R-6 tuition rate decreases by $150

SIKESTON -- A slightly lower tuition rate for the 2016-2017 school year was approved by the Sikeston R-6 Board of Education.

The new tuition rate of $6,681 was approved Tuesday during the Board's regular monthly meeting. The rate is a decrease of $158 from the previous year.

The 2016-2017 tuition rate is based on date from the 2015-2016 school year, according to Lori Boardman, R-6 director of business services.

"The calculation takes into consideration annual expenditures for all areas of instruction (excluding career and technology) and deducts from this expenditure total, revenues received for student activities, Title I funding and special education funding," Boardman said. "The balance is then divided by the District's average daily attendance to get the allowable tuition rate."

By comparison, tuition at other area schools for the new school year include: $6,900, Chaffee; $7,900, Dexter; $5,000, New Madrid; $6,000, Oran; $7,100, Richland; $3,500, Scott Central; and $5,595, Kelly. Cape Girardeau and Jackson districts have not set their tuition rates for the new year.

In other action by the Board, an amendment was made to this year's school calendar.

"We originally had off April 14,17 and 18, but then we realized April 19 is when the juniors are required to take the ACT. We felt like it was better to have the students in school the day before ," said R-6 Superintendent Tom Williams.

A teacher in-service was originally scheduled on April 18 so Williams said he asked if the in-service could be moved to April 13 instead.

"That still gives three days of time away from school," he said.

As a result, the calendar was amended for school to be in session on April 18 and the days off to be April 13, 14 and 17.

The board also approved two e-Rate technology enhancement projects at the recommendation of technology director Eddie Lowery.

One project dealt with a wireless upgrade at the Junior High to replace all of the Aruba access points with Cisco access points, Lowery said. He said the Cisco points have one big selling point which is a term called MIMO, which means they can talk to four clients at a time. Aruba can talk to only one client at a time, he said. The Aruba Access Points can be used elsewhere i the district, he said.

The total project cost is $25,175.37; however, e-Rate will reimburse the district 80 percent, or $20,140.30 so the net cost is $5,035.07. World Wide Technology, the lowest bidder, will provide the services.

The second project was for wireless expansion at the Fifth and Sixth Grade Center, and the job was awarded to the lowest bidder, Provision Data Solutions.

Last year the Center received Aruba access points through e-Rate. The wireless in this building was designed for coverage and not density, which means there are several "dead spots" in the building for wifi. The project will increase the number of access points from 25 to 43 to help wth the "dead spots" and density issues, he said. By comparison, the Junior High as 48 access points.

Total project cost is $11,372.40 with e-Rate reimbursing 80 percent or $9,097.92. The net cost of the project is $2,274.48.

Also on Tuesday, the Board approved an adjustment for the current school year's budget.

Boardman said the adjustment included the following: the two e-Rate projects; a playground equipment grant at the Kindergarten Center for $2,500; and child care development grant at SCTC for $14,000.

The adjustment also included on the revenue side $176,000 to reflect the loss realized due to the Scott County assessed valuation. On the expenditures side, even though the resolution for the additional early payoff of the 2005 General Obligation Bonds in the amount of of $220,000 was approved at last month's tax hearing, the item has to be put in the budget, Boardman said.

The total budget adjustment included a revenue decrease of $150,806.35 and an increase in expenditures of $247,872.40.

To view the entire and official video of Tuesday's meeting, visit the YouTube channel: "Sikeston R6 Schools."