Buckskin Legacy
Working to Ensure the Buckskin Legacy
Continues for Future Generations
Is Joel E. Barber closing down?
No. Our goal is to provide information to the public that will help to create a long future of Buckskin pride for our families.
Has the school been spending foolishly and now the school is broke?
No. Our board and administration has been very conservative and responsible with your tax dollars. This is why we have zero debt, you pay some of the lowest school taxes around, we have a healthy reserve in our capitol projects fund, and our students STILL get a great Buckskin education.
Does JEB pay high-school tuition for 9th-12th grade students in our district?
Yes. We are legally required to pay tuition on every high school student who lives in our district when they attend a neighboring district. This accounts for approximately $1.7 Million of our budget.
The way a school receives money is limited and not completely within our control. There are very strict rules about how that money can be spent once we receive it.
Revenue Facts
Sources of School Revenue:
- State Dollars (our largest chunk)
- Federal Dollars from the state department of education
- Local funds from tax dollars
Our total budget is approximately $7.5 million. We receive $9,535 per student per year.
Expense Facts:
Expenses are divided into “pots” or funds.
Each fund determines how it can be spent.
Example: Fund 4 – Capitol improvements (building improvements or additions. Fund 1 – Unrestricted funds (salaries, high school tuition, supplies, utilities, etc)
Moving funds from one “pot” to another is difficult and sometimes not possible.
- Fund 4 balance is approximately $2.7 million. This can only be used for building improvements, additions, and upgrades.
- Fund 1 (salaries, high school tuition, supplies, utilities, etc.) typically has a balance of $4.3 Million that flows in and out throughout the year.
- High School tuition is rising in neighboring districts and is going to continue to rise at significant rates in the next 4 years to a rate that will be unsustainable for our district.
- We are left with only a few options:
- Cut spending – reducing teachers, increasing class sizes, and cutting opportunities for students.
- Wait a few years until we are out of money and close our doors for ALL students.
- Begin the plan to build a Buckskin High School.
Historically, neighboring districts have kept their tuition close to the amount we receive from the state in funding for JEB high school students. In the Spring of 2026, our district engaged in more than six separate meetings about tuition rates with neighboring school districts that receive our high school students. This year, one of our neighboring districts decided that our tuition rate would be increased to $12,163.06 per student annually. Our Superintendent and Board President attended that district’s Board of Education meeting to advocate for a tuition rate that more closely matched the funding we receive which is $9,535 per student annually. After this discussion, the district decided to phase in the increase over the next four years, at which time their debt service for their new building will also be added to this amount. Their approved rate for the 2026-2027 school year will be $10,203 increasing each year until reaching the $12,163.06 rate in four years. When the final tuition rate is reached, the amount of tuition we pay annually will exceed our funding for those students by a projected amount of more than $600,000 annually before the cost of their debt service is added. We do not know the debt service amount they will add to that, but it is projected to be anywhere from $150,000-$350,000 annually. Our administration and board of education recognize that while we have been good stewards of our finances and even have a large reserve of funds, this rate of tuition will not be sustainable for our district for more than a couple of years.
What do we do now? We are currently looking at all possible options for how to overcome this challenge and continue providing a quality Buckskin education to our students. You have already received information via social media and our district website, and at recent community meetings. We appreciate your engagement in all platforms as we continue to share information about this process. Our administration and Board of Education are committed to transparency throughout this process. Our administration and Board of Education have explored a number of options including transportation to other neighboring high schools, consolidation into a neighboring district or building our own high school. The most feasible option to present to voters to ensure the future of Joel E. Barber is the construction of a high school facility. We know there are many challenges to building a high school, but we also know it is something for which our community has expressed a desire for many decades. This option has previously been looked at as unattainable due to financial constraints, but new information has shown us additional options that make this a real possibility for our district.
While rumors of impending closure have circulated, we are all Buckskins and we refuse to give up. We are committed to exploring every option that keeps the Buckskin legacy alive for many generations to come. There will be questions about this process and in an effort to provide current, transparent information we have established this dashboard page on our website with FAQs, videos and more in-depth details. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, email BuckskinLegacy@jebk8.com.