For the first time in the Holbrook Unified School District’s history, the district can show map where each of the federal students who attend district schools resides. The building to the south indicates where the schools in Holbrook are located, with the building to the north indicating Indian Wells Elementary School. The blue area represents federal lands and the red drops are the locations of the residences.
Holbrook Unified School District officials recently unveiled a comprehensive analysis on Impact Aid for the district. Approximately half of the district’s 2,100 students live on federal lands, and Impact Aid is received to make up for the lost local tax. The district is able to claim Impact Aid for students who reside on Indian Trust Lands, as well as for those who reside on Petrified Forest National Park lands.
The aid is significant for the district as it can be used wherever the governing board determines will best meet the needs of the students in the district.
According to the information in the analysis, the district receives $5,386 per “weighted” student. Students residing on Indian Lands are weighted the heaviest at 1.25 per student.
The financial need is computed by adding together a school district’s percentage of federal students and the percentage of the operating budget coming from Impact Aid funds. For the Holbrook district, the Impact Aid amounts to approximately $4.5 million per year above and beyond state and local funding sources. Of that amount, nearly half goes to subsidize the local tax rate. The second largest expense is the fleet of school buses that cover the 1,500 square miles within the district. Each year the district purchases two to three school buses at a cost of nearly $200,000 each due to the wear and tear of long daily trips, so nearly $1 million is spent on the combined expenses of new buses, maintenance of existing buses and fuel used while in operation. The remaining funds are used for general upkeep, capital projects, teacher and classroom aid salaries, and general supplies.
During the March meeting of the district governing board, a public meeting held to receive input from families that reside on tribal lands, no comments were presented.
With his extensive involvement in advocating for Impact Aid, Superintendent Dr. Robbie Koerperich was recently chosen as president-elect of Arizona Schools Impact Aid Association and the district’s business manager, Jacob Boyle, was elected as secretary/treasurer.
