Omaha Public Schools approves 2024-25 budget with nearly 9% property tax decrease
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Omaha Public Schools, the largest school district in the state, approved next year’s budget at a board meeting Thursday night.
A summary on the OPS website estimates the 2024-25 school year budget at $812 million, with 39% of that — or $316.7 million — coming from state aid; and 28% — or $307.3 million — from property taxes.
“The proposed budget includes a Board of Education override of the LB243 revenue cap,” according to an OPS summary of the meeting.
The OPS spending plan includes asking for $8 million — about 2% — less in property tax funding overall; and decreasing the property tax levy by about 9%, or almost $0.11. Next year, the district is set to receive more than $31.5 million additional state funding, for a total of more than $316.7 million.
During the Legislature’s special session in July, the district sent a statement of principle on the matter in response to Gov. Jim Pillen’s tax plans, urging the state to fight the erosion of local control of educational budgets.
The OPS budget put forward on Thursday also includes an increase to the General Fund to pay for staff salaries and benefits, including 171 additional teachers at the start of the school year.
The budget report submitted ahead of the meeting states that OPS has 7,184 full-time positions as of Aug. 27. Student enrollment for the 2024-25 school year is estimated to be 52,170. OPS reports spending an average of nearly $18,000 per pupils during the 2022-23 school year.
The OPS budget also has a 10% pay bump for SPED teachers and added compensation for teachers with advanced degrees. It also notes that annual stipends were added into base pay scales for staff: $4,500 for full-time staff, and $2,250 for part-time.
Also included in the budget proposal are improvements for Burke High School, including the major renovation of the stadium.
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Producer Chris Dachille and Managing Editor Kevin Westhues contributed to this report.
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