In-depth look into North Platte Public Schools budget for 2023-2024 school year

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - This week the North Platte Public Schools Board of Education approved the budget for the 2023-2024 school year. The $70.4 million budget includes a 3.5% increase in the general budget with a 4.7% increase in the overall budget.

North Platte Public Schools Director of Finance, Facilities, and Operations, Stuart Simpson stressed the work on the budget has been conducted throughout the past 9-10 months, and with a school district, the size of North Platte’s a large portion of budget is focused on staffing.

“About 82% of our budget is personal costs, When we were increasing it personal costs because of our teachers and the negotiated agreements, our para’s and our classified staff that it takes to operate this district went up 6.5%. I think the other piece is people need to realize is because we pay for health insurance plans for our employees that piece went up by 7.5%,” said Simpson.

The North Platte Public School District has not been immune to the recent pinch of inflation that many have experienced. “Utilities just in what it takes to operate North Platte Public Schools, which is a combination of both electricity and natural gas is a million dollars, just to operate the 14 buildings that we have around the district. We’re spending around a million dollars to make sure that our students can walk into a very comfortable environment and be ready to learn in the process. But then our insurance on our properties went up 15%, but then again we are all seeing that cost increase. The Board looked at it, evaluated the budget, and had multiple discussions at the budget hearing as well as the Board meeting on the 11th, and they went ahead and said it’s a good budget for what we are going to do to educate our students and they passed the budget for the 2023-2024 school year. Simpson concluded.

The North Platte Public School District will be required to hold a property tax hearing that has been scheduled for Thursday, September 21.

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