Shakopee schools present FY26 preliminary budget showing planned use of reserves to hold fund balance at 10%

Shakopee Public School District finance staff presented a preliminary fiscal 2026 executive summary to the school board on May 12, saying the district expects to use a portion of restricted and assigned fund balances to keep the unassigned general fund balance near its 10% policy level while noting structural budget shortfalls beginning in fiscal 2027.

Director of Finance and Operations Zolmanazi told the board that the district—s proposed budget shows total revenues of $167,326,700 and total expenditures of $174,016,805 for fiscal 2026. "Our unassigned fund balance in the general fund is projected to end next year at 13,180,000.00, which is good for 10%," Zolmanazi said, adding that doing so requires planned use of restricted and assigned fund balances.

The document reviewed several assumptions used in building the budget: an operating levy authority of $1,371.84 per pupil for taxes payable 2025; a 2.34% inflation factor tied to…