Budget Small Group Considers Results of Survey & LSAT Input

Group Proposes 2018-19 Budget and Identifies Long-term Goals

After consultation with the LSAT and school administration and informed by the survey, the HSA small budget group submitted to the HSA board a proposed budget of 2018-19 of $204,000 in expenditures, more than $70,000 less than the 2017-18 budget. Notably, the savings were bolstered after Dr. Broquard said the school would pay half of the cost of the Peace program, saving the HSA $32,500. Other cuts to the proposed budget included some areas that had been over-estimated before, including spending on extracurricular activities, Teacher Appreciation Week, facilities and teacher support. These line items had often been not fully spent in prior years.

The small budget group was informed both by conversations with the LSAT and the results of the parent survey – both of which pointed to a desire to support in-school academic programs rather than extracurricular or specialized activity.

Survey results

The results of the parent survey showed the 217 respondents were most interested in supporting major learning areas: science, academic support, music, visual art, classroom aides and peace. Respondents were also supportive of providing scholarship support for in-need students. (We will be submitting a more in-depth report of the survey responses, including addressing some common questions, next week.) 

Supporting Learning

The small budget group also heard a request by the LSAT to cover the cost of a new, full-time teaching position by helping to pay for a large portion of the school’s non-personnel spending. Covering costs of teaching materials and building maintenance supplies would allow the school to then spend more of its flexible budget on teaching staff. (This mechanism is used by many of Lafayette’s nearby peer schools.) While the small budget group agreed that meeting such a use of funds reflected much of the sentiment of the parent survey, they ultimately decided that given this year’s fundraising shortfall, it would not be a prudent goal for 2018-19. The group said they would like to try to make funding a position a priority for the coming years.

Following the outcome of the small group fundraising meeting (sign up here if you’d like to attend) the 2018-19 proposed budget will be discussed this week at the HSA general meeting on April 5,  finalized by the HSA board on April 26 and and will be presented to the HSA general membership for a vote on May 3. We hope you will join us to go over the budget in detail and ask any questions you have.