Sun Prairie budget presenter says proposed 2025-26 plan is balanced after state aid updates

Matt Clark, director of business and finance for the Sun Prairie Area School District, told the school board the district—s proposed 2025-26 budget is balanced and incorporates recent state funding updates. "The budget being presented tonight is balanced," Clark said during a presentation that summarized months of planning and public outreach.

Clark said the district received confirmation after the July budget hearing that about $700,000 in personal property aid would be continued statewide; he described that as an increase in state aid that directly reduces the district—s tax levy. "It is important to note that this is not new money for additional spending. Rather, it is an increase in state aid, which directly reduces the tax levy," Clark said.

The presentation included documents formatted to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requirements and, Clark said, compliant with Wisconsin Statute 65.90. Attached materials include audited financial statements for fiscal 2023-24, unaudited financials for 2024-25 and the proposed 2025-26 budget, broken down by fund and function.

Clark summarized key funding drivers: a $1.4 million increase in equalization aid that nevertheless remains about $2.6 million below the district—s initial projection because the state added no new money to the equalization aid funding pool; and an expected $2.3 million increase in Fund 27 special education reimbursement revenue after the reimbursement rate rose from 30% to 39%, which he said reduces the Fund 10 transfer needed to cover Fund 27 costs.

He reported the proposed tax levy declined from $93,700,000 to $93,100,000 following the personal property aid confirmation, and said the projected mill rate rose from $10.16 to $10.29 for the year. Clark noted that during the 2024 referendum process the district estimated a $10.74 mill rate for the 2025-26 fiscal year, making the current projection about 45 cents lower than the referendum estimate.

Clark said three variables must be finalized before the board can adopt a final levy and mill rate: the official student count (taken the third Friday in September), the equalization aid certification and the equalized property valuation (both due in October). He outlined next steps: the board was to take action on the proposed budget at the meeting where he presented it; if the board approves the proposal on Oct. 6, the budget would be taken to the annual meeting for setting the tax levy; by Oct. 31 the school board would adopt the original budget based on final aid certification, property valuation and enrollment counts.

Other details Clark gave included that the July 3 finalization of the state budget provided key funding information and that a public hearing on July 28 produced community feedback incorporated into the proposal. Clark said he had listed and linked the several presentations and reports used during the budgeting process.

The presentation recorded in the transcript did not include any recorded motion or vote. The numbers Clark presented were described as projections pending the student count and October certifications.