District presents budget outlook and staffing priorities; board weighs moving one‑time pay into ongoing cost‑of‑living increases

Note: The following article presents the budget discussion and staffing priorities the board reviewed in the April 9 work session. It summarizes administrators’ estimates and board questions; it does not record a formal budget adoption vote.

District finance staff reviewed preliminary FY26 projections and staffing openings during the April 9 work session and asked the trustees for guidance about priorities. Staff said FY26 growth in district revenue (largely from property-tax growth) is estimated at roughly $726,692. The presentation listed a set of anticipated baseline costs including salary lane/step movement and a cost-of-living adjustment, a large increase in medical insurance, technology-contract increases and the ongoing cost to continue a school resource officer.

Numbers presented (preliminary) - Estimated new funding (FY26): $726,692. - Combined baseline cost (salary lane/step movement + 1% COLA): about $345,000 (presented as the baseline combined cost for levels and COLA). - Technology commitments (onward services): $125,000 (district estimate for technology increases/commitments). - School resource officer (SRO): $85,000 (previously funded from ESSER; continuing cost would fall to district). - Medical insurance: staff used an example that a 7% insurance increase would add about $115,962 to district costs and said insurers’ actuaries suggest FY26 could see a significant increase; final actuarial numbers are pending.

When the district combined the baseline costs, the technology commitment and the SRO cost and added an illustrative medical‑insurance increase, administrators showed total commitments approaching $671,087 (district example figure). With the $726,692 of estimated new revenue, that left roughly $54,000 of new funds available for other priorities. The presentation emphasized these figures were preliminary and that the state and county numbers will be finalized in mid-April.

Board discussion and priorities Trustees discussed strategies to keep the district competitive for hiring. Administrators recommended reconsidering the district’s recurring reliance on so-called "one-time" compensation payments and moving toward regular annual cost-of-living increases to make pay adjustments visible on the salary schedule. Board members warned that converting repeated one-time payments into ongoing increases would create a sustained new expense and reduce fund-balance flexibility.

Staff and trustees identified several district priorities for further consideration, including special education staffing (advertised openings), health aide continuity (previously grant-funded), CTE staffing and technology. The board asked staff to bring a shortlist of must-have priorities (items that cannot be postponed) so trustees could decide which items, if any, should be funded from one-time resources rather than from the operating baseline.

Personnel openings and hiring practice Administrators provided a list of current certified and classified openings across the district (positions at elementary, middle and high school levels) and outlined a renewed emphasis on earlier recruiting, an applicant-tracking system rollout (Frontline) and behavior-based interviews. The board reiterated that transfers and building-level staffing decisions are generally administrative, but asked for transparency when involuntary transfers or budget-driven changes are proposed.

Ending: Administration will return to the board with a clarified list of top priorities and a recommendation about one-time vs. ongoing compensation; final FY26 revenue and actuarial insurance numbers will be updated when the county/state releases final figures.