Woodford County Public Schools

Budget Transparency

Budget Breakdown

Budget and Tax Work Session Presentation

Questions from the Community of Woodford County

To continue our commitment to transparency and accountability, Woodford County Public Schools is providing answers to questions from our community.

We believe in a brighter future for our community, which is why we're dedicated to providing transparency and accountability. In that spirit, Woodford County Public Schools is answering questions that have been asked by our community.

Woodford County Public Schools is committed to a brighter future for our students. We believe in transparency and accountability, and we're answering questions that have been posed to our school district.

To submit a question, visit our FAQ Form and look for our answer on this site.

Example: In 2024, if a home was valued at $100,000 through the PVA (Property Valuation Administrator) with a tax rate of 67.3 cents, the owner would have paid $673 in property taxes. If that same home was valued at $100,000 in 2025 with the same tax rate, the owner would still pay $673 in property taxes. On the other hand, if the property was reassessed to be $112,000 in 2025, the property tax rate would be $753.76 with the same tax rate (67.3 cents).
District leaders will consult with the WCPS Board of Education to determine next steps after a thorough investigation of all programs and positions as mentioned in the “Promoting Accountability” section of the Budget Breakdown.
Our new Woodford County Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Jones, and the Board of Education are committed to providing this transparency through multiple forms of communication: HIVE (Harnessing Innovation, Vision, and Excellence) groups with numerous stakeholders and points of view, Budget Transparency tab on the WCPS website, informational flyers, monthly financial reports at the school board meetings, and reporting audit and internal review results to the community.
None of the proposed options outlined in the Budget Breakdown include raises to the tax rate. The Board of Education made a commitment to retaining and recruiting the best staff possible through competitive compensation and benefits.
None of the proposed options supports a board of education recommendation to increase the local tax rate. Below are the tax rates over the past few years:

School Year
- 2019-2020: 69.3 cents per $100 assessed value
- 2020-2021: 69.3 cents per $100 assessed value
- 2021-2022: 69.8 cents per $100 assessed value
- 2022-2023: 69.7 cents per $100 assessed value
- 2023-2024: 70.5 cents per $100 assessed value
- 2024-2025: 67.3 cents per $100 assessed value
Proposed Options:
- Option 1: Compensating Rate (60.9 cents)
  - Projected Increase: $149,462.59
  - This would mean a $1.8 million cut to programming or about 28 staffing positions
- Option 2: 4% Growth Rate (63.3 cents)
  - Projected Increase: $829,214.28
  - This would mean a $1.3 million cut to programming or about 16 staffing positions
- Option 3: Keeping the tax rate flat (67.3 cents)
  - Projected Increase: $2,445,224.88
  - This would maintain current programming and positions while restoring funding to transportation and technology that was removed
The Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding program is a formula driven allocation of state provided funds to local school districts. The SEEK formula is designed to equalize funding between school districts with different property tax bases.
While the rising property values are out of our control, we can control what we focus on in our budgeting. We are focusing on the strategies outlined in the “Promoting Accountability” portion of the Budget Breakdown. (The Budget Breakdown is a document on the WCPS website under the Budget Transparency tab.)
State funding (SEEK) is not based on the tax rate. It is based on the property assessment values set each year for the county. Woodford County property values have increased 40% over the last four years - an unprecedented growth in a short amount of time. The increase of property assessment values allows more funding to generate for WCPS without raising the tax rate.

Budget Transparency

Budget Breakdown

Budget and Tax Work Session Presentation

Questions from the Community of Woodford County

The flyer says the tax rate decreased, but assessments went up — so revenue rose while SEEK dropped. Families never felt a decrease. Will future updates show what this actually means for a typical homeowner’s bill and what that extra money funds?

What are the programs and positions in danger of being evaluated? Does this mean fewer teachers and staff working directly with students, or are central office roles also part of this?

The proposed tax increase is recallable because it is over the amount allowed by the state. We need more fiscal transparency in regards to the school’s budget and funding.

Why were salaries increased 3% if it was a possibility that revenue would fall short. Teachers deserve raises however I did not get a raise and have increased costs as well and now tax rate may be increased.

What are the tax rates for the past few years? Are you proposing a tax rate increase?

What is SEEK?

Nearly all of the $4 million shortfall ($3.8 million) came from SEEK reductions tied to rising local revenue. What safeguards are in place so this doesn’t happen again next year?

If higher local taxes cause the state to reduce SEEK, how do the 4% or higher tax options avoid putting us right back in the same hole? Families end up paying more, but it seems like schools don’t actually gain as much as it sounds like.