Look for your ballot and be sure to vote!
Dr. Rick Doll, Superintendent of Schools for District 497 in Lawrence, explained to Rotarians the school funding issue that is in front of voters. A ballot will arrive in each resident’s mailbox this week.
The question in front of voters is whether or not to maintain the current level of funding in the Local Option Budget (LOB) at 33% of the general fund amount that is provided by the state funding formula. Passing this measure will not increase property taxes and will maintain District 497 LOB funding at the current level.
The LOB was originally established by the Kansas legislature to fund “extras” in a school district. Now District 497 uses the LOB taxation to extend their general fund in order to pay for basic needs. All other districts in the state have taken similar action.
Rotarians asked Doll to comment on a variety of topics in addition to the ballot measure. He told the group that he is especially pleased to see the transformation of the older schools in the district, thanks to the bond issue that voters approved a year ago. The new College and Career Center under construction on Haskell Avenue will offer exciting opportunities to both youth and adults. He commended the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, and the Chamber of Commerce for their collaboration on the technical school planned in conjunction with the new facility.
Doll foresees that the District will next need to build a new elementary school to the west in coming years and to make improvements at Lawrence High School. He notes that District 497 has the largest virtual school in the state and is proud of its success. Common Core standards make sense in the current world, Doll says, but have become politicized. The community should be concerned that 40% of the children in the District are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Below is a video from the USD 497 website with a little more information on the ballot initiative.
