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 expenditures for 2024–25 are about $162 million, producing the current year operating gap that carries into next year’s assumptions. - Preliminary 2025–26 revenues were shown at about $150 million with preliminary expenditures near $155 million, producing the $4.7 million shortfall the administration reported. Administration added roughly $3 million in further reductions the board wants to hold as reserve growth, yielding the $7.7 million target for cuts.

Discussion and options presented Administrators and staff described a two‑week process of stakeholder meetings and a district survey (open through the morning after the meeting) that produced recurring themes: reducing administrative roles, hiring freezes or attrition rather than layoffs, consolidation of facilities and grade configurations (for example, rethinking separate PK–2 and sixth‑grade centers), reviewing consultant and vendor contracts, re‑examining transportation tiers and reimbursable vs. non‑reimbursable trips, centralizing supply ordering, program evaluations for seldom‑used curriculum, and potential consolidation of some specialty high‑school programs (Steam/Innovation) to reduce duplicated overhead.

Administrators said personnel costs remain the largest portion of the budget and noted the preliminary budget does not assume any salary increases for 2025–26; benefit costs (insurance) were projected to rise in the range administration estimated at about 8%.

Public comments and staff feedback More than a dozen teachers, parents and community members spoke during public comment, urging the board to prioritize classroom staff, to avoid eroding student supports, and to protect schools with strong principals and counselors. Several teachers described staffing shortages and requested that the district use teacher and staff surveys and town‑hall notes collected over recent years when weighing cuts; a union representative reiterated negotiating priorities and said starting teacher pay is roughly 12% below comparable St. Louis County districts.

Next steps and timing Administration said it will return with a more detailed preliminary budget on March 26 that itemizes recommended cuts and includes the stakeholder‑sourced options. The board asked for additional detail showing the projected June 30, 2025 ending balances by fund (general, special revenue, capital projects and debt service) so members can confirm how much unrestricted operating fund balance will remain. Administrators also said they will meet with FFNEA leadership before the board's final adoption process.

Votes at a glance (formal motions recorded during the meeting) - Motion to approve the meeting agenda: moved by Tyson, second by Paullette Thurman; outcome: approved by voice vote (ayes have it). (Transcript: motion at 885.425–905.81.) - Motion to approve consent agenda: moved by Thurman, second by Dunn; outcome: approved by voice vote (ayes have it). (Transcript: 3334.365–3344.680.) - Motion to approve February disbursements (payroll and operational): moved by Thurman, second by Dunn; outcome: approved by voice vote after discussion; several members spoke in favor and a roll call later recorded yes votes. (Transcript: motion at 4103.915–4133.805; subsequent discussion and vote at 5936.635–5946.550.) - Motion to adopt sections B, C and F (effective 07/01/2025): moved by Thurman, second by Dunn; outcome: approved by voice vote. (Transcript: motion and vote around 7449.605–7461.305.) - Motion to move into closed session: moved by Thurman, second by Dunn; outcome: approved by roll call (all voting members present recorded “yes” — Mr. Bailin, Mr. Tyson, Secretary Paullette Thurman, Dr. Paul Walker, Dr. Thurman, Mr. Gates, Dr. Martin). (Transcript roll call recorded at 12538.115–12554.4795.)

Discussion vs. decision The board did not adopt a final budget or specific reductions on March 12. Administrators presented options and an initial dollar target; the board directed staff to continue analysis, gather more detailed fund‑by‑fund ending balances and bring back a full preliminary budget and proposed reduction list on March 26.

Clarifying details extracted from the meeting - Preliminary 2025–26 revenue estimate: about $150,000,000 (administration projection). - Preliminary 2025–26 expenditure estimate: about $155,000,000. - Projected single‑year shortfall (preliminary): ~$4,700,000. - Additional reserve target added by board (administration calculation): ~$3,000,000. - Combined reduction target discussed by administration/board: $7,774,000 (rounded in public discussion as $7.7 million). - February monthly disbursements presented: payroll $9,971,362.33; AP $6,001,752.51; total $15,973,114.84. - Year‑to‑date revenues reported (all funds): ≈$107,200,000 vs. amended budget ≈$156,200,000 (≈69% collected year to date). - Projected June 30, 2025 ending overall fund balance (administration preliminary): roughly $18,000,000 (administration said this equates to roughly an 11% overall fund balance; operating fund balance will be lower). - Enrollment projection included in presentations: 8,778 students (three‑year trend method based on DESE September count).

Proper names referenced Ferguson‑Florissant School District; Dr. P. Walker; Dr. Singleton; FFNEA (Ferguson‑Florissant NEA); MSBA (Missouri School Boards Association); DESE (DESE core data/Department of Elementary and Secondary Education); ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds; Prop C; Unleashing Potential; Varsity Tutors; Hazel Health; Challenger Learning Center; Little Creek Nature Area; STEAM Academy at McClure South Berkeley; McClure North; Innovation High School.

Provenance (selected evidence spans from the transcript) - topicintro: excerpt beginning at transcript time 63:71.59–63:91.38: "Can we get the budget on the screen? Alright. So this is our preliminary budget, which is very high level. Alright?" (Dr. Singleton presenting the preliminary budget.) - topfinish: excerpt beginning at transcript time 68:12.07–68:33.55: "the $7,774,000. That is the $7,700,000, different from some of the other numbers. Okay? But that's the 7.7." (Dr. Singleton summarizing the $7.7M figure.)