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Financial Transparency

District Transparency

 

The Lakeland Joint School District Finance Department handles Accounts Payable, Payroll, Accounting, and Budget. It also manages the district’s financial transparency site, which provides public access to important documents (Idaho Code 33-357).

At the bottom of the page, you will find links to important financial documents for the fiscal year, such as:

The district’s fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th. The budget relies on revenue from state and federal funding and property tax levies approved by local taxpayers.

State Funding Overview

Each year, Lakeland Joint School District gets state funds to help with its operating budget. These funds are distributed based on a formula that considers factors like staffing and student enrollment. Some state funds are earmarked for specific uses, such as literacy programs for Kindergarten through 3rd grade or classroom technology, and they can only be used for those purposes. This funding formula does not account for small class sizes, cost of living, or unique student needs.

Federal Funding Overview

Federal funding also supports Idaho school districts, but it is allocated for specific programs. These federal funds have strict guidelines and cannot be used for other operational needs.

Property Tax Funds

In Idaho, property tax levies are a source of funding for schools. Local voters can approve these levies every two years. On May 16, 2023, local voters approved a supplemental levy of $9,520,000 to replace the previous one. This supplemental levy will last until June 30, 2025. These funds are crucial for the district's budget, as they support essential programs and materials not covered by state or federal funding.

Items that the Lakeland Joint School District supplemental levy funds include:

  •   Safety and Security measures, like School Resource Police Officers and door access systems.
  •   Athletics and student activities.
  •   Transportation costs that exceed the average 60% reimbursement from the state.
  •   Competitive salaries for teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians, and other District support staff.

House Bill 292

In 2023, Idaho created the “School District Facilities Fund” as outlined in Idaho Code 33-911. This fund helps school districts with construction and renovation costs for school facilities. Funding is based on the best 28 weeks of student attendance from the previous year. Although intended for facility improvements, it also provides property tax relief.

School districts with voter-approved bonds or levies must use this funding to lower those amounts first. Districts must report their facility funding to the county to avoid double-dipping on levied amounts.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Lakeland received approximately $2.37 million in facility funds. This will offset the $9.52 million supplemental levy, meaning the county will only need to levy about $7.14 million, with the facility funding covering the difference. Since 2023, Lakeland Joint School District taxpayers have received over $4.12 million in property tax relief due to this funding.

The facility funding varies each year, so Idaho Code 34-914 prevents us from including anticipated property tax relief in the levy ballot language.

The Lakeland Joint School District appreciates the ongoing support from the local community for supplemental levies that help bridge funding gaps.

If you have questions about Lakeland Joint School District’s financial information, please contact Jessica Grantham, Chief Finance Officer.

Jessica.grantham@lakeland272.org

208-687-0431 ext. 1109