To the editor:

As a board member at Marshall Public Schools, I’m grateful for the trust this community has placed in me. Over the past years, I’ve learned a lot about our district’s finances, so I want to explain why the board decided to bring an operating levy to voters this November.

The district is facing serious financial challenges — but these challenges did not happen overnight. Since the early 2000s, the state’s complex school funding formula hasn’t kept up with the rising costs of education. More than 85% of our budget comes from state funding — but that total funding is 19% lower than it was 20 years ago when inflation is factored in.

This means that year after year, our board must figure out how to pay teachers, invest in better curriculum, and respond to the changing needs of students with relatively fewer dollars to do so — and with no certainty from legislators that things will improve any time soon.

Until now, we’ve stretched dollars, made smart cuts, and leaned on reserves to address our challenges. Last year, we cut $350,000 and still had to spend $1.1 million from reserves. Even with those steps, the gap between our revenue and the cost to maintain current staff and programming is expected to double in the next four years. Our reserves will be gone in about three.

A local referendum is the only way to provide any relief from this cycle that doesn’t mean layoffs, fewer programs, reduced transportation or cutting pay and benefits for staff positions that are already difficult to fill.

Early voting is underway, so I hope everyone takes part in this important decision. And no matter how you vote, I encourage you to reach out to me or any board member if you would like to learn more.

Sara J. Runchey

Marshall

— Sara Runchey is member of the Marshall Public Schools board of Education