May 6—BYRON, Minn. — The administration of Byron Public Schools is "exploring all avenues" to reduce its budget for the upcoming school year.
The district's school board is scheduled to discuss the proposed reductions during a work session at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 6, in the middle school's auditorium. Superintendent Mike Neubeck outlined some of the reasons for the reductions in a letter to the district's staff.
Neubeck's letter said the district identified a shortfall of $1 million in the 2023-24 budget when it was preparing for the upcoming 2024-25 budget.
The superintendent went on to explain a number of reasons for the needed reductions. For one, the district's health care premiums are expected to increase nearly 30%, which is on top of a 40% increase from the year before.
The district is also projecting a decrease in student enrollment, which would represent about $200,000 less in state funding.
"Many districts throughout the state find themselves in similar situations and are making budget reductions and adjustments," Neubeck wrote in his letter. "(We) are exploring all avenues to mitigate impacts on our district's operations and our commitment to excellence in education."
In addition to the study session on Monday, the district also will be holding a community townhall about the situation on Tuesday, May 7. There will then be a special school board meeting to vote on proposed "personnel reductions" on Monday, May 20.