Box Elder School District has been a school district since 1907.  We have approximately 12,000 students in Pre-School (3 & 4 year olds) through Special Education Students, who attend the Independent Life Skills Center that are up to the age of 22. 

In the school district there are approximately 608 certified educators, 35 administrators, 426 Educational Support Professionals, and another 414 part-time para-professionals, substitutes, etc. These are all approximate numbers because we are hiring constantly and increasing and decreasing where needed.

Box Elder School District has an approximate budget of $130,000,000.  The revenue source of this amount is 54% from state taxes, 40%, from local property taxes, and 6% from federal taxes.  As the tax revenue comes into our school district, by Utah State Code, it has to be allocated to certain funds.  The vast majority of the revenue enters into the General Fund also referred to Maintenance and Operations.  That is approximately $100,000,000.  Most of the other $30,000,000 goes into the Capital Fund.

The General Fund revenue is expended in the following areas:  61% goes into salaries, 25% goes into benefits (health insurance, Utah Retirement System, etc.) 7% supplies, 5% contracted services, the other 2% goes into many different areas.

The Capital Fund revenue is expended in buildings, facilities, computers, cars, busses, and other items that are permanent in nature. A portion of this fund is in a category called debt service, this fund makes yearly payments to pay off the bonds that were taken out (voted on by the people) to build and re-build Box Elder and Bear River High Schools a little over 10 years ago.  The bulk of this fund is used to up-keep and improve buildings and grounds across the school district.  Box Elder School District started setting aside money into a capital reserve fund years ago to help pay for new buildings as we go forward.  The Independent Life Skills Center and The Support Services Center were paid for from this reserve fund and the new Sunrise High School will be paid for with this fund.

In the June 10, 2020 School Board Meeting the Board of Education approved combining the Foothill and Mountain View Elementary Boundary areas and building a new elementary school combining the two populations into one school located at the current Bunderson Elementary School sight.  Currently Box Elder School District has approximately $15,000,000 in capital reserve to go toward this new elementary.  The remainder of the cost will be paid for in a very low interest loan.  Neither of these revenue sources will increase county property taxes.  The cost of this new elementary building is estimated to be between $27-30 million.  The construction on this new building is expected to be completed by June of 2022 and occupation of the new building will be for the 2022-2023 school year.

I have been the Superintendent in two school districts prior to coming to Box Elder School District as the Superintendent.  I have been a teacher and a building administrator in four other school districts prior to my time as a Superintendent. I have not witnessed this level of forethought and preparation.  I want to commend the previous and current District Administrators (Superintendents & Business Administrators) and the Boards of Education for their foresight and conservative nature to be able to pay for buildings as they go.  It is very hard to set aside money and have the discipline to be able to do this.

Public Education funding is a very complicated system.  I have tried to simplify it as much as I can in this document.  Both Rod Cook, Box Elder School District Business Administrator and I are open to discussing any of these items.  Please just call and let us know when we can meet.

Thank you, Superintendent Steve Carlsen