Tony Aylsworth has been the school superintendent at Pleasantville for nine years. He tells KNIA/KRLS News that the three percent state supplemental aid which was approved at three percent is the second highest it has been in the last 14 years. From that perspective he is happy that the number is a little higher this year than what they are accustomed to receiving.

He added, “On the other hand, it’s just difficult. Even though three percent is a higher number than we’ve been getting. It doesn’t begin to keep up with the inflation that we’re experiencing in all aspects of school operations. Whether it be our staffing costs, whether it be our costs around health care insurance, prescription drugs, even the things we see around utilities. All those costs continue to go up at a much steeper hike than two or three percent.”

For Pleasantville, the school enrollment jumped a lot last year, which makes for a good year for the school. Aylsworth said the school looks to receive over $400,000 worth of new money for Pleasantville Schools next year.