The School District of New Berlin's annual budget is a financial plan to implement educational programs for the year. Programming is provided by highly qualified staff and managed by careful allocation of resources made possible by thoughtful analysis of current and long-term needs and trends. The SDNB, like other Wisconsin school districts, operates under a school finance system that aligns financial resources to the change in the cost of living and change in number of pupils served.
The budget establishes the intent of the School Board and sets fiscal priorities for the upcoming school year. This budget complies with current federal and state school finance regulations and provides adequate resources to operate the district for the school year.
Long-Range Financial Planning
The district is engaged in a long-range financial planning process that includes future projects for technology, curriculum, staffing, facilities, and other capital purchases.
Throughout the planning process the district will intentionally challenge the “status quo” as regards to program delivery and staffing models and will identify new ways to continue to provide a quality education at a reasonable cost.
This is not only necessary, but a vital part of the process of proactively addressing the challenge to apply resources to maintain instructional excellence.
The district has identifying additional educational delivery models, including greater use of technology and delivering more programs through a “distance learning” model. The district will continue to use cost-saving opportunities, including:
- improving the use of technology in support services and delivery of instruction;
- contracting services where cost savings are apparent; and,
- reducing costs for continued services.
The district will continue exploration of cost savings opportunities including:
- reduction in use of utilities;
- participation in procurement cooperatives;
- bidding various services;
- refinancing long-term obligations;
- aligning labor costs with private sector comparables; and;
- consideration of contractors when fiscally prudent.
|