Oak Park D97 board adopts final FY2026 budget after minor adjustments

The Board of Education for Oak Park Elementary School District 97 adopted its final fiscal year 2026 budget at a regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 16, voting in favor after staff described minor reallocations and updated revenue figures. The board completed a required public hearing on the FY26 budget earlier in the meeting and voted to adopt the budget before the state deadline of Sept. 30.

The district’s finance staff and consultants reported only small changes from the preliminary August presentation: reallocations from one function/department to another and refinements to revenue estimates, including updated corporate property tax numbers. “Essentially, there were reallocations,” Bridal, a district financial presenter, told the board. “Very minor.” The district also cited a memo from its financial consultant, Rob Grossi, summarizing final adjustments.

Why it matters: by state law the district must adopt a budget before Sept. 30; adopting now gives administrators the spending framework they need for the school year and clarifies planning for large purchases that still require separate board approvals.

Details: Bridal said staff moved amounts between function codes and updated some revenue lines where final numbers were available. The presentation noted the district’s estimated reserve (revenue balance) increased by about $7.6 million compared with figures presented in August, though Bridal warned the totals remain estimates until certain grant and title funding figures are finalized.

Formal actions: The board opened and closed a public hearing on the FY26 budget earlier in the meeting; there were no public comments during the hearing. The board then voted to adopt the final FY26 budget as presented. The roll-call statements recorded in the meeting transcript show the following votes during the adoption: Moore — yes; Eric Johnson — yes; Kim — yes; Kern — yes; Perez — yes; Ross Durden — yes; Spurlock — absent. (The board’s public materials include the detailed budget book and a memo outlining the changes from the August presentation.)

What’s next: Large individual expenditures and grant awards will return to the board for specific approvals; the adopted budget is the district’s fiscal framework. Staff said they will continue to refine revenue estimates as final state and federal grant figures become available.

Sources: presentation memo from district financial staff and remarks by Bridal; referenced memo from financial consultant Rob Grossi.