SOUTH WAYNE - The Black Hawk school district Budget Committee plans to discuss a referendum to exceed the property tax revenue limit today.
The committee meets at 7 p.m. in the library at the school in South Wayne.
Superintendent Charles McNulty said Monday the referendum would be recurring, which means it would continue year after year. He said the referendum is needed to help cover operating costs in the district.
McNulty did not give an ending date to the referendum, if passed.
The first year would be $700,000. The second and subsequent years would be $800,000.
The district has tried to be fiscally responsible, McNulty said.
"We've trimmed $327,000 from our budgets over the past three years," he said.
The district has looked at cutting staff, but it still wants the student-to-teacher ratio in the classrooms below 30 to 1. Students perform better when they have more "one-to-one" interaction with teachers, he said.
The school district faces a deficit of about $800,000 next year, in part because enrollment has declined. McNulty said over the past few years student enrollment went from 650 students to 420 students.
Black Hawk isn't unusual when compared to other districts throughout the area that have also seen enrollment decrease, he said.
The district wants to provide information and answer questions to keep residents informed throughout the process, McNulty said.
The committee meets at 7 p.m. in the library at the school in South Wayne.
Superintendent Charles McNulty said Monday the referendum would be recurring, which means it would continue year after year. He said the referendum is needed to help cover operating costs in the district.
McNulty did not give an ending date to the referendum, if passed.
The first year would be $700,000. The second and subsequent years would be $800,000.
The district has tried to be fiscally responsible, McNulty said.
"We've trimmed $327,000 from our budgets over the past three years," he said.
The district has looked at cutting staff, but it still wants the student-to-teacher ratio in the classrooms below 30 to 1. Students perform better when they have more "one-to-one" interaction with teachers, he said.
The school district faces a deficit of about $800,000 next year, in part because enrollment has declined. McNulty said over the past few years student enrollment went from 650 students to 420 students.
Black Hawk isn't unusual when compared to other districts throughout the area that have also seen enrollment decrease, he said.
The district wants to provide information and answer questions to keep residents informed throughout the process, McNulty said.