The USD 290 school board voted Monday, September 14, to go above the revenue neutral rate, then adopted next year's budget with a spending cap of $19,881,693. The board declared its intent earlier this month, and the special meeting included a public hearing.

Each board member called it a hard vote driven by students' needs. Figures reported before the hearing showed the general fund rising 6.4%, capital outlay 3.42% and bond and interest 32.19%, an overall increase of 3.7%.

Superintendent Dr. Ryan Cobbs said declining enrollment keeps shrinking the district's funding. The budget is a ceiling on spending, and the money actually available will be less than last year. He added that 50% to 60% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. State aid won't be final until after the audit.

For details, see KOFO's reports on the hearing notice, the vote and the budget.