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Central 301 board adopts final fiscal 2026 budget after minor fund adjustments
Summary
The Central CUSD 301 Board of Education approved the district's final fiscal year 2026 budget after staff described routine reclassifications and updates; the education fund netted a $161,000 increase after a $170,000 Medicaid reimbursement was added to revenues.
The Central CUSD 301 Board of Education on Tuesday approved the district's final fiscal year 2026 budget after staff described a set of routine adjustments that left the district with a positive fund balance across all funds.
District staff told the board the education fund saw a $170,000 increase in revenues tied to a Medicaid claim from fiscal 2023 and a $331,000 increase in expenditures from salary and curriculum adjustments, producing a net change of about $161,000. "On the revenue side, the only change that we had was for the education fund for, $170,000 difference, for an increase for a Medicaid claim," a staff member said during the budget hearing. "Total change for the education fund was $331,000 increase on the expenditure side. But with that 170,000, on the revenue side, it only netted to a $161,000 change."
Why it matters: the board's approval finalizes spending and allows the district to proceed with school-year staffing, curriculum purchases and other commitments. Board members and the public pressed staff for clearer line-item context before the vote.
Board discussion focused on what the numbers reflect and how the budget accounts for contract changes. Resident PK Parekh asked for a clearer variance column in budget documents comparing the proposed budget to last year's actuals so the public can spot material changes more easily. "The budget would be easier to review if there was a column included to show the variance between the proposed budget for this year versus the actual expense from the prior year," Parekh said during public comment.
Dana, a district staff member who presented the budget, confirmed that the recently negotiated contract items were included. "The curriculum was included in the budget. The CEA salary changes and the admin salaries were also included in there," the staff member said when asked whether textbook purchases and salary changes were built into the numbers. Dana also explained how payroll forecasting handles vacancies and new hires: the budget uses actual salaries and benefits for every listed employee and placeholders (a bachelor's, level 3, etc.) where positions are expected but not yet filled.
The board cast a roll-call vote after discussion; members recorded as voting yes included Pappas, Ward, Dogen, Gorman, Hurst, Marvicka and Lawson. The motion passed.
Discussion versus decision: board members asked for additional breakdowns (teacher counts by building and how FTEs are allocated) as discussion; staff provided clarifications about what is included in the budget (direction/clarification); the formal decision to adopt the FY26 budget was the recorded vote.
Looking ahead: staff said minimal presentation pages changed and that all funds still project a positive fund balance at year-end. Board members asked staff to prepare additional reporting formats (variance to prior-year actuals, teacher headcount by role and building) to be used for future budget reviews and public transparency.
