RIVER FALLS — Each year school districts set the tax levy and budget for the year, and River Falls did so for 2024-25 during the Oct. 21 school board meeting.

“Since the date of the public hearing or annual meeting [Sept. 16], we’ve had key pieces of data come in,” Director of Finance and Facilities Lynette Coy said. “Although it may seem a little counterintuitive to hold a public hearing on the budget prior, this really is the norm.”

The district received certified equalized property values, pupil counts and state aid that impact the budget and levy and were necessary for approval.

Property values in the district increased 6.27% from last year and the state average was a 7.7% increase.

State aid saw an increase from last year, which Coy said is an adjustment to aid from previous years rather than the district outright having more money to spend.

“Although it was down about $109,000 from the estimate in July, it was actually an increase over last year by about $282,000,” Coy said. “Increase in state aid doesn’t necessarily mean that districts have more money to spend.”

The district presented a budget at the annual meeting, with the changes since then being open enrollment changes, updated salaries and state aid/grant changes.

“I would really consider those minor changes, and our estimates were really, fairly close within a half to one percent,” Coy said.

The proposed budget was a balanced one that is expected to keep the district’s ending fund balance at about $14.57 million.

The tax levy total is $25,763,793 with a mill rate of 7. The levy is increasing from $22.86 million a year ago, but the increases vary depending on the municipality.

Other business

• Approved new courses Advanced Creative Writing and Career and Technical Writing, which will both be high school courses.
• Approved the 2025-26 school calendar that has the first day of school for students Sept. 2 and the last day June 5.
• Approved a core mentor compensation plan, the purchase of two buses, one for $138,573 and the other for $125,135. The district rotates in new buses in order to cycle the older buses out of the system.
• Appointed board member Alan Tuchtenhagen to vote on behalf of the district for himself to be the Region 4 seat on the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Board of Directors. Also appointed Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent Amanda Taylor as the Deputy Clerk for the 2025 school board elections.
• Heard first reads and approved second reads of many revised school board policies. The changes are part of the district’s policy review process.