As superintendent, I often hear questions from families and community members about school funding: “How much do schools get?” and “Why do we sometimes fall short of what we need?” These are important questions, and answering them well requires both clarity and transparency, two related, but different, ways of communicating.
What does “adequate funding” mean — and what we actually receive
When the state calculates what it considers an “adequate” amount per student, this is known as the State Adequacy Target (SAT.) The SAT is meant to represent the per student funding necessary for a high quality education under ideal conditions.
However, that amount is a target, not a guarantee. In reality, actual funding is shaped by state budgets, local property taxes, enrollment numbers, and other financial factors. For our district, the most recent data shows:
• The district’s average revenue per student is roughly $8,606 per student.
• By comparison, many districts across Missouri receive significantly more per student, the state median revenue per student is about $15,081.
• Similarly, our spending per student — what it actually costs to operate our schools — is about $8,635 per student.
These figures show that, on average, Salem R 80 receives and spends considerably less per student than the state median, highlighting a real gap between the ideal “SAT” funding benchmark and what we manage in practice.
Clarity vs. Transparency — What they mean for our community
Clarity is about explaining — in plain, understandable terms — what “adequate funding” means, what the SAT is, and why it doesn’t always translate into actual dollars. It means taking complex funding formulas and school finance jargon, and breaking them down so families, staff, and community members can see why our budget looks the way it does.
For example:
• Explaining that the SAT is a benchmark, not a promise.
• Explaining the difference between “revenue per student” and “what we actually spend.”
• Helping people understand how enrollment, local taxes, and state decisions influence overall funding.
Transparency is about openness and access. It means sharing our budgets, financial reports, and data — not just summaries but the full picture: how much revenue we get, how we spend it, where shortfalls are, and where every dollar goes. Transparency ensures our community sees how decisions are made, even when the numbers are complicated or less than ideal.
Why both are necessary
We can publish a budget report — that’s transparency. But if it’s full of tables, financial jargon, and no explanation, many won’t really understand what it means. That’s why clarity is equally important: turning the “full picture” into something understandable.
By combining clarity and transparency, we help our community understand what is happening and why, especially in an environment where funding falls short of the SAT. We show the realities of education finance — and demonstrate a commitment to honesty and openness.
What this means for Salem R 80
Because our revenue (about $8,606/student) and spending (about $8,635/student) are well below the state median, it’s unrealistic to treat the SAT as a guarantee. Instead, we must plan responsibly, making hard choices about programming, staffing, and resources, while continually seeking ways to maximize value and advocate for more support.
Still, through clear communication and transparent reporting, we can build and maintain trust with families, staff, and taxpayers, even while acknowledging the limitations we face.
Our ultimate committed goal remains unchanged: every student deserves the resources, support, and opportunities they need to succeed. We Clarify. We Share. We are Honest. That’s how we honor that commitment.
In the coming months you will see lots of information in the news regarding the Missouri School Foundation Formula and how Missouri schools are funded throughout the state. Governor Kehoe has created a task force to modernize the Missouri School Foundation Formula, and that task force will present its recommendations to the Governor in December of 2026. Coincidentally or not, the recommendation is due to the Governor after the midterm elections next November. Please pay special attention to what that means for you as a local taxpayer. There will be some school districts who are winners and some who are losers. My commitment to you is to be as transparent as possible, with as much clarity as possible, to illustrate the impact of a new proposed Missouri School Foundation Formula.
