School district budgets $330,000 to cover fuel cost increases

One of the single largest purchasers of fuel in Douglas County is budgeting nearly a third of $1 million to cover increased costs.

On Tuesday, Douglas County School Board trustees approved a tentative $64 million budget at a meeting held at Whittell High School.

In addition to a $330,000 transfer to cover fuel costs for bus transportation, the district also transferred $1 million to the district’s self-insurance fund and $80,000 to cover an anticipated increase in liability insurance.

Like most employers in the county, the district had the money because it’s having trouble filling open positions.

The district’s salaries and benefits are down $1.35 million to $49.8 million for the upcoming year.

With around 900 employees, the district is one of the largest employers in the county. Salaries and benefits account for around 85 percent of the total budget.

“Like almost everyone else, we have had challenges in hiring vacant positions,” Superintendent Keith Lewis said. “This creates an underspend that will allow us to be in a better position heading into our next fiscal year.”

The district and other rural Nevada districts are bracing for the effects of the Pupil Centered Funding Plan which will change how the state funds schools.

Passed by the Nevada Legislature in 2019, the plan would base funding for each district based on students that cost more to educate, including English language learners and special education students. Under the previous Nevada Plan approved in 1983, funding is distributed based on enrollment.

Property owners across the state pay 75 cents per $100 assessed valuation to support public schools.

“We obviously continue to be concerned long term if no adjustments are made to the Pupil Centered Funding Plan, especially given there is no cost of living or inflationary increases built into the formula,” Lewis said. “The cost of doing business is accelerating quickly, and if our funding level remains unchanged, this is going to create a very difficult budget situation long-term.”