School district state travel account back to $52,000 deficit

The school district is advancing funds to cover student travel to state competition this school year, with the account at an estimated $52,000 deficit.

The district is looking to the community and the newly created Wrangell Athletic Club to repay the costs before the budget year closes out on June 30.

“That is our hope,” Schools Superintendent Bill Burr said in late December.

Student travel to state competition cost about $46,000 in the 2022-2023 school year, which the school board voted in November to cover on a one-time basis out of reserves and leftover funds in various accounts. The district budgets money for regular season and regional sports competition and travel to student activities in Southeast but does not budget any funds for state travel.

The school board and district officials started discussing in October the need to cover last year’s deficit and to advance funds for this school year’s state travel until community fundraising efforts get underway.

“We didn’t want to stop anybody from attending (state competition),” Burr said. “We’ve had a lot of teams going to state.”

The $52,000 estimated cost for the current school year includes state travel expenses for the cross-country, volleyball and wrestling teams, plus a placeholder to cover the girls and boys basketball teams if they go to state too, reported Kristy Andrew, the district’s business manager.

Travel costs are “skyrocketing,” particularly without frequent and dependable state ferry service as a lower-cost alternative to spendier airline tickets, Burr said.

There had been a community booster club that raised money for state competition, but that group disbanded several years ago, leaving the district to spend down its dwindling funds until hitting empty last year.

Students also pay $400 each into a state travel account, but those funds fall far short of covering expenses.

The district’s operating budget has been squeezed by years of stagnant state funding, which covers about 60% of the budget, leaving little cushion to take on additional costs.