CP board hears CTE funding drop report

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Bower: District can afford to cover gaps

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Como-Pickton CISD

COMO-PICKTON — Despite a shortfall in Career and Technical Education funding, class costs can still be covered because of the conservative budget passed by the Como-Pickton Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees, according to Superintendent Dr. Greg Bower and CTE Director Michael Bowen at the December school board meeting Monday.

“We have this cushion in there to absorb stuff like that, thinking we might run into issues like this,” Bower said. “We’re OK at this time.”

The shortfall is a result of an error in the statewide formula determining small school funding allotments, according to Bowen, which accidentally reduces a district’s funding amount when more students are enrolled in CTE classes.

“Career and Technology funding and small school allotments are not supposed to affect each other,” Bowen said. “That’s what the folks at TEA [Texas Education Agency] have said in meetings about the fact they don’t affect each other.”

According to Bowen, $663,616 is the gross amount of CTE funding for the 2019-20 school year, and the district has to spend at least 55% of it on CTE classes. Nearly $760,000 was the gross amount for the 2018-19 school year, according to Bowen.

“Honestly, at this time, I really don’t know how it’s going to end in August [2020],” Bowen said. “I wish I had a crystal ball.”

For Como-Pickton, the math comes out to a minimum spending amount of $364,988 for the 2019-20 school year, Bowen said. According to Bowen, $425,269 was budgeted when the board passed the final budget in August. To meet that, 64% of the 2019-20 gross funding amount is needed to cover expenses.

“To that, I’ve come in here at the end of every year, and we’ve asked to make purchases and do things that’s over what we budgeted,” Bowen said. “If that’s the case this year, we’re probably going to take care of this.”

In other business, Bower announced the district has received a “superior” rating from the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas with a score of 100. Sixty is needed to pass. All Hopkins County school districts have received a “superior” rating, according to FIRST.

“Most schools do pass the Financial Integrity Rating System, but not every school gets a perfect score,” Bower said.

He also recognized the office staff for their work on handling district finances.

The board unanimously approved a $15,812 bid to expand the bus barn. The bid came from Juan Monterroso, a graduate of Como-Pickton who works with his father, Juan Monterroso Sr., in construction. There were two other bids from 5W Contracting, totaling $28,500 the board rejected.

According to Transportation and Maintenance Director Carl Smith, Monterroso could start Monday, “and the other company said they would be at least a month out before they even start.”

The board also unanimously approved a purchase of a bus. According to Bower, the district will be a bit over budget due to another bus needing an engine replaced.

The board moved unanimously to vote for Barbara Stewart for the Hopkins County Appraisal District Board of Directors.

The next meeting is set Jan. 13, 2020.