Fountain Hills Unified Board approves revised 2021–22 budget after public hearing
May 11, 2022 | Fountain Hills Unified School, School Districts, Arizona
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The Fountain Hills Unified School board voted unanimously to adopt a revised 2021–22 budget after a public hearing and a presentation by district staff.
During the hearing, the presenter, introduced as Catherine King, told the board that incorporating recent federal grants and the district’s Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) enrollment materially changed the district’s revenue picture. "We actually popped from a $9,000,000 budget up to a $10,000,000 budget," the presenter said, summarizing the net effect of updated ADM counts and grant eligibility.
Why it matters: the revision moves federal relief money and adjusted student counts into the district’s operational plan for FY22. King said ESSER III guidance allowed counselor salaries to be funded from ESSER III, which eased pressure on maintenance and operations (M&O) funds. She also said staff secured written authorization from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to use adjusted summary numbers where ADE’s public listings had omitted an apparent historical capital-override entry for $750,000.
The presentation broke down revenue and spending priorities: roughly 74% of expenditures are for salaries and benefits, about 19% for purchased services and 7% for supplies. King flagged staffing turnover as a cost driver—elementary turnover exceeded 20%—and described enrollment trends that, if unaddressed, could reduce ADM from about 1,175 students today to roughly 686 by 2030.
Board action and next steps: after brief public clarification and no public opposition, the board reconvened the regular meeting and a motion to approve the revised budget was made and adopted by voice vote. The board received the revised budget document as an addendum to the packet. The district will proceed under the revised numbers for FY22 while continuing planning for longer-term capital needs, including a potential field replacement that the superintendent estimated could cost in the neighborhood of $600,000.
The board did not amend the document on the floor; approval was based on the presentation and supporting budget addendum provided to trustees.
During the hearing, the presenter, introduced as Catherine King, told the board that incorporating recent federal grants and the district’s Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) enrollment materially changed the district’s revenue picture. "We actually popped from a $9,000,000 budget up to a $10,000,000 budget," the presenter said, summarizing the net effect of updated ADM counts and grant eligibility.
Why it matters: the revision moves federal relief money and adjusted student counts into the district’s operational plan for FY22. King said ESSER III guidance allowed counselor salaries to be funded from ESSER III, which eased pressure on maintenance and operations (M&O) funds. She also said staff secured written authorization from the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to use adjusted summary numbers where ADE’s public listings had omitted an apparent historical capital-override entry for $750,000.
The presentation broke down revenue and spending priorities: roughly 74% of expenditures are for salaries and benefits, about 19% for purchased services and 7% for supplies. King flagged staffing turnover as a cost driver—elementary turnover exceeded 20%—and described enrollment trends that, if unaddressed, could reduce ADM from about 1,175 students today to roughly 686 by 2030.
Board action and next steps: after brief public clarification and no public opposition, the board reconvened the regular meeting and a motion to approve the revised budget was made and adopted by voice vote. The board received the revised budget document as an addendum to the packet. The district will proceed under the revised numbers for FY22 while continuing planning for longer-term capital needs, including a potential field replacement that the superintendent estimated could cost in the neighborhood of $600,000.
The board did not amend the document on the floor; approval was based on the presentation and supporting budget addendum provided to trustees.
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