Parkers Prairie Superintendent Kent Baldry has posted on the school district's website at www.isd547.com, a Parkers Prairie Public Schools (ISD 547) Operating Levy Fact Sheet. The following are some highlights:

In the fall of 2008, ISD 547 has 16 fewer teachers and 196 fewer students than it had in 1978.

Adjusted for inflation, state aid for Minnesota schools has dropped 13.4% since 2003, requiring local taxpayers to fund a higher percentage of the cost of schools and forcing districts to go to the voters to approve additional levies.

If the levy referendum does not pass, fees will increase, staff and programs will be severely cut and the Board of Education will have to consider additional serious steps to balance the budget.

ISD 547 administrative salaries are 73% of the state average.

ISD 547 average teacher salary is $40,357, compared to a state average of $50,345.

In fiscal school year 2007, the district’s general fund expenditure per pupil was $8,260 compared to the state average of $8,913.

Of the total operational expenses, 79% is for employee compensation, 12.4% is for maintenance and operation of the school’s facilities and 8.4% is for transportation.

Extra-curricular activities costs are 4.8% of the general fund budget and support 24 activities for grades 7-12 in which 74% of the students participate. Revenues generated by tickets and fees reduce the cost to the district to a net cost of 2.5% of the general fund budget.

Last year open enrollment students generated a net gain of $476,354 in state aid for ISD 547.

In a survey of 24 school districts with a similar number of enrolled students, ISD 547 ranked seventh from the bottom for the amount of school taxes paid annually on a $100,000 home.

In Minnesota, 311 out of 335 school districts have levy referendums in place. Fifty school districts have already or will be going for an operating levy this year.

If you have any questions or concerns about November 4th referendum, please contact the Strong School Form Our Future committee at P.O. Box 191, Parkers Prairie, MN 56361 or ssfof@live.com.