Pasco Lagosha School District presents proposed $142.6 million budget; adoption set for Aug. 11

Pasco Lagosha School District officials presented a proposed fiscal 2025-26 budget at a public hearing and did not take a vote; the board of trustees is scheduled to consider adoption at its regular meeting on Aug. 11. The presentation outlined revenue sources, personnel counts, facilities and vehicles, and detailed expenditures across instruction, student services and operations.

“The purpose of tonight's meeting is to present the proposed budget to the public and to receive input,” said a staff member (name not specified), a presenter for Pasco Lagosha School District. The presenter said the hearing was held in accordance with city code section 37-61-9 and that the hearing was being held at least one week before the scheduled adoption vote.

The presenter reported total proposed expenditures of $142,637,550 and total budgeted revenue of $119,903,032. The revenue mix listed in the presentation was $43,451,181 in state revenue, $57,521,305 in local revenue and $18,924,726 in federal revenue, with an additional line item shown as $5,800. The presentation said personnel costs — salaries and fringe benefits — account for more than 66% of budgeted expenditures, with salaries listed at $69,268,909 and benefits at $24,999,597 (personnel total $94,268,506).

Enrollment and staffing figures presented: 3,622 elementary students and 2,904 secondary students (6,526 total); and 1,355 total district employees composed of one superintendent, three assistant superintendents, a chief financial officer, 17 administrators and directors, 38 principals and assistant principals, eight staff in the center for teaching and learning/technology integration roles, 624 teachers and related certificated positions, 44 counselors/social workers/intervention specialists, 50 professional support staff, 213 assistant teachers or in-school isolation monitors, 75 secretarial and clerical staff, 91 maintenance and custodial employees, 73 transportation employees, 107 child nutrition staff and 11 adult education staff.

Facilities and vehicles: the district listed 12 elementary schools, five secondary schools, one exceptional school and an opportunity center, 17 stadiums and fields, three administration buildings and one performing arts center, for a total the presenter cited as 40 facilities. The vehicle fleet was reported as 107 school buses and 62 other vehicles.

Budgeted expenditures by function included instruction at $63,604,618; student services at $7,578,700; instructional support at $7,414,696; general administration at $3,172,016; school administration at $6,196,285; business services at $1,482,883; operation and maintenance at $17,360,754; noninstructional services at $12,724,300; facilities and construction at $11,845,000; and debt service at $4,260,533. The presentation included a transportation figure that was garbled in the transcript and is therefore reported here as not specified.

The presenter said other financing sources total $22,500,000, and that the district’s fund balance (retained earnings) was $56,366,207 as of July 1, 2025, and projected at $56,131,690 as of June 30, 2026. No public commenters had signed up to speak; the presenter declared the public hearing closed at the conclusion of the presentation.

The board will consider the proposed budget and may vote on adoption at its regular meeting on Aug. 11, according to the presenter. Because no final vote was taken at the hearing, the figures presented remain a proposal subject to board action.