Nearing the halfway point of adopting the final upcoming school year budget, the Kyrene School District approved revisions reflecting a move in funds to pay for capital needs.
In a continued effort to fund capital items like hot water heaters and roof replacements, money was moved from the district’s Maintenance and Operations fund over to Capital funds.
As needs increase for capital funding, Jeremy Calles, the district’s chief financial officer, said teacher salaries, benefits, school programs, and class size could be affected.
“We have to, at some extent, at least address the pertinent capital items,” Calles said. “And because of that we have to take away from salaries and employee benefits.”
Maintenance and Operations funds are used to pay salaries, benefits, controls school programs and ultimately affects class size.
Hopeful that legislators will present some sort of change in favor of schools at the next legislative session Jan. 14, district officials are still unsure of what will come.
“If we have to keep diverting funds toward capital needs, it makes it hard to keep class size down,” Calles said.
Contact writer: (480) 898-4903 or dmartinez@ahwatukee.com. Follow on Twitter: @_dianamartinez.
