Board accepts $250,000 county transfer; discusses pilot alternative-education staffing and state bonus funds

The school board voted 3-2 to accept a $250,000 increase in the county transfer to the district’s FY2026 budget after the Board of Supervisors adopted its financial plan. The $250,000 raises the total operating transfer and leaves the district with options for short-term allocations; board members debated whether to earmark the funds immediately or place them in a fund balance pending further decisions.

Superintendent and budget staff outlined recommended spending from the additional transfer that they said would support a pilot alternative-education program: an instructional aide (estimated $35,009 including benefits), a behavior specialist (estimated $123,001 including benefits), equipment and operating start-up costs and the reassignment of a vacant GED-teaching position for on-line GED instruction. The recommended allocations also included salary adjustments for instructional specialists and converting two facility apprentice roles to 12-month positions, leaving a small remaining fund balance in the proposed scenario.

Staff also requested appropriation of a $20,000 state grant for AP computer-science teacher development and an appropriation of $441,548 in state bonus funds for FY25; plans proposed dividing the bonus funding among staff as a one-time bonus by contract length, similar to prior practice, with no local matching funds required. Board members questioned legal-fee budget lines during the discussion; one member asked to trim the proposed legal-fee budget but the board maintained the previously budgeted amount.

The board approved the budget update (including the $250,000 transfer increase) by roll call, 3–2. Board members emphasized that specific hiring and program implementation decisions would follow standard personnel and budget procedures and that changes could be adjusted in later budget cycles.