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Board reviews budget proposals: MSCR funding, middle‑school CTE expansion and proposed member amendments
Summary
District staff presented proposed 2025‑26 budget additions including MSCR operating support and a plan to expand middle‑school CTE; board members proposed targeted budget amendments that administration said would need funding direction and could total millions of dollars if all adopted.
District leaders presented a package of proposed 2025‑26 budget priorities and program requests that included added support for Madison School & Community Recreation programs, a planned expansion of middle‑school career and technical education (CTE), and several board members’ proposed budget amendments.
MSCR/after‑school requests: Mary Roth of MSCR told the board MSCR requests total about $678,000 to maintain and expand after‑school programming. The expenditure items included sustaining full‑time site directors at middle schools (to support increased participation), maintaining late‑run transportation at 18 schools, a $1 per hour base‑pay increase for seasonal MSCR staff to aid recruitment and retention, and funds for Windows‑11‑compatible devices at sites that lack district devices. Roth said middle‑school participation in MSCR programming has risen (regular attendees and average daily attendance are higher) and that transportation is essential to keeping students engaged in after‑school activities.
Middle‑school CTE expansion: Instruction staff proposed expanding CTE offerings to nine middle schools next year and outlined modest infrastructure and mobile equipment needs so programs can feed directly into high‑school pathways (examples include engineering/trades, digital media and computer science courses). Staff noted some equipment will be portable so it can move with programs once referendum‑funded buildings open.
Board member amendments and allocation questions: Several board members introduced proposed budget amendments that would restore or add staffing at specific schools and create targeted investments (for example, building‑based substitute pools and additions to student supports). Administration warned the complete set of amendments would total several million dollars if adopted and asked whether the board wanted direction on funding sources (for example, using an unallocated pool, village‑builder allocations, or other funds). Administration also cautioned that surplusing and staffing moves made earlier in the budget cycle have already placed some staff in new assignments; reversing allocations could require broader reallocation work.
Budget posture and fund‑balance context: Administration said the district is projecting a stronger year‑end than previously estimated and that final 2024‑25 results could leave the district near or slightly above the fund‑balance target the board adopted. Administrators noted the 2025‑26 budget assumes only the state’s per‑pupil increase (about $325 per pupil) and does not assume additional categorical state aid increases; they recommended caution in relying on new state funding. Administration also reiterated that some reserve use and targeted investments may be needed in 2025‑26 depending on final revenue outcomes and adopted amendments.
Next steps: The board has opportunities in May and June to consider amendments. Administration said it will prepare cost and implementation analyses for requested amendments and return to the board with options for source funding and operational impacts prior to the June preliminary budget vote.
