School Budget Update

A chart showing proposed tax rate decreases

The school board has approved a budget proposal to be voted on by the residents of the district that will bring tax rates down while providing level services to the students of the district.

Proposed Budget: $50,956,879

This is a 4% increase from last year, and it will allow us to continue meeting the increasing needs of our growing population of students. By strategic investment in our personnel, facilities, and programs that have the most impact on student success, we’ll be able to carry on providing a high-quality education while also bringing tax rates down from last year!

This budget comes in just under the 3% increase per student spending that the governor recommended to help stabilize education spending in the state, and we’re proud to set the example for other districts in Vermont of sustainable budgets that still prioritize student outcomes.

A chart showing tax decreases on a $200,000 home within the district

How Can the School Budget Go Up and Taxes Come Down?

Property taxes are calculated from a wide variety of factors, and the total number of the school budget only plays a small role in the equation. Here are some of the major reasons tax rates are dropping this year compared to last year.

Our student population is trending up
The ratio of students with greater support needs is trending up, increasing funding from state and federal programs
Intentional and strategic use of grant revenues
Lower budgets state-wide reducing the overall Homestead Yield

See full details, including the complete budget, on our Budget Information Page.

An Interview with MVU Middle School Principal, Christie Martin

We asked Christie Martin, MVU Principal in charge of the Middle School, to talk a bit about how the school budget is used to provide the best outcomes possible for our students!

Show Transcript

I have been in this District or near this District since 1992 and we have historically created very respectful budgets that takes into consideration how much money it's going to cost our taxpayers the school boards um over time at fbu have been really responsive to the community in trying to keep costs down I think that when we are trying to figure out what we have to cut in order to get to a respectful um and possible budget we do have to look at the things what are the things that are going to directly impact our students and help create opportunities for better outcomes 1 thing that we have tried to do at the middle school and have put um concerted time effort and funding to is um experiences that kids can have outside of the building and so every 8th grader goes to a college campus and tours that I know that all students aren't going to a 4-year college but they all should have the opportunity to do that if that's what they want take them to NCTC to see the tech center because those are all those different Industries and jobs that are going to be available for them and that might be the place where they start the seventh graders you know take a trip on the spirit of Youth and Alan right some of our students haven't been to Burlington a lot of our students haven't been on a boat that size those experiences are just as important as what we're doing every day in the classroom we also have to attract good people to our building to work here and supporting budgets does all those things the community matters the community that that um funds this school matters a lot and their support of us and their students matters a lot