The Seaside School District has started its budget process for the 2015-16 school year and is looking to increase compensation for all employees by at least 2.25 percent, implement a full-time kindergarten program and add two special education positions if adequate funds are available.

The budget committee held its first meeting Tuesday before the Seaside School District Board of Directors meeting and elected Michelle Wunderlich and board member Brian Taylor as chair and vice-chair, respectively. The committee includes the other board of director members, as well as six other community members that were appointed by the board.

The district’s overall budget for 2015-16 as proposed is $21,031,919.

The proposed budget for the general fund includes an approximate 4.7 percent increase from the adopted 2014-15 general fund budget, or an increase of about $17.58 million to $18.406 million. The general fund covers all operating costs. A majority of the revenue for that fund comes from local sources, such as property taxes, and state sources, such as timber revenue. Federal sources are expected to provide only $7,000.

About 49 percent of expenditures from the general fund are for salaries; 31 percent for associated payroll costs; 8 percent for purchased services; 5 percent for supplies and materials; 1 percent for capital outlay and 6 percent for other items and transfers. The district has budgeted a 2.25 percent wage increase for all employees with steps when applicable, said Justine Hill, the district’s business manager.

As per usual, the district’s goal is to maintain an ending fund balance of 10 percent. The starting fund balance for 2015-16 is projected to be about $2.07 million.

The district also has proposed a budget of approximately $2.384 million in special funds; about $40,000 in debt service; and $201,000 for capital improvement projects. These funds often carry restrictions on how they can be spent, Hill said.

Two projected offsets will allow the district to increase allocations in school year 2015-16 without making reductions, according to Superintendent Doug Dougherty.

First, the Greater Seaside Urban Renewal District is set to expire at the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year, which will increase the property tax value calculation and translate into more revenue collections for the school district. The extra funds will be used to cover the district’s new full-day kindergarten program. Second, the district’s Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) rates will decrease. The reduction, Hill said, will provide about $300,000 in savings, which will cover salary increases and associated payroll costs.

If the budget allows, Dougherty said, the district wants to add a special education teacher and assistant to address the social, emotional and behavioral needs of students, particularly at the elementary level.

A curriculum change also is scheduled for the 2015-16 school year that is aligned with Common Core Standards and maintains the mandated Oregon Department of Education adoption schedule. The district has budgeted about $175,000 for English Language Arts and English Language Development. Additional staff training time also will be required as part of the implementation, Dougherty said.

Essential facility repairs and maintenance needs that are slated for this school year include: a roofing project for the Gearhart Elementary School gym, two roof packs at Broadway Middle School, addressing American with Disabilities Act compliance issues, engineering and construction of walls at Seaside Heights Elementary School and a restroom refresh project at Seaside High School. The district also plans to replace six regular school buses and five type 20 school buses that do not meet the mandated standards.

“We are optimistic that our economy is beginning to recover,” Dougherty wrote in his budget message. “As it does, the district will continue to invest in providing the highest quality education to our community.”

The budget committee is scheduled to meet again May 19 and tentatively approve the budget. The board then will hold a public hearing on the budget as approved by the committee at its June 16 board meeting. At that meeting, the board may enact resolutions to adopt the budget, to make the appropriations and to declare the tax levy.

In other news:

– Director of Special Services Elizabeth Friedman tendered her notice of resignation; she will be leaving at the end of the school year, June 30. She will be replaced by Jeremy Catt, a special education high school teacher from the Neah-Kah-Nie School District.

– The board voted unanimously on a phase-in plan for the full-time kindergarten program that will be implemented next school year. The phase-in plan includes a soft transition and staggered start for students. Both elementary schools will have the program.