2020-2021 Budget

Presented here is the 2020-2021 fiscal year budget for the Appleton Area School District. The total budget for all funds less inter-fund transfers is $217,646,999. This budget proposal has been prepared using the best information available and will be reworked when new information is received. It is expected that revisions will be few and minor. 

Budget/Program Highlights for 2020-2021

  • We will see an increase to the Revenue Limit of just under $1 million as determined by the state of Wisconsin.  This increase is based on the per pupil Revenue Limit allocation increasing by $183 in 2020-2021 and our number of pupils decreasing by 180 from last year.  
  • The past several years have seen us receive an increase in Per Pupil Categorical Aid. However, there will not be an increase in this aid in 2020-2021.  
  • The District utilized a defeasance process during 2019-2020 to pay down long-term debt.  The process saved the District approximately $1.2 million in future interest. Our projection is to again utilize a defeasance process this budget year.  
  • The District’s Equalized Property Value is projected to increase by 7.1%. 
  • Tax rate is projected to decrease from $8.32 per $1,000 of equalized valuation to $8.08 per $1,000 of equalized valuation.  
  • Projecting just under $7 million in COVID related expenses, including $3.3 million to purchase laptops for 4K through 6th grade students and the technology to support virtual learning. In addition, $2.5 million will be spent on additional staffing to reduce elementary class sizes and to add Isolation Room paraprofessionals.   
  • Will utilize $3.4 million of carryover from last year’s unspent budget to help cover the COVID expenses. An additional $1.5 million from the Federal CARES Act will also go to help cover COVID expenses. 
  • The District will utilize savings from a change in health insurance to provide compensation increases for all employee groups. Savings are estimated to be between $677,000 and $1,147,000. We will not see savings until after January 1st.     
  • Compensation increases for 2019-2020 were modest for all staff, with all employee groups seeing a 2.16% average increase. Increases for 2020-2021 are estimated to be 2.20% to 2.40%.
2020-2021 Budget Booklet