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Superintendent presents FY26 recommended budget emphasizing continuity, staff pay and instructional investments
Summary
Superintendent Scott presented the recommended FY2026 operating budget, prioritizing a 3% salary estimate, benefit and inflation adjustments to maintain current services and proposing an expansion package focused on classified pay supplements, curriculum sustainability and partial restoration of master’s‑degree pay.
Superintendent Scott presented his recommended local operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26, framing it as a two-part proposal: a continuation budget to maintain current services and an expansion request to invest in staff and instructional resources.
Scott said the continuation package includes an estimated 3% salary increase for staff, benefit increases to reflect higher retirement and health costs, and a 3% inflation adjustment for non‑personnel lines. Those continuation costs totaled roughly $3.8 million before accounting for projected additional local revenue (a 2% special‑district tax increase and other adjustments), leaving a net continuation need the superintendent estimated at about $3.25 million.
The expansion request totals roughly $4.4 million in the superintendent’s presentation and focuses on three priorities: a 2% across‑the‑board increase in classified supplements (estimated cost $725,000), creation of an instructional‑resource sustainability fund to cover recurring curriculum adoption and software/subscription costs (proposed $1.3 million reserve), and reinstatement of a 10% master’s‑degree differential for eligible teachers (budgeted estimate $2.35 million in early implementation). Scott said the master’s differential figure sits between current-cost estimates and full implementation cost to avoid underfunding.
Board members asked questions about the interplay between state funding and local responsibilities, the proposed instructional‑resource fund and whether reinstating a master’s differential should be balanced against restoring other locally funded positions (for example, elementary teaching assistants and information-technology facilitation positions previously reduced). The superintendent said the administration will present additional scenarios and urged the board to discuss priorities at upcoming work sessions.
Scott also noted the district expects a small decline in average daily membership (ADM) for budget planning (a decrease of 93 students in his recalculation). He outlined the scheduling of future budget steps: staff and cabinet follow-ups, board workshops to shape a recommended budget and a presentation to county commissioners in April. The board did not take a funding vote on the recommendation at the meeting.
