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Pullman district presents a balanced four-year 2025-26 budget with tight first-year margins
Summary
District finance staff presented a 2025-26 budget projection that the board described as balanced for four years but tight in the first year; staff outlined revenues, staffing, and capital plans and said the budget will come back for approval on Aug. 13.
Pullman Public Schools staff presented the proposed 2025-26 budget and a four-year projection that staff described as balanced but tightly constrained in the first year.
Diane (staff member) told the board the district had prepared a four-year balanced projection and recommended a 7.5% ending fund balance as a cushion. The proposed 2025-26 general fund totals were stated as $44,500,000 in revenues and $44,500,000 in expenditures, with a projected fund balance of approximately $3.9 million (about 8.8%). The budget assumes a district enrollment of about 2,540 students for 2025-26.
Why it matters: The budget determines staffing, class size, instructional programs and capital projects. Diane emphasized the district made difficult decisions to reach a balanced four-year plan and noted the first year remains tight unless enrollment comes in higher than the budget assumption.
Key details: Diane reported the district is underfunded for basic education staffing compared with funded FTE levels by about 16.33 FTE, with an estimated underfunding in salaries and benefits of roughly $6 million. Major revenue changes include an increase in special education funding tied to state legislative changes and a one-time increase in Title funding. The capital projects fund includes planned roof replacements (Pioneer Center, elementary roofs), technology replacement and a potential land purchase; transportation vehicle fund anticipates purchasing one diesel bus in 2025-26 and planning for an electric bus in a later year.
Board questions focused on contingency for unexpected costs such as insurance and utilities; Diane said the first year is particularly tight and that enrollment exceeding projections would provide the primary cushion. The board discussed maintaining regular reporting on the long-term solar/PPA decision and monitoring costs tied to utilities and bargaining outcomes.
Next steps: Diane said the recommended budgets will be brought to the board for approval on Aug. 13. Staff will continue to monitor enrollment, state funding (including LEA revenue changes mentioned for later years) and costs.
