dodd and Hartman Elementary Schools will all be loosing two teachers. Akin will not be loosing any but they will have staffing changes.

Intermediate Schools will be receiving a total of seven new teachers, two at Davis Intermediate, one at Draper Intermediate and four at Harrison Intermediate.

Burnett Junior High will have staff changes but will not gain or lose any faculty. Cooper Junior High will gain one new teacher while McMillan Junior High will lose one teacher.

Wylie East High School will have three additional personnel in 2015, Wylie High School will have eight additional personnel and Achieve will have staffing changes but no gain or loss of personnel.

These changes give the school district a total of 14 new positions.

There will be two career counselors employed by the district next year, one at each high school. The Birmingham Land Trust will pay for one while the Perkins Grant will pay for the other. The Birmingham Land Trust will also pay for a family consumer science professional. A special Ed. Grant will pay for a speech pathologist at the ESC and a SACC Special Ed for 5^th/6^th grade at Draper Intermediate.

The district is budgeting in two new professional employees, a learning specialist for the district and an assistant principal at Wylie High School. Paraprofessionals the district has budgeted for include two 5^th/6^th grade SACC’s at Draper, two computer techs for the district, a part time clerical position in the library at Wylie East and a clerical position at Wylie High.

Meal prices at elementary and intermediate schools are proposed to change from $2.30 to $2.40. Meal prices at junior high and high school levels will remain the same, $2.50 at junior highs and $2.75 at high schools.

The 2015-‘16 budget will be presented for board approval at the June 15 school board meeting. Final property values will be certified in July and the final tax rate should be adopted on Aug. 17.

School board meetings are held at the ESC, 951 South Ballard Avenue. Executive meeting begins at 6 p.m. followed by open session at 7 p.m. Those interested in speaking must sign in prior to the meeting.