Vermillion school board adopts 2025–26 budget, declares special-education open enrollment closed

The Vermillion School District 13‑1 School Board on July 14 approved the district’s fiscal year 2025–26 annual budget and the district’s levy requests, and the board declared the district’s special‑education department at capacity and closed special‑education open enrollments.

Board action adopted the district’s presented totals for the fiscal year running July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026: General Fund $12,917,748; Capital Outlay Fund $3,278,175; Special Education Fund $3,361,630; Debt Service Fund $1,377,500; Food Service Program Fund $1,054,000; Enterprise Fund $176,050. The board also certified levy requests and other levy elements to county auditors as read at the meeting.

The budget matters were presented by the finance committee and district staff, who framed the budget around a modest enrollment decline and constrained revenues. The budget presentation said district enrollment used for budgeting was 1,385 students last year and the district projects 1,340 students for 2025–26. Staff told the board projected state aid includes an increase the state set at 1.25% and that the district is conservatively estimating revenues while budgeting expenditures to not exceed available resources.

District staff identified primary revenue drivers as local property taxes and state aid. Staff described revenue adjustments including: increased taxable valuation driving capital outlay property‑tax revenue; a 7% increase in taxable valuation from 2024 to 2025 noted for the district; some federal grant carryover being used in earlier years; and use of an allowed transfer from the capital outlay fund to the general fund (staff noted a planned $300,000 transfer). The budget presentation also listed federal grant changes including reductions where carryover was used and increases tied to a high‑school TSI grant that funds the JAG position and related professional development.

On the expenditure side, the budget incorporates a 2% pay increase for returning staff and adds a third‑grade teacher and a JAG coordinator at the high school. Transportation costs reflect ability to use 15% of capital‑outlay payments to support bus-related costs; the district also noted a small increase in contracted bus rates and higher travel costs for student activities. Operations and maintenance increases were attributed primarily to higher property‑insurance premiums, which staff said have grown between about 13% and 30% in recent years and to costs associated with the new elementary school building.

Staff reported fund‑balance targets and planned use of…