ABW Superintendent Discusses Increased Costs & Increased Funding this Past Year

Ada, MN — Inflation and supply chain demands continue to provide challenges for everyone across the United States, and our local school districts aren’t exempt. During our recent conversation on the KRJB Kaleidoscope Program, Ada-Borup-West Superintendent Aaron Cook says the rising fuel and food prices have made a big impact on their budget.

Thankfully to help with the rising costs, there has been some financial assistance to make up for it. So far the district has received around $1.5 million in one-time Federal ESSER funds over the past couple years to cover pandemic related expenses.

That funding will eventually dry up and districts will have to decide if they want to continue with some of the additional programming and staff that were added as a result of the pandemic. The State of Minnesota also increased their general education funding to schools, but Superintendent Cook says it doesn’t have much impact because they are now getting less in compensatory funding, making the ESSER funding that much more valuable.

Listen back the full interview with Ada-Borup-West Superintendent Aaron Cook from the KRJB Kaleidoscope Program below: