In less than a month, Carroll Community School District (CCSD) voters will head to the polls to decide on a proposed 10-year extension to the existing Instructional Support Levy (ISL). Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau explains how the ISL is collected and used.
Since its implementation, the ISL has generated about $1 million in additional revenues per year for CCSD. About half of each year’s revenue comes from the three percent income surtax and the remainder from property tax. Currently, the ISL makes up about 45 cents of the district’s $9.89 overall levy. These additional funds are used in many ways throughout the district, but Berlau says three of them stand out in particular.
According to Berlau, only one school out of the 328 public school districts in Iowa currently does not utilize an ISL. Carroll’s ISL is set to sunset in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, but school officials opted to seek the renewal earlier than necessary to provide ample time for potential renewal. Berlau stresses the question on the ballot is not a new levy, just a continuation of an existing one.
Were the ISL not renewed by the sunset date, Berlau says the board could be forced to make budget cuts.
The ISL renewal question will be on the ballot for the Nov. 7 City/School elections. It requires at least 50 percent plus one support to pass. The full interview from Berlau on KCIM on Wednesday morning is included with this story on our website.
