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Humboldt County School District approves FY26 tentative budget based on state allocations
Summary
The board approved a tentative FY2026 budget built from preliminary state allocations; CFO Mike Nelson warned of large unknowns and noted projected transfers to special education and food service deficits that will be revised in June.
The Humboldt County School District Board of Trustees voted April 8 to approve a tentative FY2026 budget based on currently projected state allocations, district Chief Financial Officer Mike Nelson said.
Nelson warned trustees the figures are preliminary and that state timelines and revenue details remain uncertain. “These numbers Mike presents to you right now are preliminary,” Superintendent Cole Hedlund prefaced, noting the district will return with a final budget in June.
Nelson highlighted key estimates: a modest increase in adjusted base state funding, a projected $800,000 increase in local special‑education funding, and an estimated $1.3 million salary adjustment projection tied to previously expiring SB231 funding. He said the district’s beginning fund balance is estimated at about $2.5 million and cautioned the district ‘‘has a lot less wiggle room than what we used to have.’’
On special education, Nelson said the district projects a FY26 transfer from the general fund to special education of about $3.234 million — roughly $87,000 more than state funding — narrowing the gap compared with prior years but still a significant district subsidy. He also warned the food service fund currently projects a near‑term deficit: an estimated FY25 loss of about $750,000 that would exhaust an opening fund balance of roughly $523,000 and require a transfer of about $211,000 from the general fund unless revenues or operations change. That shortfall stems from Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) reimbursements and contracted meal costs under Chartwells, Nelson said.
Board members asked for detail on travel and other line items; Nelson said he would provide a deeper breakdown at the request of trustees. The board moved and seconded approval of the tentative budget; the motion carried.
The tentative budget approval complies with statutory requirements that the board adopt an interim budget before returning to adopt a final budget in June; the CFO said updates will follow as the state finalizes allocations.
