[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6623021,"mediaKeyId","2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e","parentId",2777604,"title","Board and staff weigh cuts and priorities: reading interventionists, guest teachers, psychologists, JuiceBox and DreamBox among items discussed","audioSeconds",5299,"startMs",4331000,"endMs",9630000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e&start=4331&end=9630","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e/thumbnail_4331000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6623021/Arizona/Board-and-staff-weigh-cuts-and-priorities-reading-interventionists-guest-teachers-psychologists-JuiceBox-and-DreamBox-among-items-discussed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623021-ba7ff89d4d1f99ca7c8084145518dd06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441952&Signature=oSr5OBoCtoO6Pl0rMCuWFYZXQ5eUhnuyxftKtFLxsqyBwekXJMKbZNo767d7rqmB-V2UH4yvjFYVjYzs~56CFcogQrqxHOdpeRqSu6vjv~ZdkM9k-ZRjBhPygVL1tWp-wpe7l~evjQXC94ew1BiqRp5HDCZ8TYooAnWxmSb~jvvWDNhKp4dqnizhnCk0ObVrJPIVL88-P-bZX-dZvJbixZBlDduKj5L32lA~lEDuyz7VP69lVUYMkB-WS8wOr9C~YC-pUkX08ajlRqeNUm-K19Vz5H2KKBq7GXzmEsTbwJq9N6k5kcUQbpgo2U8BnmFy7k~DrGQbVRigc2DBdXy21Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Liberty Elementary District","date","2025-03-26T15:22:31.81Z","article","The Governing Board and district administration spent substantial time identifying budget items to protect and items to consider for reduction as part of FY26 prioritization.

Items trustees signaled they want to protect include permanent guest teachers (district-employed substitute positions), reading interventionists, and teacher-signing incentives. Several trustees said those elements directly affect classroom staffing and student learning and should be treated as high priorities.

Items discussed for reduction or reclassification included the communications director position and its associated marketing budget (administration said duties could be redistributed at the district office but suggested retaining a small marketing line), some consulting and membership expenditures, and several curricular or supplemental subscriptions. Staff and trustees specifically discussed:

- JuiceBox website contract: administration reported an annual maintenance/design payment of roughly $24,500 per year under a multi-year agreement. The board asked legal and administration to explore options to renegotiate or exit; in the short term trustees agreed the district should not rely on that savings until contract terms are clear.

- DreamBox (online math practice): trustees heard mixed feedback from teachers and parents. Some said usage is inconsistent; several trustees said the $73,000 annual cost makes it a candidate for reduction in favor of preserving classroom staff.

- Loomis cash-collection service: trustees discussed an armored-car cash pickup service implemented to address past audit findings related to cash handling. Several trustees supported keeping the service for security but agreed the cost should be moved to a different fund if possible.

- Supplemental curricula and digital subscriptions (examples listed to staff): administration identified several low-use items that could be paused or reduced, and staff will produce usage figures.

Personnel-level items discussed as possible attrition savings included counselors, psychologists and some operations/maintenance positions. Administrators warned that some positions (for example psychologists and school counselors) support legally required special-education evaluation timelines and student services; trustees indicated they preferred to limit reductions that would impair compliance or student supports.

The board also agreed to pause automatic step increases (districtwide) for next year while it assesses the budget; administration noted this raises equity concerns for hourly staff if state minimum wage changes and asked to return with exact figures. Superintendent Dr. Monroe also told the board he would forgo performance pay this year given the district fiscal situation.

Next steps

Administration will return with more precise usage reports for subscriptions, a legal review of the JuiceBox contract and proposals to fund selected positions through alternative (nongeneral M&O) funds where appropriate. The board directed staff to continue developing the prioritized reduction list and to present updated totals so trustees can see whether the district reaches its target savings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03.24.25 LESD#25 Special Governing Board Meeting.","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees and staff reviewed a prioritized list of potential FY26 cuts and protections, agreeing to preserve classroom-facing positions where feasible while targeting some subscriptions, consulting and nonclassroom roles for reduction.","taxTitle","Liberty Elementary District (4266), School Districts, Arizona","taxId",64408,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6623025,"Board narrows FY26 ADM projection to 50 students as staff warns overestimates drove FY25 shortfall",1695,3057000,4752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e&start=3057&end=4752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e/thumbnail_3057000.jpg","/articles/6623025/Arizona/Board-narrows-FY26-ADM-projection-to-50-students-as-staff-warns-overestimates-drove-FY25-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623025-6a565c2d8a9b188b29e6559f62b381cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441952&Signature=L6lIo9~gYN0lwHC3iVch4WAKAX4E2kND6LYXI81Z04fzxEnulksoAD5WG0aYpl38ZlJ1JLUDVc8d205-FVVZgi4usjaSskOWxfEmiUHVzxbrdzKza4yFgPKQWl-Wau30RW~HmMyTvCiOFezmuJQYoTcVxSa8k36j8ajd3tAsFsK~4FFwJzZFXw~5xwwKGh7O8jWRlT-BP~PecY80eTqsK6CAA4F~uCYaRBN9DQgNaoEMxIRuvjAuoh6eT7s9Zaz1633vkr-HGgjOdDuM4bJCtH80DsuYgYLxFyog3ZjAO1PY49WIYe5Snjdv8tydqsAshCezvF6NQHJZ03Fp9zDMjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District finance staff told the board that a principal cause of the FY25 budget gap was optimism in student-count projections. Ken Hicks explained that the district's base support calculations and the revenue limit are driven largely by average daily membership (ADM). He said the administration built draft FY26 numbers on an ADM of roughly 4,370 and noted recent official ADM counts for the current year had fallen to about 4,267.

