By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays school board will have its annual budget hearing at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center.
The proposed budget includes expenditures of $52.4 million compared to actual expenditures of $49.3 million for the 2019-20 school year.
This equals per pupil funding of $5,788 compared to $5,497 per pupil in 2019-20, a 5 percent increase.
The budget proposes a slight decrease in the total mill levy. The proposed mill levy for the 2020-21 budget is 41.175 mills compared to 42.145 mills in the 2019-20 school year.
Eight mills of the total mill levy are dedicated to capital improvements — the same levy for capital improvements as last school year.
Assessed valuation for the district was down from $326.1 million in 2019-20 to $322.9 million in 2020-21.
The school board is also set to approve 3.6 mills for the Hays Recreation Commission. These are pass-through funds.
The budget also includes an approximate 2.48 percent raise for both certified and classified staff.
Average pay for full-time teachers in the school district for 2020-21 will be $64,452.
Substitute teacher pay
The school board will consider increasing substitute teacher pay in anticipation of a substitute teacher shortage this school year.
Superintendent Ron Wilson told the board at its last meeting Hays has the lowest substitute pay in the area. He said he thought the district would need to increase its pay this year to be competitive.
Other business
• The BOE will hear information about possible options for the relocation of The Learning Center after the anticipated sale of the former Washington School in December.
• Hear information about Hays High Tribe Broadcasting expanding their program through a purchase of an FM radio station.
• Discuss and vote on KASB policy changes.
• Vote on classified handbook changes.
• Hear an update on the district's data center technology network.