The below message from Dr. Jason Dandoy, Superintendent of Schools, and Theresa Rangel, Board of Education President, was published in the fall edition of our Turner Today magazine:

It has been a great school year in USD 202. Students and teachers are busy “Raising the Bar… Higher”. Regardless of whether you have a family member in school or not, please take some time to check out what is happening in our district via this publication or social media. We use Turner Today to inform all community members, including those without children, about our public schools since our students are ultimately our future community members, and thus, the future of Turner.

For the past several years, we have used this space to share information about how school budgets are set. In late August/September, we receive many questions about budgets/tax rates and do our best to simplify the formula that is used to set school budgets across the State. We are again including information in Turner Today so that you can have a general understanding of the process we complete.

Our annual budget is built through the previous spring and summer using our district Strategic Plan, an assessment of student needs, and a facility improvement analysis. The budget is based primarily on student enrollment and “weightings”, which are additional funds for students who meet certain criteria, such as those who participate in a vocational program, qualify for the free lunch program, or speak a primary language other than English. Our final budget allocations are determined later in the school year (January-February, usually), when the Kansas Department of Education audits the enrollment data that we submit.

Our District leadership and the Board of Education work each year to ensure that we pass a fiscally responsible budget that maintains a high-quality educational experience for our students while working to balance the tax burden on local residents. Our students impress us each day with their hard work, perseverance, and unique personalities. Our investment in them is essential as they grow as individuals, and eventually, support this community. Since the majority of the district budget is spent on people (salaries and benefits), it is essential that we stay competitive in our efforts to attract the best individuals to work with kids.

General Fund

The General Fund and Supplemental General Fund are used to cover operational expenses such as instructional materials, staff salaries, insurance, and utilities.

Kansas Statute requires each school district to levy 20 mills for general operating funds. This year, the amount of taxes to be levied locally by USD 202 for the General Fund is $4,325,159. The total budget for the General Fund is $38,011,638, with 88% of the funding being paid for by the State.

Supplemental General Fund

The Supplemental General Fund, also known as the “Local Option Budget,” is based on the total amount of the General Fund, multiplied by a percentage. State statute limits this to 33% of the General Fund and Turner USD 202 has set our Supplemental General Fund budget below that, at 31%. Important to note: we have the lowest Local Option Budget percentage of all Kansas districts in the metro. We have done this to ease the tax burden on Turner taxpayers. This year, the amount of taxes to be levied locally by USD 202 for the Supplemental General Fund is $4,221,595. The total budget for the Supplemental General Fund is $11,880,965. In this fund, 63.25% of funding comes from State Equalization Aid. This is down from 67% last year, which results in additional local funds being levied to balance the budget.

Capital Outlay

The Capital Outlay mill levy of 8 mills was authorized by a resolution approved by the local Board of Education in 2014. Expenditures from this fund are used for facility maintenance, annual improvements, and technology purchases. This year, USD 202 will raise $2,454,193 in local taxes and receive $1,374,348 in State Aid. For each dollar that is raised locally in USD 202 for the Capital Outlay Fund, the district will receive an additional $0.56 from the state. This is down from $0.65 last year.

Bond & Interest

The Bond and Interest mill levy was approved by a majority of voters for new construction and renovations to existing facilities. The mill levy is based upon the total payments that will be made by the district during the calendar year. As promised during the 2019 Bond campaign, the tax rate in this fund has not increased and will not, unless a future project is proposed. Our district has been able to lower the tax rate in this fund for the past three years and it currently is at 12.25 mills.

As always, we appreciate your support of our public schools and hope that this summary is beneficial to your understanding of how our district is financed. If you have questions about the funds or ways in which they are used, please feel free to reach out to one of us or our Director of Business Services at 913-288-4185. Thank you for supporting our Turner students and we wish you a wonderful fall season!

 

The below graphic was also included in this edition of Turner Today.

Budget Expenditures By Category 2025 - 2026