Schools estimate $675k less in funding next year
Facing additional cuts this year and the lack of previous federal stimulus money, Polk County Schools has asked Polk County to fund an additional $150,000.
The county board of commissioners met Monday, April 16 and approved adding the additional funding to the budget for its 2012-2013 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Polk Schools Superintendent Bill Miller said the system’s best guess is that the schools will have to make up for an approximately $675,000 deficit next year. Of that deficit, Miller said approximately $580,000 is from federal stimulus money the school system has received over the past three fiscal years, which has been used to cover previous shortfalls.
The school system will also send back an additional approximately $100,000 to the state next year. Last year, Polk County was required to send back approximately $700,000 in funding and next year’s estimate is at $800,000.
Miller said with the help of county funding, the school system plans to cut $250,000 from its budget and make up the difference in energy savings from this year, the school’s  fund balance or a combination of the two.
Polk County contributed $4,947,055 to the school system this year, which was approximately $400,000 more than the previous year because of state cuts and the preschool program.
Next year the county plans to contribute $5,097,055 to the school system to make up for shortfalls.