\"Any time the board is approving a budget, revising a budget, really needs to know what the average daily membership is that's supporting this budget,\" Hicks told trustees, and he warned that overestimating ADM inflates budgeted revenues and can create midyear shortfalls.

Board members debated the appropriate conservative estimate for growth. Several trustees said they preferred a more cautious projection than the staff's earlier discussion figure of 100 new students. After discussion the board expressed consensus to use a 50-student growth assumption for FY26 planning, with the understanding that the projection can be revised at the next available budget revision if actual ADM differs.

Hicks and Dr. Monroe also warned that budget limits are not spending authorizations and that the district should plan to spend below the budget limit in order to maintain a carryforward. Administration estimated that the combination of transfers, journal entries and PO reductions could leave the district with roughly $400,000\u000500,000 in carryforward for FY25; the AFR and final ADM adjustments will set the official amount.

Why it matters

About 85% of the district's funding flows from the per-student formulas that are multiplied by ADM or weighted student counts. A small change in students therefore can change revenues by several hundred thousand dollars. Trustees said they wanted a conservative ADM estimate that would reduce the chance of repeating a midyear funding shortfall.","District finance staff said overestimated student growth was a primary cause of the FY25 shortfall; after discussion the board signaled consensus to use a conservative 50-student growth estimate for FY26 budget planning.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6623030,"Liberty Elementary board approves administration's FY25 strategy to avoid zero carryforward",2815,86000,2901000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e&start=86&end=2901","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777604-a1b97ff36bf5c6b3ee002021857f5d1e/thumbnail_86000.jpg","/articles/6623030/Arizona/Liberty-Elementary-board-approves-administrations-FY25-strategy-to-avoid-zero-carryforward","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623030-476704b1cc9e75b5b0b099161ad610c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441952&Signature=Giurza6M5r4ooB~Bp6g-emuByPQt4FyLIk~k-w0yGnGvda2~Y9RnpZsLUOyx0N1m633b~tLY2OsMz0WufxeuFRVybs9PduikxAs4XCOhJ4lYcguBLID5kVk~NqA6KmwYGu~DxyBYSQyBcmSLsu2pZU~Xxr3Y53nczp7PoA5H1z-yRlOX9fJJsFHOueBfCFzV-RrvYFqnhpOc5wVO-my~Xj2-P-BG-53Q-JngzCZxDpk-4ogBURdWb8LWaI4bdeYHGr-rn2yMmad0tF0q7nAWSZdX6TqbUMpYutGId-DxRejcvoG1GyTPuVLnqYyl9Ll5nwNTe29BpH1l6sYM~i1Wfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Liberty Elementary District Governing Board on a voice vote approved an administration plan on April 30 to close a projected fiscal-year 2025 budget shortfall by transferring capital funds into the maintenance and operations (M&O) budget, moving selected expenses into other eligible funds, cutting purchase order encumbrances and imposing a hiring freeze.

The plan approved by the board centers on four actions staff described as the quickest path to end FY25 with a positive carryforward: (1) reduce and close open purchase orders, (2) a hiring freeze with exceptions routed to cabinet or the superintendent, (3) accounting journal entries that move roughly $940,000\u00011,000,000 of expenses out of M&O into other eligible funds, and (4) a budget-limit transfer of about $700,000 from District Additional Assistance (DAA, a capital funding category) into the M&O budget.

Ken Hicks, presenting the proposal for the administration, summarized the approach and figures and said, \"we're recommending at least a $700,000, DAA transfer\" and that staff expected journal entries to move \"between $940 and a million dollars\" of expenses out of M&O. Hicks described closing purchase orders and a hiring freeze as reversible, short-term steps that would preserve day-to-day operations while staff complete the accounting adjustments.

Superintendent Dr. Monroe framed the request as a practical set of steps to preserve a modest carryforward while the district develops deeper cuts for FY26. Dr. Monroe also told the board he would expect cabinet to weigh exceptions to the hiring freeze \"very carefully\" and that administrators would bring any needed hires back to the board for approval.

Board members pressed for clarity on the carryforward that would remain if the plan is implemented. Hicks said the administration's midpoint estimate is that, after the transfers and adjustments, the district could end FY25 with roughly $400,000\u000500,000 in carryforward, but that the official carryforward will not be known until the Annual Financial Report (AFR) and ADM (average daily membership) adjustments are final. He cautioned the numbers could shift and that the administration was using rounded estimates to account for changes.

Votes at a glance

Motion: \"I make a motion to approve the proposed strategy to complete the 24 25 fiscal year budget as proposed.\" (mover: Board member Kenyon; second: Board member Schmidt)
Vote: Aye -- Kenyon; Aye -- Mitch Schmidt; Aye -- Cerencioni; Aye -- Vice President Zimmerman. Tally: 4 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved.

What the approval does and does not do

The board's approval authorized the administration to proceed with the four-part plan described above; it does not permanently reclassify funds or approve specific layoffs. Hicks and Dr. Monroe emphasized that many steps (closing or reducing POs, journal entries, transfers) can be reversed or adjusted and that the board will be updated monthly on progress.

Next steps and timing

Administration said it will implement PO reductions and the hiring freeze immediately, complete the journal-entry work and fund transfers prior to year end, and return to the board with more detailed monthly reports. The AFR and final ADM adjustments will determine the official carryforward figure and may alter final results.","The Liberty Elementary District board approved a staff plan to close the FY25 budget gap using a $700,000 transfer from district additional assistance, roughly $900,000\u00011,000,000 in journal adjustments, a hiring freeze, and reduced purchase order encumbrances. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board and staff weigh cuts and priorities: reading interventionists, guest teachers, psychologists, JuiceBox and DreamBox among items discussed

Board narrows FY26 ADM projection to 50 students as staff warns overestimates drove FY25 shortfall

Liberty Elementary board approves administration's FY25 strategy to avoid zero carryforward