Limited School Board agenda includes approval of financial and transportation reports for Department of Education

Posted: Mon, Oct 8, 2018 8:00 PM

A limited Decorah Community School Board agenda on Monday night included two reports required by the Iowa Department of Education

The Certified Annual Report (CAR) is a report of financial data required by Iowa Code to be filed annually with the Department of Education by each school district and area education agency. The CAR is due no later than September 15 following the close of the fiscal year.

Highlights from the Decorah report include an increase in the unreserved, undesignated fund balance by about $44,000 to almost $2.6 million. The "solvency ratio" increased from 13.80 percent to 15.27 percent – a figure Superintendent Mike Haluska said was very favorable and the highest in the last 15 years.

The Transportation Report reflected a decrease in cost per mile to $3.92 from $4.57 and a decrease of average per pupil cost to from $609.44 to $530.02. Those costs, however, can vary based on a number of factors like fuel costs or the number of buses purchased during the year. Footnotes to the report included the hope that the Transportation Equity Bill will continue for the next year; at the current rate (it could increase), that could provide an additional $176,000 for the General Fund. Superintendent Haluska also noted that the North Winneshiek merger would escalate costs significantly for a number of reasons, including the long distances and restrictions on ride time. North Winneshiek currently has the highest cost per pupil rate for transportation in the state.