Avoca 37 Struggles With Red Ink in Budget

Avoca School District 37 was operating with a tentative deficit of about $50,000 in July as the district awaited word from the county and state on how much money would be forthcoming from the tax levy and some funds from the state.

In what was a preliminary estimate, Avoca had $10,156,367 in outstanding expenses compared with $10,106,298 in expected revenue. It left a shortfall of $50,069, an amount that could change once the tax levy information comes forward.

Earlier:

“There are just so many things we don’t know,” Beth Dever, District 37’s business manager, said about the funding mechanics. “It’s not like the business world.”

Another factor that could alter the situation is if the district must pay for the outsourcing of a special education student, as required by law. That can cost as much as $40,000 in some cases.

"If we have a student that we need to have outsourced, that of course adds to our expenses,” said District 37 President Jeffrey Greengoss. “We try and provide services for every child in the district but sometimes there is a situation that is too difficult for us to keep in house.”

Greengoss estimates 90 percent of the school districts in the state are operating under a deficit. He blames the situation on the tax cap, a low CPI and the general problems given the anemic economy.

Stay tuned to Patch for more Avoca District 37 coverage.