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Round Lake projects $185,000 FY26 surplus after added special education costs; board reviews staffing needs
Summary
Administrators presented FY26 budget assumptions showing an estimated $185,000 surplus after a $424,000 reduction tied mainly to $329,000 in special education FTE costs; finance committee discussed anticipated postings, space and implementation questions.
District administration told the board on May 19 that fiscal year 2026 budget assumptions currently show an estimated surplus of $185,000 after adjustments, mainly because special education personnel costs increased.
The presentation said the district reduced an earlier projected surplus by $424,000, driven chiefly by an addition of special education full‑time equivalent (FTE) costs of $329,000. Administration still projects an overall estimated surplus of $185,000 for FY26.
Finance committee members said the $329,000 increase reflects additional special education FTEs planned for Murphy, McGee and Raleigh middle schools and that the positions together represent more than $300,000 in recurring payroll expense. Committee members raised questions about available physical space for new staff; administration said space concerns have been addressed.
The committee also discussed other finance items tied to FY26 assumptions, including a proposed bus-trainer safety stipend intended to help recruit and retain bus drivers, and the phased rollout of a data dashboard called SchoolLytics that administrators say will consolidate multiple systems and could reduce other software costs over time.
Board members asked that future strategic-plan updates include clearer progress indicators (a spectrum for "on target") to make it harder to retroactively align activities to targets. Administration said it will provide that additional context in future updates.
