The Falls City Public Schools held its regular monthly board meeting on Monday, September 9, 2024. Here are the highlights of the meeting.

            School District 56 Budget and Property Tax Request Hearings for fiscal year 2024-2025 were held on September 9th at the Central Office in Falls City Middle School. The General Fund budget decreased over the 2023-2024 budget by approximately (1%). The Special Building Fund Budget decreased over the 2023 budget by (14%). The change in the 2024-2025 overall operating budget compared to the 2023-2024 is a decrease of (1%). The school district budget approved for 2024-2025 includes General Fund, $17,394,894; Depreciation Fund, $280,679; Employee Benefit Fund, $120,000; Activities Fund, $650,000; School Nutrition Fund, $765,000; Special Building Fund, $1,888,250; Student Fee Fund, $14,095;

            The 2024-2025 property tax request is proposed to be set at: General Fund, $8,088,828; Special Building Fund $404,040. The total assessed value of property differs from last year’s total assessed value by an increase of 9.52%. FCPS proposes to adopt a property tax request that will cause its tax rate to be 0.704289 per $100 of assessed value. The proposed property tax request is a (12%) decrease over 2023. Based on the proposed property tax request and changes in other revenue, the total operating budget of Falls City Public Schools will decrease over last year’s budget by (1%). The Property Tax Request is within the allowable growth percentage. The School District is not required to complete postcard notification requirements, or participate in the joint public hearing.

            Student Enrollment - Enrollment figures as of September 10, 2024 show 808 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The largest class is the 8th grade class with 69 students, and the smallest class is the 6th grade class with 47 students.

      Strategic Plan Update - The annual board planning workshop will be held at 6PM Wednesday, September 25 at the Falls City Middle School. The Board of Education and administration will collaborate and plan for the future direction of the school district and the factors which may/will support and challenge the school district in moving to the next level of effectiveness.  This process allows the Board of Education and administrative team to effectively identify specific goals and initiatives to address.  

The District 56 Board of Education acted on several items before concluding the regular meeting. 

1.     Approved the Final Reading on Policy Reviews and Revisions: 1) 2211 Conflict of Interest; 2) 4260 Internet Access; 3) 4261 Technology Protection Measure and Internet Safety; 4) 7410 Pregnant and Parenting Students.

2.     Approved the Budget of Disbursements, Receipts’, and Transfers for 2024-2025

3.     Approved the Property Tax Request Resolution for 2024-2025

4.     No action taken on the Determination of Early Separation applications for 2024-2025.

5.     Recognized the FCEA as Exclusive Bargaining Agent for Non-Supervisory Certificated Teaching Staff for 2026-2027 Contract Year.

            The next regular monthly Board of Education meeting is scheduled for October 14 at 7:00 P.M. in the Central Office in Falls City Middle School. Regular and special meeting agendas are kept in the Office of the Superintendent, Tim Heckenlively.

Falls City Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, citizenship status or economic status in its programs, activities and employment.