Eastwood schools: Renewal income tax levy on May 4 ballot Published by news@presspubli. on Fri, 04/30/2021 - 4:00pm
By:
Larry Limpf
Voters in the Eastwood School District will decide a 1 percent income tax renewal issue on the May 4 ballot. In his community message, Brent Welker, district superintendent, is reminding residents the tax is a renewal and not a new tax and is the district’s sole levy for operating expenses. “It’s important for residents to remember this is our only operating levy,” he said last week. The income tax represents about 13 percent of the district’s revenue and last year collected $2.3 million, according to the administration. It is levied on earned income.
Eastwood Elementary Principal Joe Wank gave the results at Mondayâs board of education meeting.
âIn comparison to the previous year, we were about 12% below,â he said about the state test results. âThe state average was 37% proficient, ours was 58% proficient.â
While scores were 20% above the state average, Wank is looking at what can be done second semester to improve those grades.
This was a tough grade, because as second-graders several of their teachers were out half the year, he said, and then there was the pandemic.
âI thought they did really well,â Wank said.
He also asked for a fifth fourth-grade teacher next year to accommodate this yearâs large third-grade class.