Imbler School District's budget looks solid

Dick Mason, The Observer, La Grande, Ore.
·1 min read

Jun. 24—IMBLER — Only bright colors are needed to paint the Imbler School District's budget picture for 2022-23.

The Imbler School Board voted on Tuesday, June 21, to adopt a 2022-23 total budget of $12.23 million, up 16% from 2021-22, that will allow the school district to retain all of its staff and programs.

The general fund budget within the total budget is $6.058 million, up 14% from the current general fund budget, which consists of money from taxes, fees, interest earnings and other sources that can be used for general operation purposes.

The school district's budget is being boosted by steady enrollment, said interim Imbler School District Superintendent Doug Hislop, a huge factor since Oregon public school districts receive at least $8,000 from the state per student.

Hislop said enrollment in Oregon's schools has dropped about 30,000 over the past year but the amount of money allotted by the state for school districts in 2022-23 has not changed, meaning the state has more money available per student.

Hislop noted that the school district's enrollment outlook also looks good because it has a waiting list of students from outside the school district for some grades. Because the Imbler School District was granted charter status by the state about 15 years ago, it can accept students whose families live outside of the district when it has openings.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer primarily covering the communities of North Powder, Imbler, Island City and Union, education, Union County veterans programs and local history. Dick joined The Observer in 1983, first working as a sports and outdoors reporter.