Perry School Superintendent Clark Wicks notices a positive trend for the school’s budget as it hits its lowest mark since 2003.

Wicks tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the Perry School District recently completed the second budget hearing and expresses jubilation that the budget is decreasing one dollar per thousand. He explains that the budget is currently at the lowest level in the last 22 years, at $17.84. Wicks describes that the school is managing the budget well and the ESSER funds from COVID-19 is helping. However, he says the school is losing ESSER in the future and acknowledges that possible changes with Tyson impacting enrollment can shift things.

“Our financial indicators are very good right now, and yet at the same time, the challenges are ahead of us with potential loss of enrollment. We’re preparing for that, because that’s significant, as well as ESSER is no longer with us.”

Wicks recognizes that the district will have to continue to monitor the financial situation of personnel and expenses going forward.