Lockport Township High School District 205 presents $85 million FY2026 draft budget, plans Central repairs without new tax

Dr. Bob McBride, superintendent of Lockport Township High School District 205, told parents and guardians that the district presented a tentative $85,000,000 fiscal year 2026 budget to the board and that the board has been reviewing the 32-page draft since July.

"A budget is a declaration to you of what we plan on spending this year," McBride said, adding that the district has solicited community feedback and posted the tentative budget on BoardDocs for public review.

McBride said the draft prioritizes facility maintenance without asking taxpayers for more. "Our fiscal year 2026 budget I also proposes handling our facilities issues at east and at central without any additional burden on you," he said. He said the district completed about $6,700,000 in essential maintenance construction at Central this summer and plans another $6 million to $9 million of work next summer covering roofing, masonry and electrical systems.

McBride noted the work at Central is nearly complete: a portion of the building still has scaffolding in place, but he said the district expects the scaffolding and the current construction work to be finished after Labor Day.

The superintendent reported that about 1,400 people provided input through two surveys over two years and that the community’s priorities included maintaining facilities within means, avoiding additional taxes, transparency and greater community involvement.

The budget remains tentative; McBride said the board will continue review and that the district expects to approve or recommend approval of the budget in September. No board vote or motion on the FY2026 budget was described in the briefing.