Lincoln Way District 210 board adopts FY2026 budget, records planned one‑time deficit for bus purchases

The Lincoln Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget at its September meeting after a budget presentation by district finance staff.

Finance staff summarized changes since the tentative budget, saying “stable is the word for this budget,” and pointed to several reallocations across funds, updated facility rental rates, and a large transportation purchase. The presentation showed a 3.73 percent increase in operating revenues and a 7.71 percent increase in operating spending compared with the prior year; staff said much of the spending increase reflected a one‑time capital purchase recorded in an operating fund for accounting purposes.

Why it matters: the board must set an approved budget before the fiscal year begins so administration can process invoices, transfers and capital purchases. Board members were briefed that the district intends the fiscal 2026 deficit to be nonrecurring and related to bus payments that cross fiscal years rather than to an ongoing structural shortfall.

Most important facts: the finance presentation identified an $814,000 operating deficit in the FY2026 budget while reporting the district would end the fiscal year with an operating fund balance of about 34 percent under the current plan. The transportation fund includes a $4,000,000 line‑item change tied to a debt certificate to purchase buses rather than continuing the previous lease model, and staff said one large invoice for buses can skew year‑to‑year operating percentages. Excluding the bus invoices, staff said recurring operating spending growth would be about 4.3 percent year over year.

Board action and process: the board opened and then closed the public budget hearing, moved to close the hearing, and later voted to adopt the FY2026 budget as presented. All votes reported in the meeting were unanimous. Administration noted that some capital and life‑safety expenditures are recorded in non‑operating funds and that those timing differences drive some apparent increases in capital project lines.

Budget details and clarifications reported during the meeting included:
- A reallocation of approximately $580,000 of investment earnings from the education fund to operations for fund balancing.
- Adjusted facility rental rates to better capture staffing and custodial costs for outside rentals as wages and costs increased.
- A transportation fund change driven by the decision to purchase new buses instead of extending five‑year leases; staff said purchased buses are expected to lower costs over the long term and that the district chose new buses rather than refurbished units.
- Life safety bond proceeds were laddered into short‑term investments until project invoices begin in late spring and early summer.

What remains next: staff said financing and procurement steps for the bus purchase and other capital projects will continue; the board did not take additional finance votes at the meeting beyond adopting the budget and approving routine financial reports.

Ending: the board adopted the budget and authorized staff to proceed under the plan the finance office presented. Officials emphasized the shortfall shown in FY2026 is a planned, nonrecurring result of capital timing rather than a structural gap.