Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elkhorn School Board adopts preliminary 2025-26 budget amid state funding uncertainty
Summary
At its June 30 meeting the Elkhorn School Board approved a preliminary 2025-26 district budget and discussed state-level budget actions that could reduce the district's projected operating deficit from about $2.3 million to $1.4 million.
The Elkhorn School Board approved a preliminary district budget for 2025-26 on June 30 and discussed how pending state action could change the district's revenue outlook.
Board members voted to adopt the preliminary budget as presented, moving the plan forward while state budget negotiations continue. The board and staff emphasized that the numbers remain fluid pending final state action, property valuations and official student counts.
District staff told the board that recent action by the state Joint Finance Committee preserved a status-quo allocation for general equalization aid but allowed the revenue limit to rise to $3.25 (as presented at the hearing), and that proposed increases in open-enrollment reimbursement would be worth about $1,500 per incoming student. Staff said those changes shrink the district's operating deficit from roughly $2.3 million to about $1.4 million, though they cautioned the figure could change once the Legislature and governor finalize the state budget.
Staff reviewed other elements of the draft budget: projections for special-education reimbursement under the legislative fiscal bureau's estimates, modest increases tied to apprenticeship/certification reimbursements, and a continued emphasis on budget reductions and phased program adjustments. The district's outstanding debt was cited at just over $26 million, and staff said the draft levy estimate in the plan represents an approximate 8% levy increase at this stage.
Board members asked for clarity on notification and estimate timing. Staff noted that the state is required to send every district an equalization-aid estimate on July 1, but that estimate is preliminary and based on budget reports districts file; the district receives final, audited amounts in October after the state has actual data. The presenter warned media and the public that July 1 estimates often change and urged caution in interpreting early figures.
The board approved the preliminary budget by voice vote and indicated it would continue discussing reductions, state-level changes and the final levy ahead of the annual meeting later in July and the final budget in October.
The adoption marks a procedural step that allows staff to publish required notices and continue financial planning while the Legislature and governor complete the state budget process.
