Additional state aid helps school district balance 2020-21 budget

The Grafton School District, which was facing a $343,701 deficit for the 2020-21 school year, will have a balanced budget thanks to new state aid numbers. 

Earlier this month, the district learned it will receive $1.1 million in additional state aid compared to last year, for a total of $6,327,229.

Business Services Director Topher Adams said state aid increased because the district’s debt payment is lower than last year.

“State aid is really aid for what you spent last year,” he said. “That’s why they don’t come out with it officially until Oct. 15.” 

The Grafton School Board on Monday approved the district’s final 2020-21 budget and levy certification.

For the third year in a row, district residents will see a reduction in the tax rate to support school spending.

Adams said there will be a 58-cent decrease in the rate, from $10.21 per $1,000 of equalized property valuation last year to $9.63 per $1,000 this year. The levy for 2020-21 is $18.77 million, the same amount as last year. 

This is the first year since 2008 that the tax rate is less than $10, Adams said.

That means the owner of a house with an equalized value of $200,000 will pay $1,926 in school taxes, down from $2,042 last year.

The tax rate also decreased because the district’s equalized value has increased about 6%, Adams said.

Adams said the district had to spend nearly $750,000 to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, which created the preliminary deficit. 

That included buying flexible furniture for students to maintain social distancing and air-quality systems, hiring substitute teachers and health aides, purchasing technology for remote learning and other mitigation efforts such as hand sanitizer and signs.