Weisman USD posts $794,000 unrestricted surplus in unaudited 202425 results; reserves rise to about 14.8%

Sean Kern, Weisman Unified School Districtchief business official, presented the districtunaudited actuals for fiscal year 202425 at the board meeting on Sept. 9 and said the district closed the year with a net surplus of about $794,000 on the unrestricted general fund. Kern told trustees the number includes a fair-market value cash adjustment of roughly $328,000 that reflects June 30 valuations from the county treasury.

Kern explained the audit timetable and the year-end closing process. "We are officially closing the books in the months of July and August," he said, describing detailed accruals, grant reconciliations and program accounting needed to present the unaudited figures. He said the independent external audit will conclude in December and that the board must approve unaudited actuals by Sept. 15 each year under state requirements.

Why it matters: the figures determine year-start reserves, inform the first interim budget update in December and affect how the district plans staffing and program spending for 202526#8211;26.

Selected findings Kern highlighted: - Unrestricted general fund: Kern reported a $794,000 net surplus on the unrestricted side but noted the fair-market-value adjustment (about $328,000) is an accounting entry; stripping that out makes the operating surplus smaller. The districtending unrestricted balance plus Fund 17 total about $6.5 million, or roughly 14.8% of total expenditures. (Sean Kern) - Restricted programs: The restricted side ended with carryovers of roughly $5.1 million, driven in part by multi-year grants and timing differences. A notable timing item was a Chromebook order that could not be charged to 202425 because the devices arrived in July; that roughly $900,000 expenditure rolled into 202526#8211;26. (Sean Kern) - One-time state reallocations: CaliforniaDepartment of Education reallocated unspent expanded-learning funds in 2024, increasing the districtELOP allocation by about $300,000, Kern said. The state also provided one-time block grants for student supports and literacy professional development that the district will incorporate into 202526#8211;26 planning. (Sean Kern) - Other notable items: Kern said the LA County Treasury fair-market price-of-cash calculation reduced the dollar value of some county-held investments to about 97 cents on the dollar at June 30; the district also deferred half of an AB218 insurance assessment payment across 202526#8211;26 and 202626#8211;27 to ease cash flow. He said early estimates show roughly $20,000 in savings from the districtsolar arrays but that a full utility reconciliation will follow.

Next steps: Kern told the board the auditorfinal report is due Dec. 15 and that the first interim budget update in December will fold in the start-of-school enrollment, staffing and ADA results.

Board action at the meeting: the board approved routine fiscal consent items later in the agenda (items 12.112.6) by a unanimous vote, which Kern said will allow staff to continue implementing the budget assumptions and to incorporate the one-time state allocations into the 202526#8211;26 spending plan.