Help Us Build the 2023-24 District Budget

Help Us Build the 2023-24 District Budget
Posted on 05/16/2023
Graphic including Clover Park School District logo and the following text: "You’re Invited. 2023-24 Budget Development Workshop. Wednesday, May 24, 6 p.m. Student Services Center, 10903 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW. Help CPSD build its 2023-24 budget.

Budget Workshop May 24

Clover Park School District is building its budget for the 2023-24 school year and invites your participation.

In March, the school district held two budget workshops to share information on the district budget and provided an overview of the budget development process. The workshops were livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel and shared as a resource. A ThoughtExchange survey was then launched to gather input from staff, students, families and community on district budget priorities for school district consideration to support student learning. A total of 243 individuals participated in the exchange and provided their input.

The district is analyzing this input as it develops a draft budget proposal. The three top-rated priorities stakeholders shared focused on safety/security, class sizes and resources and support for teachers. A link to the budget priorities shared is listed below:

Budget Workshop May 24

Clover Park School District will hold a follow-up budget workshop on Wednesday, May 24, at 6 p.m., at the Student Services Center, 10903 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW. A Spanish language interpreter will be available (please contact Community Relations, 253-583-5040, if additional language services are needed).

The structure of the May 24 budget workshop is as follows:

  • Provide an update on the priorities provided by staff, students, families and community, and share how that has been incorporated into the development process to date
  • Share an overview of the proposed district budget to date
  • Facilitate table conversations to gather additional input on considerations for the final budget proposal

The budget development workshop will also be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel in English for those who are unable to attend: https://www.youtube.com/@cloverparkschooldistrict1548. Those listening at home can submit questions in the chat and email additional input or questions to [email protected].

Additional Community Input Opportunity

Following the May 24 budget workshop, CPSD will post the draft budget from that event and a link to the workshop video on the district website. A community input form will be launched to gather additional input on the draft budget before it is presented to the school board at its June 26 workshop. A final budget will be presented with opportunity for community comment on July 10 prior to the school board meeting. Final board consideration/approval is expected at its July 10 meeting.

Please contact Community Relations at 253-583-5040 or email at [email protected] if you have questions or need additional assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the school district’s budget come from?

Clover Park School District receives funding from multiple sources: state, federal, local levy, grants and miscellaneous sources.

  • State: The primary source of revenue for the school district is from the state and is applied to student enrollment.
  • Federal: Federal funding is primarily from grants that are typically based on the district’s poverty level (e.g. Title 1 grants). Additionally, the district has received Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grants from the Department of Defense to support our military population. The district also receives Impact Aid funding to support student learning as a replacement for local levy funds because the school district does not collect levy funds from federal property.
  • Local Levy: Local funding is primarily from the local Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy the school district runs every four years for voter approval. It funds programs, resources and operations not funded by the state.
  • Other: Other funding may come from the collection of fees, property sales, etc.

How detailed will the district budget presented at the budget workshop be?

The school district budget will include an overview of key areas of funding. School budgets are based off the district budget. Funding allocations at the school level are based off enrollment, student population, special needs and other variables. School budget information will not be included in the presentation on the district budget.

How will the district demonstrate how it is using community input?

The district will share out at its budget workshop on May 24 how community input from the recent ThoughtExchange on priorities to support student learning were incorporated into the budget proposal. After the May 24 budget workshop, the district will release a budget input form for individuals to share additional considerations for the school district. The district will review this additional input, look to see how we are currently funding these areas and opportunities to boost support. An update will then be provided as the school district prepares a final budget for school board review and consideration.