Hopkins School Financial Situation More Stable Than Originally Projected

Action in the recent session of the state legislature and the way budgeting is being approached has resulted in stabilizing the financial situation for Hopkins Schools.

"However, this is still preliminary information," John Toop, director of business services for the district cautioned the school board at their regular meeting Thursday evening.

Back in January, a deficit for the 2012-2013 budget of $828,000 was projected. In May, that was reduced to $531,000. An annual decline of three percent in per student revenue was forecast, but then state lawmakers provided an additional one percent in per student revenue for the 2011-2012 school year and another one percent for the 2012-2013 school year.

In addition, a state literacy incentive aid package will provide an additional $462,000.

Toop's report concluded with the expression by board members that the budget and financial situation in the district appear fairly strong.

Board chair Yvonne Selcer said the new preliminary projections made her hopeful that "we can keep staff development at two percent.

"We still need to be cautious about any new inititatives and at the same time, be monitoring what we have in place now."

Board member Warren Goodroad added that while he believes the budget is strong, "we need to keep some sense of limits so we target areas where we need to shore up our academic programs."

"The latest information is good, although we we are still waiting the final audited numbers," Toop said.

Toop said he took comfort in the fact that Hopkins will not have to do what at least 133 school districts in Minnesota are preparing to do, which is hold referendums to ask voters for more local revenue to meet expenditures.