The Grand Island Public Schools "Board Brief" is an online monthly publication sharing the Board of Education meeting highlights, updates, campus recognitions, and more.

Here's a recap of the September 2024-25 Fiscal Year Budget Workshop, Budget Hearing, & Levy Hearing.

• GIPS Annual Budget Workshop - 5:30 p.m. - Workshop Agenda (not live streamed but was open to the public)
  
• GIPS 2024-25 Board Budget Hearing - 6:30 p.m. - Hearing Agenda
  
• GIPS 2024-25 Levy Hearing - 6:30 p.m. - Hearing Agenda
  
• Budget & Levy Hearings Video Stream
• All Board members were present for all three gatherings.

Every year GIPS hosts an annual Budget Workshop with the Board of Education. The workshop is open to the public and provides the Board and the community with an opportunity to review the updated budget for the upcoming school year.

After the workshop, the Board of Education then held a Budget Hearing and a Levy Hearing. The hearings allow for the Chief Financial Officer, Virgil Harden, to share a brief update on the budget and invite members of the public to share feedback, concern, or questions.

There were no requests from the public to speak before the Board regarding the budget.

Next, the Board will hold a special meeting on Monday, September 23rd at 5:30 to vote on the budget.

Here are a few notable highlights for the GIPS Budget for the 2024-25 school year:

1. Lower Tax Levy; Second straight year
   
   
2. Overall General Fund Budget is up 3.61%
   
   
3. Property Tax Valuation is up 5.94%
   
   
4. Property Tax Asking is up 3.84% (No Pink Postcard Meeting)
   
   
5. Reduced $4.5 million from spending
   
   
6. ESSERS I, II, III and ARP ended on or before 9.30.2024
   
   
7. General Fund cash reserves are at ideal targeted levels
   
   
8. Working on Tender Offer in the Bond Fund to save money
   
   
9. Fiscal Year 2024-25 includes investments in: Staff (including benefits), Safety & Security, Curriculum & Instruction, Poverty, EL, & SP
   
   
10. GIPS Plans to actually spend $135 million in the General Fund for 2024-25
    
    
11. GIPS will live within our means

Learn more about the 2024-25 budget by listening to the district's latest podcast episode with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Harden, HERE.

Be sure to explore our budget resources on our district website!

Available on-demand to you is a podcast episode featuring a conversation with our Superintendent, Matt Fisher, and Chief Financial Officer, Virgil Harden, sharing a deeper look into this year’s budget.

You will also be able to find a snapshot of our financial overview from the last three years through our Annual Report publications.

We will update the www.GIPS.org/Budget page with more resources as the year progresses.

Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, and Virgil Harden, GIPS CFO, join The GIPS Cast again to share an in-depth look at the 2024-25 district budget.

Throughout the conversation they share how nearly 80% of the general fund budget is dedicated to our staff, why GIPS will be lowering its tax levy for the second-straight year, and why school budgeting looks differently from year to year.

Because it's about ensuring we're honoring our commitment to our students.

You may listen to the latest episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our district website HERE.

A message from Superintendent Matt Fisher (also published in the Grand Island Independent on 9.18.2024):

Budget season has arrived once again as the fiscal year for school districts in Nebraska runs from September 1 through August 31. Our 2024-25 school year has started strong and we are looking to carry that momentum through with a renewed focus on setting our students up for success.

The beginning of a fiscal year is always marked with the approval of a budget and the setting of a tax request to support that budget. Part of the process is the annual budget workshop. Our Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) district will hold a budget workshop this week on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. at the Kneale Administration Building.

In preparing for the budget workshop, GIPS will be sharing with the Board and the community a few key highlights for our tax payers.

1. After a year of financial reductions, our general fund budget has firm footing.

2. We are lowering the tax levy for the second straight year.

3. Rebuilding cash reserves is still a long term focus.

Our echoing message at GIPS — and within the Grand Island community — is we are doing this work together. We are unified in our goal to provide every opportunity possible for our staff to inspire today’s students so they may have better tomorrows.

CLICK HERE to read the full message.