6 takeaways from Hutchinson USD 308 school board meeting
August 25 2025
Board Exceeds Revenue Neutral Rate, Approves Budget with No Mill Levy Change
The USD 308 Board of Education voted unanimously to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate and officially approve the budget for the 2025-2026 school year. Despite the vote to exceed the state-defined revenue neutral level, the district’s overall mill levy will remain unchanged from the previous year at 52.418 mills. A hearing on the matter was required by state policy because rising property valuations in the area mean that keeping the mill levy the same will result in an increase in total tax revenue collected.
District Mill Levy Has Decreased More Than Increased Over Past 29 Years
In a detailed presentation, the superintendent provided a 29-year history of the district’s mill levy, revealing that the rate has been reduced 18 times while it has been increased only 11 times. This has resulted in an overall reduction of 12 mills during that period. The data, compiled from Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) records and old bond information, showed that in the last 10 years alone, the mill levy has gone down nine times for a total decrease of three and a half mills. It was noted that even if a potential future bond issue were to raise the rate by a conservative estimate of five mills, the resulting 57.4 mill levy would still be lower than the district’s historical average and less than the rate in at least 10 of the past 29 years.
New School Leaders Introduced to the Board
The district introduced a group of new administrators who will serve in leadership positions at local elementary schools. Emily Moore, who has spent her entire nine-year career in the district, will be the new principal at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary School. She is joined by new Assistant Principal Christina Swedberg, a 23-year veteran educator who previously worked in the Augusta, Maize, and Wichita districts. Jamie Tilton was introduced as the new principal at Faris Elementary School. Tilton has deep roots in the community, having attended Morgan Elementary as a child and having previously worked at Graber, Wiley, and other schools within USD 308.
New Cell Phone Policy Garners Positive Early Reviews
Board members discussed early feedback on the district’s new cell phone policy, with initial reports from school administrators being “really amazing” and “very positive”. While some students have expressed a preference for using earbuds to help them focus, administrators have seen very little pushback. An administrator at Hutchinson High School reported that the policy was going smoother than anticipated and noted an increase in students making eye contact and having conversations with one another. The superintendent stated that even administrators are doing a good job keeping their own phones put away during the school day.
Future School Transportation Discussed in Relation to Bond
A board member’s question prompted a discussion about student transportation, particularly as it relates to a potential future bond that could consolidate middle schools. The superintendent assured the board that while the district does not provide universal busing, it remains committed to ensuring students can get to school. He highlighted that the district currently runs shuttles to help students, recognizing that many households are single-car families where a parent may need the vehicle for work. Any future transportation decisions would be based on making the “best choices for kids” and could be funded by operational savings from reducing the district’s building footprint.
Potential Floodplain Changes a Concern for Future Construction
The board held a brief discussion on a new floodplain map that has been a topic of community interest. The superintendent acknowledged that the proposed map is concerning and could create constraints for any new construction projects, an issue relevant to a potential future bond. However, he noted that the district has been proactively working with the city on floodplain mitigation, including the development of a retention pond near the high school’s baseball and softball fields. This ongoing collaboration positions the district to better address any challenges the new map might present.
Greg Loving
Sponsors (click me!)
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
citizen journal offers three flagship products: a daily national news summary, a daily Kansas news summary, and local news and school board summaries from 12 cities across Kansas. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE!
