OTTAWA — The final state budget wasn’t a surprise to Ottawa school officials trying to come up with a budget for next year. Supt. Dean Katt said it’s a non-surprise he can do without but he had been planning for for quite some time. “Our projections haven’t changed,” Katt said. After battling for several weeks during the session and dueling budget proposals pushed by Senate and House leaders, legislators settled for a school budget proposal close to Gov. Sam Brownback’s original proposal, which included a cut in the base per-pupil state aid formula — which is $3,780 per pupil. Katt said by closing Eisenhower School, not replacing retiring teachers and other staffers, and dipping into reserves, the district will be able to weather the budget cuts. Once the district closes its books June 30, Katt said he’ll know exactly the full impact on next year’s budget. The district did see an increase in federal Title I fund of $106,000 but it doesn’t make up for $158,000 in cuts in other federal funds, he said. “It didn’t make up for everything we lost but it does help a little bit,” Katt said.
Thursday, Jan. 26, 8 a.m.
