The Decatur Public School District 61 Board of Education voted 7–0 on Aug. 19 to approve a tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and set a public hearing for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Kyle Administration Building.

The approved tentative budget is a working plan. "There is no real presentation tonight because we're still penciling the expenditures the best we can," Dr. Mike Curry, chief operational officer, told the board. He said staff are continuing to estimate costs for vacancies, classrooms and other items and will refine numbers before the final hearing.

The public hearing will allow residents to present written or oral testimony on the district's tentative spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. The board secretary made the tentative budget available for public inspection for 30 days before the meeting, the board noted.

Why it matters: Curry told the board that revenue concerns are not unique to Decatur and that many urban districts face similar pressures. He also warned that rising utility bills are an immediate budget risk: the district's recent energy auction produced higher supply costs and delivery charges from the utility company could further increase the district's electric bill. "Revenue concerns, they're real," Curry said.

What the board did: After discussion, the board approved the tentative budget and unanimously set the Sept. 23 public hearing date. The boardkeeper noted that action on the final budget will occur at that meeting.

What comes next: District staff will continue to refine expenditure estimates and present a fuller budget at the Sept. 23 hearing. The board and administration signaled they will examine department requests between now and the final vote.

Vote: Tentative FY2025–26 Decatur Public School District 61 budget approved, roll call 7 ayes, 0 nays. Public hearing set for 09/23/2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kyle Administration Building.