Ferguson‑Florissant board says preliminary 2025–26 budget shows $7.7 million shortfall; staff to seek cuts and community input

Ferguson‑Florissant School District officials told board members Wednesday that a preliminary budget for fiscal 2025–26 projects about $150 million in revenues against roughly $155 million in expenses, leaving a roughly $4.7 million operating shortfall and a $7.7 million target for cuts to shore up the district's fund balance.

The district presented the numbers as a work in progress and asked stakeholders for ideas on where to reduce spending. “Transparency and collaboration have been our priorities throughout this process,” said Dr. P. Walker, one of the co‑acting superintendents who led the district's outreach work. The board said it will consider the administration’s final recommendations at a March 26 meeting.

Why it matters: the board ended last year with a $24 million overall fund balance; administration projects an $18 million ending balance for June 30 under current estimates and says the district must reduce spending or risk drawing the fund balance down further. The board’s stated near‑term goal is to increase the operating fund balance incrementally rather than meet the full adopted fund‑balance policy in a single year; administrators said the $7.7 million figure combines the projected 2025–26 operating gap and an additional amount the board wants to reserve to begin rebuilding reserves.

Key figures and process details - February disbursements: payroll $9,971,362.33; accounts payable $6,001,752.51; total monthly disbursements $15,973,114.84 (presented by Dr. Singleton). Those bills were approved by the board Wednesday (see “Votes at a glance”). - Year‑to‑date revenues (by fund) and percent of amended budget collected: general fund roughly $44.4 million (≈62% of amended general fund), special revenue ≈$52.6 million (≈72% of amended), debt service and capital projects variably collected; combined the district reported about $107.2 million received against an amended budget of about $156.2 million (≈69% collected year to date). - Year‑to‑date expenditures were reported at roughly $101 million; projected amended…