School lowers levy 17 percent

RANDOLPH – Valuations and state aid are up which translates into a lower property tax rate for those supporting Randolph Public Schools.

The board approved the annual budget of nearly $6.5 million and set the tax asking of $3.3 million or 41 cents per $100 valuation Sept. 13.

The total budget takes into account the general fund and the board also levied $100,000 into the special building fund to potentially replace the current high school ag building.

Overall, the budget increased two percent and the tax rate decreased by 17 percent year over year.

The levy rate reduction comes directly from an exponential increase in state aid.

Typically, school districts receive allocated income tax funds each year in the form of state aid. That aid translates into $42,000 for Randolph this year. However, a law passed during the last legislative session provides foundation aid of $1,500 per student. As a result, Randolph’s state aid will increase ten-fold with about $425,000 expected for this fiscal year.

Along with state aid, the Legislature also agreed to reimburse about 80 percent of allowable special education costs. Last year, only about 40 percent of these expenses were reimbursed.

Another factor to an overall reduced levy is a healthy bump in the school district’s property valuation. Total property valuation for the district came in at $798 million, an 11 percent increase.

The school district has about $1.4 million cash on hand, representing about four months of expenditures. The cash reserves help the district maintain adequate funds during the low revenue months that occur throughout the year.

After the budget hearing, the board moved into its regular board meeting agenda and voted against a high school football co-op with neighboring Osmond.

Negative comments from students and messages posted through social media soured the potential co-op but the Osmond school board ultimately determined the two schools’ schedules did not mesh well for partnership.

Administration from Osmond Public Schools also said they were looking for more of a longterm partner when they voted not to co-op with Randolph at their board meeting last week.

The Randolph school board followed suit and voted 6-0 against entering into the co-op with Osmond.

Athletic Director and High School Principal Brandi Bartels said she ad- dressed high school students about having a diering opinion but express ing it in a respectful way.

“I was proud of many of our students who stood up and talked at the community meeting. It's di$cult for teenagers to do and for some adults to do so I was very proud of that. There have been some things at a volleyball game and over social media that I’m less proud of. Things along the line of saying, ‘We don’t need you,’ and that message being sent to Osmond kids,” she said.

She also made it clear that harassment or other unsportsmanlike behavior has consequences per the school’s bullying policies.

“We have sent the message that we don’t need help and we want to go on our own,” Bartels said. “I think we’ve got to walk that walk. That means we've got to have kids participating in the activities we are oering."

The two schools still have one year left on a two-year high school boys and girls basketball co-op. Randolph patrons have been critical of that partnership, citing lack of playing time by Randolph players and adjustments made to practice schedules.

“As far as logistics go with practice, it was not ever our intention to make everything equal or fair. We went into it with how can we maximize practice times for our activities while still being respectful of community events like church and taking into account our school schedules?” Bartels said.

She will be proactive when explaining schedules and practice times at the beginning of each season so players and parents are more aware of the process.

Randolph and Osmond also co-op in Junior High boys and girls basketball, and Junior High football.