With the technology levy for Cascade Public Schools not being renewed this year, the school is preparing for a shortfall in their budget, implementing higher technology fees for parents to help cover costs.
This past spring, the Cascade community voted on whether or not to renew the technology levy that was originally passed in 2014 for the elementary and high school districts.
These levies had cost taxpayers approximately $7.19 on a $100K house in the Elementary district and $8.11 on a $100K house in the High School district per year.
The community voted not to renew the levy by four votes, leaving the districts with $250,000 less than what they’re used to.
The school now has around $250,000 leftover from previous years to fund technology. With yearly technology costs being at least $120,000 per year, this reserve will only last approximately two more years.
Parents recently saw bills for technology fees, $30 per elementary student, and $50 per high school student. These fees will aid with all areas of technology for the school, like providing students with their own devices like Chromebooks, internet for the school, security cameras, online software programs, and IT.
Cascade Public Schools Superintendent Levi Collins says, “Technology is only going to become more important, and so short changing the kids and in the department of technology is really not a good idea as far as I'm concerned. So, that was where the idea of increasing some of these fees came about is, ‘What if the technology level comes about next year and we don't pass it again? What if it comes out the year and after that we don't pass it again?’ At that point, we've pretty much ran out all of our money, and so now it's ‘How do we recoup some of that?’. And that's what we're trying to do, is be good stewards, to say we foresee that there's going to be a shortfall, how do we prepare for that shortfall?"
There are fee waivers for those students who qualify for title one status, based on household income.
The school does have plans to campaign for the reinstatement of the technology levys for the elementary and high schools districts this coming spring, but are still making plans in the event the levies don’t pass again.
Collins explains, “We hope that this next year we can get it, and hopefully alleviate the burden of the technology fees moving forward in the future. And thanks to the community for the support. You know, we really couldn't do what we do here at the school without the support of the community. And the community is really great to us here."
To learn more about the district technology levies, click here.
