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Richland One advances $422.9 million FY25‑26 general fund budget to second reading amid state revenue uncertainty
Summary
The administration presented the second reading of the FY25‑26 general fund budget at $422,865,928, including teacher minimum salary adjustments and other personnel and benefit changes; district staff cautioned final numbers depend on state and county actions and said the administration used House projections for the second reading.
Richland School District One’s administration on Tuesday presented the second reading of its proposed fiscal year 2025–26 general fund budget, recommending a $422,865,928 spending plan that includes adjustments to teacher pay and personnel requests while acknowledging final state and county revenue figures remain unresolved.
Miss Bing, presenting the budget, said the second reading reflects state‑mandated teacher salary schedule adjustments and an additional 2% adjustment to remain competitive, moving the teacher minimum to $51,102. The presentation also listed a 2% step increase for teachers, a state‑mandated increase for bus drivers, a 4.6% employer health insurance increase and a one‑time adjustment for non‑teacher staff who have reached maximum steps. New personnel requests in the proposed budget include athletic trainers, a social worker, multilingual learner support, career and technology stipends and other positions totaling approximately $767,000 in new program personnel requests.
Bing said the administration is using state House projections for second reading and that the district is awaiting final state revenue numbers; she noted differences between House and Senate proposals. She also cited Act 388 (2006) limits and described the district’s mill cap calculation (CPI + population growth = 4.64%) for operating millage, with an estimated mill cap of $277,499,134 — shown as an increase of about $13,000,000 over FY24‑25 — and said the administration requested the mill cap from the county.
Board members asked about reserve amounts and state aid mechanics, including the conference between House and Senate on charter weighting. Commissioner Bishop asked whether the reserve figures had been provided to County Council; Bing said she had. Commissioners also asked about final timing for state numbers; the administration said no final timeline was yet available and that House/Senate conference negotiations would determine final figures.
The administration recommended second reading approval of the general fund budget as presented. The board took the item up for second reading and the administration’s recommendation advanced on the record; the board later recorded a unanimous vote to adopt the second‑reading action as presented.
