District 88 approves maximum tax levy

Preliminary amount down 5.89 percent

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The District 88 School Board approved the preliminary levy certification for taxes payable 2003 at the maximum level allowed by law Thursday night.

Due to declining enrollment, the 2002 payable 2003 limitation amount of $2,418,537.47 is 5.89 percent less than last year's amount of $2,570,015.62.

Certifying the maximum amount allows the district to make changes due to errors without calling another board meeting. Since the tax levy is less than last year, a truth in taxation hearing is not necessary this year, Superintendent Harold Remme said.

District enrollment this year is 2,418 -- down from 2,471 a year ago. Enrollment is projected to drop to 2,317 for the 2003-2004 school year and gradually sink each year to 1,773 or 667 students less than last September by the 2111-2112 school year.

The forecast assumed the district would receive five seventh and ninth graders per year from parochial schools and two juniors and 12 seniors would be lost each year to Post Secondary Enrollment Options. There were no assumptions made for the alternative school.

Remme said the enrollment drop is due to a lower birth rate, aging population and a housing shortage. He added that the local housing shortage has eased of late with more new home construction on the edges of town.

In other business, the board:

* Was presented the District Staff Development Plan by Curriculum Director Bill Sprung. The projected district allocation is $266,466 -- two percent of the district's general fund.

The board and district goal is to implement activities to maintain or increase student achievement for learners of all ability levels. Assessment tools will be used to evaluate district curriculum effectiveness and plan for individual student instruction.

Site staff development teams will assess the need for training on rubric scoring such as used with graduation standards at their site and provide training to meet site needs. The staff will be surveyed using Guskey's Critical Levels of Professional Development Model.

The next regular board meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10 in the Board Room of the Annex Administration Building.

* Learned from Remme that $83,647 Family Facilitator program actually costs the district $20,912. The rest of the cost is shared by Brown County and Medical Assistance reimbursements.

* Learned from Sprung that the district students exceeded the national average and state average in most cases in the Basic Skills Tests. Ninety-five percent passed the writing test, 88 percent passed the reading test and 76 percent passed the math test.

A statistic that Sprung called "phenomenal" was the fact that 66 percent of 5th graders scored above grade level in the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments. District 88 students scored above the state average in every test.

District 88 students scored above the national average on all ACT tests which reflect higher-order thinking skills required to do successful college work.

Sprung said he was particularly impressed with the way district test scores have risen the past four to five years.

* Is looking for citizens to serve on the District Curriculum Advisory Committee that meets monthly during the school year. Interested persons should call Sprung at 359-8414.

* Listed 2002-2003 goals in its Annual Report of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Performance:

* Implementing activities to maintain or increase student achievement for learners at all ability levels.

* Developing a long-range plan to address future facility use, staff patterns, program and curricular offerings.

* Developing ways parents and community residents can be partners in their children's education.

* Building trust with the staff and community about the school system through communications with all stakeholders.

* Providing a respectful, safe and secure environment within the school community.