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District finance staff brief board on federal grants: most current funds stable but next year uncertain
Summary
The district’s finance staff told the board most federal funds in the current budget are reimbursed by the state and likely secure for this school year, but staff cautioned about funding uncertainty going into 2025–26 and urged fiscal prudence.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Operations Jared Rosing and district finance staff summarized federal grants and budget timing for the board, saying current-year federal funding claims are submitted to the state for reimbursement and most grants supporting district programs should be stable through the current school year.
Erin, the district’s federal grants specialist, said the packet lists federal funds budgeted for 2024–25 and that the district currently has “roughly $4,000,000 that we have in federal funds in our current budget.” She explained that most grants require the district to incur expenses first and then submit quarterly claims to the state, which is the pass-through for federal funding.
“Most of these funds we incur the expenses and then we submit to the state for reimbursement,” Erin said. She emphasized that USDA meal reimbursements are claimed monthly and Medicaid reimbursement is based on eligible services provided with parental consent, both of which follow different timing than quarterly grant claims.
Rosing and Erin told the board that the state receives federal appropriations on July 1 and typically passes reimbursements along as districts submit claims; that timing reduces immediate risk for the remainder of the current school year. The greater uncertainty is 2025–26 appropriations and whether federal reductions or state-level changes will affect funds that flow to districts next year.
Board members asked whether the district should budget conservatively if federal support decreases. Erin said staff would proceed with normal budget development while modeling contingencies, using carryover and fund-balance options if needed for short-term gaps. The finance team said it will monitor developments and report back to the board; they suggested avoiding deep, one-time taps of fund balance unless necessary.
No board action on funding changes was taken at the meeting. Administration said it will continue monitoring federal appropriations and will present updated budget assumptions as the July 1 federal/state budget timetable becomes clearer.
