This letter is in response to the article (Journal, May 20) regarding budget concerns for the 2016-2017 school year.
Director of Finance Wendy Everett is quoted as saying that “the nearly $2.2 million RE-1 gives to the charter schools decreases the bottom line.” This statement is misleading to the general public.
For example, for the 2015-2016 school year, Children’s Kiva Montessori School had 110 students on the October 1 count day. Of those students, 70 were either out-of-district, previously home-schooled, or kindergarten students that had come through the Children’s Kiva Pre-School.
In turn, those funds from per pupil revenue or grants, which flow through the Montezuma Cortez School District by state statute, were never part of the spendable funds of RE-1.
Of these 70 students that were previously not part of the district, RE-1 receives a 4% general overhead fee that was never in the school district prior to those students being enrolled at the Children’s Kiva Montessori School.
Our students are part of the RE-1 school district.
The district should be helping us convey the message that Charter Schools are schools of choice. We are all out to succeed at the same thing: to teach the young people of our county.
Susan Likes
Cortez
