Ash Fork Joint Unified School District

Ash Fork JUSD’s fiscal year 2007 administrative costs were 56 percent higher than the comparable districts’ average costs because the District employed more administrative positions and paid administrative employees higher salaries than the average salaries for the comparable districts. The District’s student transportation costs were lower both per rider and per mile because of efficient bus routes and lower supply costs, which include fuel costs. As a result, the District spent approximately $100,000 less to operate the program than it received in state transportation aid. Ash Fork JUSD’s per-square-foot plant operation and maintenance costs were 39 percent higher than comparable districts’ average costs because it employed more plant employees, and each employee maintained about 14,000 square feet less than the comparable districts’ employees. In addition, the District had high costs for outsourced maintenance, data and voice communications, energy, and gasoline. Ash Fork JUSD’s 54.6 percent fiscal year 2007 classroom dollar percentage was below the state average, but higher than the comparable districts’ average. The District spent more per pupil in the classroom than both the state and national averages because of a small school budget adjustment, which allows small school districts to increase their budgets beyond typical school budget limits by the amount needed to meet planned expenditures. For fiscal year 2007, Ash Fork JUSD used the small school budget adjustment to increase its allowable expenditures and revenues by $1.7 million. In fiscal year 2007, the District used a mainstream approach to provide instruction for its English Language Learner students. Since that time, the District has begun making changes to its ELL program to meet state requirements adopted in September 2007. The District did not track or report any ELL expenditures, although it received almost $13,000 in ELL-related revenues.