Governor’s draft budget would raise per‑student funding slightly; district to finalize allocations before legislative action

District finance staff briefed the board on the governor’s proposed 2025–26 budget and how the district will translate state projections into school allocations.

Kelly Letcher said the governor’s budget recommended a $94 increase to the base student allocation (BSA) to $5,426, with district and charter funding increases driven in part by projected Full‑Time Equivalent (FTE) changes. The governor’s numbers showed increases in FTE tied to Family Empowerment Scholarships and an overall funding increase cited in the presentation, but Letcher cautioned that the governor’s recommendation is an early indicator and the Legislature may change the figures during session. "This is just our first indication of what may happen at the state level," she said.

Staff outlined how the district builds school allocations using District Resource Allocations (DRA), Title I and IDEA and noted the district currently budgets more than $600 million to schools through the DRA process. Letcher described components that affect allocations: weighted FTE, ESOL and ESE adjustments, class-size allocations and small-school supplements. The district plans to release school allocations in March to allow schools to plan for personnel and reappointment timelines; final adjustments follow the Legislature’s action and fall‑term enrollment updates.

Board members asked for withdrawal and private‑school migration data related to the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES). Staff said the district can provide breakouts that show students who withdrew to attend private schools and that school allocation releases must proceed on the district timeline to support personnel planning.

The presentation also covered budget formulation calendar steps and the district’s approach to reconciling governor projections with legislative outcomes. No board action was taken at the workshop.